Tips on Peppermint Tea Benefits to Improve Your Health
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy peppermint tea" is a famous Turkish quote that says peppermint tea equals happiness. No need to wonder about this quote if you genuinely know about peppermint tea. You might have tried peppermint tea already, but do you know precisely what peppermint tea is? Peppermint tea possesses an exquisite flavor profile and many health benefits as a beverage. Not only as a tea but also as an essential oil, powder, syrup, incense, lotion, etc. All these types of peppermint have a magical impact on your body compared with other herbals. Peppermint is available in most modern products, such as toothpaste, candies, medicines, and teas. So let's find out the magic behind peppermint tea and what are these fantastic Peppermint tea benefits.
What is Peppermint Tea Exactly?
Peppermint is an herb with a fresh minty taste native to Europe and East Asia. This plant has had many uses as a flavoring agent and medicine for years. Peppermint tea is a beverage with flavorful characteristics and many medicinal values. This tea originates from the dried leaves of the peppermint plant. As a loose leaf tea, it has a fresh, delightful minty taste with a pale yellowish liquor and a pleasing aroma that gives energy to the senses. Furthermore, it has an incredible flavor with a tingling finish. Peppermint tea is an herbal tea, also known as a tisane and can be infused with other ingredients treat various ailments. You could sip this any time of the day as it is a caffeine-free beverage. Most people drink it after meals considering the digestive Peppermint tea benefits.
Does Peppermint Tea Have Any Nutritional Value?
Most people drink peppermint tea as a minty cooling beverage, but it contains some vital nutrients. There are no macronutrients in peppermint tea, and it contains only two calories per 100ml. The essential oils in peppermint has some vital natural chemical compounds like menthol (40.7%), menthone (23.4%), limonene, flavonoids, and menthyl acetate. As a result of this essential oil and nutrients, peppermint tea has become a beverage with many health benefits.
What are the Peppermint tea benefits?
Regular peppermint tea drinkers expect its wonderful minty flavor, but they are unintentionally getting many other peppermint tea benefits. Some of the Peppermint tea benefits are as follows.
Bloating and Indigestion
Peppermint tea consumers recommend having a teacup after your meal. The bacteria in your digestive tract often cause a high level of gas and bloating. As peppermint tea contains a higher concentration of flavonoids, it helps to calm the bacteria and soothe bloating. Also, peppermint tea is renowned for its digestive effects. The menthol in peppermint tea relaxes stomach muscles, improves circulation, and relieves inflammation that causes stomach pains. Further, menthol stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, which can break down food and speed up digestion that’s why regular peppermint tea drinkers recommend it after a meal.
Treats Bad Breath: The most popular Peppermint tea benefit
Halitosis is an oral health problem where the main symptom is bad-smelling breath. The menthol in peppermint tea can fight against halitosis and help freshen the breath. The natural aromatic scent of peppermint tea can disguise bad breath, while antibacterial properties in the tea kill germs and bacteria that cause the bad breath. This is the reason many toothpaste contains some form of peppermint. It is ideal to have a cup of peppermint tea first in the morning to suppress bad breath.
Common Cold and Flu
The best remedy recommended for soothing the common cold, flu, and sore throat is to have a hot cup of this sensational tea. Peppermint tea contains antibacterial compounds to fight against bacteria and support the immune system. Peppermint tea also relaxes throat muscles, opens up the airways, and soothes irritating coughs. The antioxidants in peppermint tea increase the movement of white blood cells and allow them to fight viruses and bacteria effectively.
Reduces Fever
Fever occurs when the immune system works faster and tries to fight off an infection. To fight, the body needs to increase white blood cells making the body heated up, resulting in a fever. Drinking hot peppermint tea induces sweating and naturally helps the body to cool down. Adding extra fluid to the body aids in detoxification and helps the body to eliminate the cause of cold, flu, and fever. At the same time, menthol in the peppermint tea progresses internally and helps to decrease body temperature and relax muscles to relieve aches and pain.
Prevents Nausea
Nausea is a situation where the uneasiness of the stomach accompanies the urge to vomit but doesn't lead to vomiting. Peppermint tea possesses antispasmodic properties that can treat feelings of nausea and prevent vomiting. The menthol in peppermint tea helps the stomach muscles to soothe, and the minty scent of peppermint can inhibit the feeling of nausea. If you feel nausea when boarding a plane or a boat, having a cup of peppermint tea would cure motion sickness or seasickness.
Side Effects of Mint Tea and Who Should Avoid It?
Though peppermint tea benefits a lot of people that consume it, there can be some side effects for some consumers. In general, symptoms of any allergic reaction occur within minutes and may include an itchy tongue or throat, wheezing, or a cough. Sometimes, there may be irritation on the skin or eyes if the leaves touch. These are not common for everyone, so people with allergies to peppermint’s ingredients should avoid them. Also, we highly suggest that pregnant women get a recommendation from a doctor before using peppermint tea and limit their intake.
Side effect: Acid Reflux
Acid reflux is when acid from your stomach reaches your esophagus as a result of the sphincter muscle at the lower end of your esophagus relaxing at the wrong time. So, if you know that you are suffering from acid reflux or having symptoms of acid reflux, it is better to avoid peppermint tea. That is because menthol available in peppermint tea can relax muscles in the stomach at unexpected times.
Women who are Pregnant
Drinking peppermint tea is usually not harmful, but if you have a history of miscarriages, it is better to avoid it. That is because some oils in peppermint tea can cause breathing problems in infants and children. Women who are breastfeeding should also avoid drinking peppermint tea.
People who are taking Drug Medications
If you are undergoing any medications, it is highly advisable to get your doctor's recommendation before using peppermint tea to treat ailments. Natural chemicals in peppermint tea may interact with medicines designed to treat heartburn, acid reflux, blood pressure, and diabetes.
How Much Should You Drink to Experience the Peppermint Tea Benefits?
Peppermint tea does not contain any caffeine or calories in it. So, having peppermint tea would not keep you awake at night and would not add any calories to your body. It is the best alternative to soda, fruit juices, and other sugary drinks. It would contain calories only if you add flavoring options like sugar, honey, maple syrup, or cream. Therefore, you are free to drink any amount of peppermint tea throughout the day.
Peppermint tea benefits and its impact on our wellness
Peppermint tea is a beverage that derives from dried peppermint leaves. It is a herbal tea with a cooling minty taste, a refreshing aroma, and plenty of health benefits. Peppermint tea contains nutrients like menthol, menthone, and flavonoids in major amounts that deliver its unique health benefits.
When considering Peppermint tea benefits, it gives health benefits such as relaxation, soothing indigestion, minimizing bloating, treating bad breath, soothing common cold, reducing Fever, preventing nausea, and many more. Apart from these, another main peppermint tea benefit is relaxing your mind and body. Some people such as pregnant women or people taking medication should be careful about the side effects of peppermint tea before drinking it. Overall peppermint tea is an incredible substitute to many unhealthy beverages available in the market today. We hope that this article has convinced you to try out peppermint tea as a replacement to hydrate yourself.