Mint Leaves Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Fresh spearmint leaves contain 11.87mg iron per 100g (66% DV) — substantially more than raw spinach (2.7mg), kale (1.5mg), and even cooked lentils (3.3mg). In dried form, this concentrates to an extraordinary 87.5mg iron per 100g (486% DV). These numbers make mint appear to be one of the most iron-dense foods available ^[1][2].

The critical caveat is serving size. A typical garnish of 2 tablespoons fresh mint (~3.2g) provides just 0.38mg iron (2% DV). Even a generous chutney portion (30g) delivers only 3.6mg iron (20% DV). A teaspoon of dried mint (0.5g) adds 0.44mg iron (2.4% DV). The per-100g iron figure is accurate but misleading for practical consumption ^[1].

For food journaling, log mint for its cumulative micronutrient contribution rather than expecting it to be a primary iron source. If making mint chutney regularly (30g fresh per serving), the iron contribution becomes meaningful: 3.6mg is equivalent to the iron in a small chicken breast.

Fresh mint delivers 199mg calcium per 100g (15% DV) — more than milk (125mg), yogurt (110mg), and most leafy greens except kale (254mg). It also provides 6.8g fiber per 100g (24% DV), 63mg magnesium (15% DV), and 458mg potassium (10% DV). The mineral density is genuinely impressive — per calorie, mint is among the most mineral-concentrated herbs ^[1][3].

Per-serving reality: 2 tablespoons (3.2g) provides 6.4mg calcium (0.5% DV), 0.22g fiber (0.8% DV), 2.0mg magnesium (0.5% DV), and 14.7mg potassium (0.3% DV). A 30g chutney portion provides 59.7mg calcium (4.6% DV), 2.0g fiber (7% DV), 18.9mg magnesium (4.5% DV), and 137mg potassium (2.9% DV). The chutney-size portion starts to show meaningful mineral contributions ^[1].

For food journaling, the key distinction is between garnish mint (1–3g, essentially negligible) and cooking mint (20–50g in chutneys, raita, or tabbouleh, where minerals become measurable). Track the weight carefully — a sprig vs a handful differs by 10x.

Fresh mint provides 105mcg folate per 100g (26% DV) — among the highest for fresh herbs, exceeding coriander (62mcg), basil (68mcg), and dill (150mcg on a per-calorie basis). Vitamin A at 203mcg RAE (23% DV, from 4,054 IU) reflects significant beta-carotene content. Niacin at 0.95mg (6% DV) and thiamine at 0.08mg (7% DV) round out the B-vitamin profile ^[1][2].

Dried mint amplifies folate to 530mcg per 100g (133% DV) and vitamin A to 529mcg RAE (59% DV), but a teaspoon of dried mint (0.5g) provides just 2.7mcg folate and 2.6mcg vitamin A — trace amounts. In contrast, vitamin C in dried form drops to zero (from 13.3mg fresh), completely destroyed during dehydration ^[1].

For food journaling, mint's folate content is noteworthy at chutney portions (30g = 31.5mcg folate, 8% DV). The vitamin A contribution is also meaningful in larger servings. These are bonus micronutrients that most people would not associate with a garnish herb.

Mint's defining characteristic — its cooling sensation — comes from menthol, a monoterpenoid alcohol that constitutes 40–60% of spearmint essential oil in typical cultivars (peppermint can reach 70–80%). Fresh spearmint leaves contain approximately 0.5–1.0% essential oil by weight, meaning 100g of fresh leaves contains roughly 0.2–0.6g of menthol ^[3][4].

Menthol activates the TRPM8 cold receptor in the mouth and skin — producing a cooling sensation without any actual temperature change. Other notable volatile compounds include carvone (the compound that gives spearmint its sweeter, less intense flavor compared to peppermint), limonene, and 1,8-cineole. None of these appear in any standard nutrition database ^[4].

Rosmarinic acid — a phenolic compound present at 0.2–1.5% of dry weight — is another invisible phytonutrient in mint. For food journaling, menthol and these volatile compounds represent the gap between what nutrition panels measure (calories, macro/micronutrients) and what actually defines the sensory experience of eating mint.

The honest per-serving reality of mint: 2 tablespoons of fresh leaves (3.2g) provides 1 calorie, 0.1g protein, 0.3g carbs, 0.2g fiber, 0.38mg iron (2% DV), 6.4mg calcium (0.5% DV), and 0.43mg vitamin C (0.5% DV). At this serving size, mint is nutritionally invisible — it contributes more to aroma and flavor than to any nutrient target ^[1].

Scaling up changes the picture significantly. Mint chutney (30g fresh) = 13 kcal, 3.6mg iron (20% DV), 59.7mg calcium (4.6% DV), 31.5mcg folate (8% DV), 4.0mg vitamin C (4% DV). Mint raita with 20g fresh mint = 9 kcal from mint plus yogurt, adding 2.4mg iron (13% DV) and 39.8mg calcium (3% DV) beyond the yogurt's own contribution ^[1].

For food journaling: if using mint as a garnish (1–3g), it is not worth logging for nutrient purposes — only for recipe completeness. If making chutney, raita, or tabbouleh with 20–50g of mint, the iron, calcium, folate, and vitamin A contributions are worth tracking.