Peppermint tea is a very soothing herbal tea prepared from an infusion of peppermint. It is made like any other tea where boiling water is poured onto a heap of the leaves in a cup. It is a caffeine-free beverage.
A double mint tea is one prepared from the blending of peppermint and spearmint (Mentha spicata) leaves.
The scientific name of the plant is Mentha piperita which is actually a cross of two species although it is treated as one.
Health Benefits
Few clinical trials in humans have been produced but there are clear health benefits associated with drinking peppermint tea. Much of the evidence related to peppermint comes from studies of its peppermint oil which is associated with menthol and menthone. It is thought that peppermint oil is known to relieve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The oil is contained to some extent in the leaves where it might help reduce the issues associated with IBS. The phenolic constituents of the leaves include rosmarinic acid and several flavonoids, primarily eriocitrin, luteolin and hesperidin. These are compounds which are strongly associated with killing bacteria I.e. antimicrobials.
Peppermint tea is a carminative which means that it helps gas move through the intestinal tract. The exact mechanism is not known but it may be due to its relaxing effects on muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. This has extra benefits in relieving cramps and stomach discomfort. the tea also helps those undergoing endoscopy because it has both analgesic and anaesthetic effects in the central and peripheral nervous system (McKay & Blumberg, 2006).
Issues With Peppermint Tea
One of the issues might be due to relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter which means that the contents of the stomach can move upwards into the esophagus. This is a problem for those patients suffering with heartburn or gastroesophagal reflux disease (GERD) and so drinking peppermint tea is not advised.
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References
McKay, D. L., & Blumberg, J. B. (2006). A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea (Mentha piperita L.). Phytotherapy Research: An International Journal Devoted to Pharmacological and Toxicological Evaluation of Natural Product Derivatives, 20(8), pp. 619-633 https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1936
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