Peppermint Tea Benefits
Peppermint leavesPeppermint leaves
Peppermint tea benefits are widely acknowledged the world over for their healing and comforting properties.  The tea is primarily known for its beneficial effects to the digestive system, although more and more benefits to the other systems of the body are being discovered.

The beverage is typically made from an infusion of an herb that has been prized for centuries for its medicinal benefits and distinctive flavor.  Known by its scientific name of mentha piperata, the peppermint plant is a naturally occurring hybrid of spearmint (mentha spicata) and water mint (mentha aquatica).  It has lance-shaped leaves that are usually greenish purple in color.

The Herb

Widely believed to have originated from the Mediterranean region, peppermint has often been used for a variety of special events and occasions.  Its leaves were often used to crown dignitaries and other luminaries in ancient Greece and Rome. In parts of Europe, India and the Middle East, peppermint has been used as an air clarifying herb for both temples and homes.  Peppermint has also been associated with warm hospitality in many cultures.  In ancient Greece, peppermint leaves were rubbed on dining tables to welcome guests, while in the Middle East, peppermint and spearmint teas are still used to welcome guests in homes.

To this day, peppermint tea continues to be revered for its refreshingly light aroma, as well as its natural, caffeine-free taste.

Nutrients in Peppermint Tea

The dainty plant contains several active constituents that are believed to impart the highly vaunted peppermint tea benefits.  Most notable among these is its healing volatile oil which contains the powerful therapeutic ingredient menthol, as well as menthone, menthyl acetate and some 40 other compounds.  The other nutrients and minerals present in peppermint tea are the following:

  • vitamin C
  • vitamin A
  • beta carotene
  • manganese
  • fiber
  • iron
  • magnesium
  • calcium
  • potassium
  • copper

How to make Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is typically made by placing half a teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves in a mug of hot water.  Let the mixture simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes.  Then drain the leaves.  The resulting tea possesses a refreshing and cooling flavor that is highly satisfying both hot and cold.  Consuming one or two cups per day may be sufficient to derive the benefits of peppermint tea.

The following are the peppermint tea benefits believed to be derived from the refreshing brew:

  • Peppermint tea may help aid in better digestion.  Peppermint tea is also believed to help treat irritable bowel syndrome.  These are mainly due to the actions of the volatile oils in peppermint that are believed to help relax the smooth muscles of the intestines.

  • It may also help ease nausea and vomiting.

  • Peppermint tea may help control flatulence and diverticular disorders.  Components in the volatile oils are believed to help increase bile production and flow to the liver.  This in turn helps control flatulence.

  • This tea is believed to help dissolve gallstones.

  • It may help reduce the severity of herpes outbreaks.

  • It may help in fighting bad breath.

  • It may help control muscle aches and chronic pain.

  • It is believed to help clear congestion and cough related to colds and allergies.  It may also help control mild asthma.

  • It may help calm the nervous system and consequently fight stress.
"O' Peppermint tea - two delights per sip, as steamy hot as passion, cool as a wintry lake dip." 
~ Terri Guillemets,
   American Quotation Anthologist
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