Mints makin' Ice brrrrrrrrr?

Mint has the ability to chemically trigger the cold-sensitive nerves in your mouth and your skin. These nerves are regulated by a certain enzyme, called TRPM8.

That enzyme acts only below a certain threshold temperature when it lets the nerve signals pass that signal cold. Mint increases that threshold so that instead of experiencing cold when it's say, 15 degrees C, you start to have the same sensation already at a few degrees higher temperature.