Peppermint tea effect
Herbal tea is so healthy
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There are many benefits to drinking peppermint tea. Here you can find out what effects peppermint tea has and what else you should consider.
Peppermint – a popular medicinal plant
Peppermint tea is one of the most popular types of tea. It has not even been researched exactly what peppermint actually comes from. Biologists believe it is a hybrid of water mint and wood mint. Peppermint contains a strong menthol aroma, which gives it a peppery character. Peppermint is used as a medicinal plant for various ailments, from colds to inflammation and stomach problems.
Peppermint tea effect: 6 great ways to use it
Peppermint tea can have a positive effect on the following symptoms and diseases:
- inflammation: Mint has a soothing effect on inflammation. Peppermint tea is therefore suitable, for example, as a mouthwash for inflammation in the mouth and throat.
- colds: Peppermint tea is a good way to support your recovery, especially when you have a cold. The essential oils and the menthol in the plant ensure a clear breath, improve the blood circulation in the nose and loosen mucus from the bronchi. For the best peppermint tea effect, the medicinal plant can be used both as a drink and as an additive when inhaling. Extra tip: A little honey in the tea helps with a sore throat or hoarseness!
- Heat: You may have heard that you shouldn’t drink very cold drinks when the temperature is hot. In Arabic countries, peppermint tea is deliberately used as a cooling drink, although it is drunk warm.
- Digestion: Peppermint tea is often used for problems with the stomach and intestines because it promotes digestion, has a relaxing effect and reduces the feeling of fullness. Peppermint tea can also help with nausea. However, if you are sensitive to many foods, you should also consume the tea in moderation. Even if you have heartburn, you’d rather avoid the mint.
- Headache: Peppermint can also help with headaches – but in the form of pure peppermint oil. Studies show that rubbing peppermint oil into the temples can help relieve mild to moderate headaches just as well as pain relievers. Caution: Essential oils must not be used on babies and small children!
- Skin issues: Chilled peppermint tea also helps our skin. It can relieve the burning sensation of sunburn and the itching of mosquito bites. Simply put the cold tea on a cotton cloth and place it on the affected area of skin.
Prepare peppermint tea correctly
Peppermint tea can be prepared from both the fresh and the dried plant. For this, about 1.5 grams of the leaves are best crushed with a sharp knife and placed in a strainer in the teapot. Then about 150 milliliters of boiling water is poured over it before the tea should steep covered for about five minutes. This allows the essential oils to unfold without rising out of the pot with the steam. Finally, the leaves of the peppermint tea are strained.
For the optimal peppermint tea effect for mild stomach problems, you should rely on a herbal tea blend: In addition to peppermint tea, sage, chamomile and thyme are also available here. For this purpose, the tea leaves of the four varieties are chopped up in equal quantities and mixed. Two teaspoons are taken from the mixture and poured with about 250 milliliters of boiling water. The herbal tea mixture should steep for ten minutes and then be drunk unsweetened in small sips.
Tips for using peppermint tea
Peppermint tea is used not only for drinking, but also in cosmetics. For example, peppermint is used in shampoos or shower lotions. But you can also prepare an infusion yourself from cooled peppermint tea, with which you can rinse and care for your hair. In any case, the quality of the peppermint is important: If you want to be on the safe side, you can get the tea directly from the pharmacy, as the so-called drug quality is guaranteed there.
But going to the tea shop can also be a good choice. Especially if you want to drink different types of mint or ask for special tips or recipes. Make sure to buy the peppermint tea in organic quality here, to mitigate the risk of residues or pesticides.
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It is important that peppermint does not contain any preservatives or other additives that could impair its effectiveness and thus have a negative impact on your health. It also helps to use the leaves as loose tea instead of tea bags. These develop a better aroma.
Grow your own peppermint tea
Of course, you can be absolutely sure about the quality of the peppermint tea if you plant it yourself. And that’s really quite simple: peppermint grows just as well in a pot on the balcony as in the garden. Fresh to moist soil, which should be as nutrient-rich as possible, is important. In addition, peppermint likes partial shade up to a sunny location – i.e. bright and not shielded upwards, but not directly exposed to sunlight. The plant should be watered regularly at intervals of a few days, preferably daily in summer. Peppermint does not like heat at all – if the temperature is above 30 degrees, it needs water twice a day.
Peppermint is best harvested between June and July, when the plant puts out buds that have not yet bloomed. Then it has the highest possible content of essential oil. In general, peppermint grows from spring to the first frost and can then be harvested continuously. The best time to harvest is in the late morning, as long as the plant is dry. It is best to cut the shoots with a sharp knife about ten centimeters above the ground.
It is also important that the fresh shoots dry properly before they are used as peppermint tea. The best way to do this is to bundle them together with a ribbon and hang them upside down in a warm, airy, and shady place. If you want to know if they are really dry, a quick test will help: shake the shoots a little. Once dry, they should rustle a bit.
You can find out everything about the effects of green tea and sage tea here. We will also show you how the effects of turmeric promote your health. And if you are interested in cardamom, you can also read more about it. Here we also explain the Ayurvedic diet.
Sources
Bachmann, S. & Längler, A.: Home remedies in modern medicine, Elsevier/Urban & Fischer Verlag, 2005
German Professional Association of Ear, Nose and Throat Physicians eV: Inhale
Bühring, U. et al.: Medicinal plants in paediatrics, Haug Verlag, 2nd edition, 2012