Health Benefits of Peppermint Tea

Peppermint, as we know it, is a plant with a refreshing flavor. Also known simply as mint, peppermint has amazing benefits, especially in tea form. Peppermint helps with different symptoms of the body including indigestion and bloating, for example. In this article, we will discuss the important health benefits of peppermint tea.

1) Easing Digestive Upsets

Peppermint tea might help in relieving symptoms of digestive issues including bloating. Many trials show that peppermint tea helps in easing stomach pain. It helps in relieving spasms in your stomach by preventing the contraction of smooth muscles in the body. One meta-analysis of patients having irritable bowel syndrome showed that patients with the intervention of peppermint oil had significant relief from symptoms as compared to placebo.

In a study of people with irritable bowel syndrome, it was shown that peppermint oil decreased the symptoms of IBS up to 40% after a month in comparison to the placebo group, which had only a 24% reduction.

What’s more, a review of clinical trials on pediatric patients showed peppermint to reduce the length, severity, and frequency of pain in the stomach. What’s more, capsules having peppermint oil decreased the overall severity of vomiting as well as nausea in 200 people who went under cancer chemotherapy. While there are no research studies examining the effects of peppermint tea on digestion directly, it is possible that the tea from the herb would have similar effects.

2) Relieving Migraines and Headaches

Peppermint is also known to relieve pain and make the muscles feel relaxed. It might help in diminishing the different types of headaches. It is because of the active ingredient present in it called peppermint oil, which helps in increasing the flow of blood to the body and gives a sensation of cooling. In turn, it helps in increasing pain.

A clinical study showed that peppermint oil when used on the head helps in providing relief against pain after 120 minutes of onset. The aroma of peppermint tea is soothing for the nervous system, providing muscle pain relief.

3) Improves Breath

Peppermint is also considered a flavor used widely in dental care products and oral refreshments such as chewing gum and toothpaste. It is because of the freshening effect of it. Peppermint has a great smell that comes because of its antibacterial properties in it, killing the germs which are the reason behind the dental plaque. As a result, you get improved breath. Another study suggests that people undergoing surgery got an improvement in their breath symptoms due to using peppermint. 

It is hypothesized that peppermint tea has compounds in it which work to freshen up breath.

4) Might Improve Clogged Sinus

Peppermint tea comes with anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. Due to this property, it might be useful to use peppermint tea to fight clogged sinuses. Also, peppermint may help in fighting allergies and the common cold. In addition, studies show that peppermint has an active ingredient called menthol which helps in improving airflow in the nasal cavity. So, you might find that peppermint tea’s steam might help you breathe more easily than before.

What’s more, warm liquids may only transiently help in relieving symptoms because of their vapors. But peppermint tea due to this property has more long-lasting effects. Evidence tells us that peppermint tea might be also helpful for providing relief against nasal congestion.

5) Helps in Boosting Energy

Peppermint tea might also help in increasing energy levels in the body, reducing fatigue from the day. While we see no specific effects of peppermint tea in large clinical trials, studies show the active ingredients present in peppermint tea might have positive effects on the drinker’s energy.

A study showed that individuals experienced lesser fatigue in their cognitive tests after taking capsules of peppermint oil.

Another study showed peppermint oil to be highly beneficial in reducing sleepiness in daytime.

6) Might Decrease Cramps in Menses

As peppermint helps as a relaxant for muscles, it might help give relief against menstrual cramps. The compounds present in the herb are shown to have these effects on the body. A study with women undergoing painful periods showed that peppermint helped the same way as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in decreasing the overall duration as well as the intensity of pain.

Taking peppermint tea is also observed to give similar benefits.

7) Peppermint is Anti-Bacterial

The compounds present in peppermint tea have antibacterial effects, due to which peppermint is known to be highly beneficial for fighting off bacterial infections. A study showed that peppermint helps in killing and preventing the regrowth of different food-borne bacterial infections, including Salmonella and E.coli. Peppermint also helps in killing different bacterial types leading to different diseases in people having different conditions such as pneumonia.

What’s more, there are studies indicating that peppermint helps in reducing different bacterial types that are present in your mouth. What’s more, menthol improves the body’s defense system by regulating antibacterial activity.

8) Might Fight Insomnia

Peppermint tea is also known to improve your sleep. Peppermint Tea is free from caffeine, so taking it before bed is highly beneficial. The ability of peppermint tea to relax your muscles makes it perfect for soothing your body before bed. One study showed the performance of peppermint oil in improving the sleeping time in the rat. However, there needs to be more scientific evidence on that matter. That said, it becomes important to follow more research on peppermint in relation to fighting insomnia.

9) Improves Fat Loss

Peppermint tea might help individuals fighting obesity to see improved results. One hypothesis is that it helps in improving overall metabolism in the body. Peppermint tea comes free of calories and it has a welcoming flavor the individuals like. So, without using sugar in tea, it is possible to lose weight. A small trial on 13 subjects showed peppermint to be helpful in reducing overall appetite in people as compared to those who don’t take peppermint.

Another study showed that the lab rat experienced more weight gain with peppermint extract. Therefore, there needs to be a more extensive study on the topic for further evidence.

10) Might Fight Pollen Allergy

The compound rosmarinic acid present in peppermint makes it an excellent candidate for warding off pollen allergies. Rosmarinic acid helps in decreasing allergic reaction symptoms, including itchy eyes, asthma, and runny nose. A clinical trial in people having seasonal allergies showed that supplementation with this acid had significantly decreased symptoms of seasonal allergies as compared to those people who were on a placebo.

While we don’t know the exact rosmarinic acid amount present in peppermint for controlling the symptoms of allergies, we have an indication that taking peppermint tea on regular terms might help with the symptoms.

Peppermint extract helped in reducing allergic symptoms including itchy nose as well as sneezing.

11) Peppermint May Increase Focus

Some people think drinking peppermint tea helps them stay focused and concentrated on their tasks. While the scientific evidence is not much on this claim, there are some benefits highlighted. For example, people experienced better results on cognitive tests after taking peppermint oil. Another research showed smelling this peppermint helped in improving alertness as well as memory in comparison to another essential oil called ylang-ylang.

12) Improves Taste and Appetite

 The fresh flavor and lush green appearance of peppermint make it highly tempting to be included with food. Some people experience a better appetite by taking peppermint tea because of its refreshing taste. It helps in easily digesting the heavy food you consume and makes you metabolize it at a faster rate than otherwise, which makes it ideal for use. Peppermint tea is also consumed with meals to refresh the palate. It helps the eater to consume food with an enhanced taste.

Due to the absence of caffeine in it, it doesn’t make it a diuretic, which means you don’t have to rush to the toilet repeatedly. Add this tea to your daily living and experience a better taste and appetite for the food you consume.

Final Words

These are some of the highlighted benefits of taking peppermint tea. Peppermint tea is refreshing and has amazing compounds like menthol that help fight congested airways, sinuses, and colds. Also, the rosmarinic acid present in it helps in fighting off pollen allergy symptoms such as itchy eyes and asthma. You can consume it without any fear of side effects because it has no psychoactive stimulant present in it such as caffeine