Once summer hits, we all have certain ingredients we like to start incorporating into our diet. For some, it may be basil to add to a mozzarella and tomato salad, for others it may be grilled, steamed or sautéed corn. For Alyssa Milano, it’s mint.
The actress told People that she’s been including mint in “everything” this summer. Not just because of its taste, but because there’s an overabundance of it in her herb garden.
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“My mint is out of control right now, so I basically put it in everything,” Milano explained. “It doesn’t matter what it is, it’s getting mint in it.”
By everything, she specifies that her club soda will get a hint of mint, along with her watermelon, feta cheese and cucumber salad, which is a favorite. “It’s super easy to make and super delicious,” she told People.
As refreshing as that sounds, this ingredient has more to offer than its quality taste. It also has serious weight-loss benefits. A 2003 study found that mint was one of the most effective spices to enhance the body’s ability to turn food and fats into usable energy by stimulating the digestive enzymes. Therefore, adding mint to your diet can help put what you’re eating to good use.
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The ingredient also helps with digestion, by soothing the stomach for those who suffer from inflammation or indigestion.
Besides using ingredient, Milano also keeps to a low-carb diet, avoiding things like pasta and rice. Instead, she makes meals with high protein and healthy fats. She explains that she typically starts her day with a vegetable omelet and has a salad with grilled fish for lunch. For dinner, she tells the magazine it’s typically “some kind of protein with vegetables.”
So although mint isn’t the only thing maintaining Milano’s healthy physique, it definitely doesn’t hurt.