Peppermint Tea: Everything You Need to Know (Including Health Benefits & How to Make it Properly)
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What is Peppermint Tea?
Peppermint tea is a caffeine-free herbal tea, or tisane, made by infusing peppermint leaves in hot water.
Used for centuries as a natural remedy for countless conditions, peppermint tea is a wonderfully aromatic brew that can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
What do you need to make Peppermint tea?
Tea Scoop
This is the perfect tool to help you get the perfectly measured scoop of tea leaves every single time. You won’t regret adding this to your tea arsenal!
Electric Tea Kettle
An electric tea kettle with a temperature setting is a must-have brew gadget for tea drinkers! You can set the temperature to the degree for the perfect brew every time. This kettle is a favorite of ours. Or you can check out our full post on the best electric tea kettles.
Spring Water or Filtered Water
To get the best flavors from your tea, use high-quality water. Don’t use tap water or distilled water!
Tea Pot with Strainer
A teapot with a built-in strainer makes brewing tea so much easier when you’re using loose tea leaves. If you’re an avid tea drinker, you won’t regret buying this tea tool!
Loose Peppermint Tea Leaves
Using loose tea leaves really will give you the best tea-drinking experience. By letting loose leaves steep in the boiled water, they have room to unfurl and release all of their natural aromas. If you can’t use loose leaves, a tea sachet is the next best thing, since they have more room than a traditional tea bag. These peppermint sachets are a great option.
Tea Cup
This one is up to you! Use whatever cup makes you happy! If you need some inspiration, check out some of our favorite drinkware.
How do you make Peppermint tea properly?
To make the perfect cup of Peppermint tea, you will want to use 2 teaspoons of loose peppermint leaves for each 8-ounce cup. If you don’t have loose-leaf tea, use 1 tea sachet or 1 tea bag.
Tea tip: if you want a stronger flavor, add more tea leaves rather than steeping them for a longer period of time. Most people don’t realize this, but steeping tea too long doesn’t increase the good flavors, it actually can make it more bitter.
Step 1: Pour your water into the tea kettle.
Use cold bottled spring water or cold filtered water. (Tea Tip: Do not use distilled water – this will negatively impact the taste). Make sure to pour some extra water to warm up your teapot or steeping vessel.
Step 2: Boil your water.
For an optimal flavor experience, bring the water to between 208°-210°F. If you do not have an electric tea kettle with a temperature setting, just bring your kettle to a full boil, then remove it from the heat and let the water sit for a moment before steeping the tea.
Step 3: Warm up your teapot.
First, pour a bit of your boiled water into your teapot or steeping vessel and swirl it around for a few seconds to allow it to warm the vessel. Then you can discard this water in the sink.
Step 4: Put your Peppermint leaves into the teapot and add the rest of your hot water and then cover the pot.
Step 5: Steep your leaves for about 5 minutes.
Step 6: Strain your leaves.
This is easiest if you have a teapot with a strainer.
Step 7: Decant your infused tea into your teacup and enjoy!
You can feel free to add milk and/or sweeteners to taste if you prefer.
Can you cold brew Peppermint tea?
Yes, you can definitely make Peppermint iced tea for an invigorating and refreshing drink! Keep reading for the steps to Peppermint Cold Brewing at home.
Did you know cold brewing is the best way to make iced tea? To learn all about it, check out our post on everything you need to know about cold brew.
How do you make cold brew Peppermint tea properly?
To make peppermint cold brew, use 2 teaspoons of Peppermint leaves for every 8-ounce cup of water.
STEP 1: Add your tea leaves to a pitcher with an infuser.
STEP 2: Pour room-temperature filtered water or spring water over the tea and stir gently.
STEP 3: Put your pitcher in the refrigerator to steep for about 2 hours.
STEP 4: Strain the leaves and enjoy!
Tea Tip:
You can serve your peppermint cold brew with a squeeze of honey or honey, and/or some fresh mint!
What does Peppermint tea taste like?
Peppermint tea is bright and fresh; it has a minty taste with a slightly sweet finish, thanks to the menthol found in peppermint leaves.
How much caffeine is in Peppermint tea?
Since Peppermint tea is an herbal tea, or tisane, made from peppermint leaves (not a real tea made from the camellia sinensis plant), it is caffeine-free.
Peppermint tea is a great option for those who are sensitive to caffeine; the taste of peppermint awakens the senses making it an invigorating drink without the negative side effects of stimulants such as caffeine.
Note: if you purchased a black, green, or white tea with peppermint leaves or peppermint oil added to the blend, then it will contain caffeine from the tea leaves used. However, this would not be a pure peppermint tea made with just peppermint leaves
What are some health benefits of drinking Peppermint tea?
Peppermint tea has many benefits from headache relief to gastrointestinal relief! While “peppermint tea” has been seldom studied, the extracts from peppermint leaves have been. Furthermore, many peppermint tisane drinkers have touted the many benefits they have experienced from the minty brew. Keep reading for the 5 benefits of peppermint extract and tea.
1. May provide headache relief
Tension headaches seem to burden most people nowadays. The menthol found in peppermint can help relax the muscles and may even naturally ease the pain of a headache.
2. May provide cold and congestion relief
Peppermint tea may help you when you’re fighting a cold. Mint is anti-inflammatory and chockfull of vitamins, while the menthol found in peppermint may aid in the relief of nasal congestion.
3. May aid in digestive and gastrointestinal problems
Peppermint tea may help to soothe your stomach problems, such as indigestion, nausea, gas, and even irritable bowel syndrome.
4. May provide menstrual cramp relief
Peppermint tea can be a great way to help with period cramps. The menthol found in peppermint extract can help reduce muscle spasms, which may lessen the strength of cramping and pain, without the use of typical over-the-counter drugs.
5. Rich in antioxidants
Peppermint is rich in antioxidants and other vitamins that can help boost your immunity and protect your cells from oxidative damage.
What are some possible side effects of drinking Peppermint tea?
1. May cause heartburn
While Peppermint tea is known to soothe stomach and digestion issues, it can actually cause or worsen heartburn and indigestion for some people. If you have issues with reflux (such as GERD), it is best to avoid peppermint.
2. Possible allergic reactions
While it is uncommon, there is always a chance of allergic reaction. If you are allergic to other herbs from the mint family, such as basil, spearmint, rosemary, sage, lavender, etc. then you may be allergic to peppermint.
3. Possible drug interactions
Peppermint can interact with certain drugs, particularly drugs used for organ transplants, to treat diabetes, blood pressure and drugs that are metabolized by the liver. If you are unsure about what type of medication you are on, speak to your doctor before trying peppermint tea to make sure it is safe for your unique situation.
4. May cause low blood presure
Some studies show that peppermint can have a lowering effect on heart rate and systolic blood pressure. If you have low blood pressure or are on medications to lower blood pressure, speak with your doctor before consuming peppermint tea, as it may increase the effects.
Where can you find good quality Peppermint tea?
There are several good-quality Peppermint options you can try. Here are just a few options to get you started:
What is the best way to store Peppermint tea?
When it comes to storing Peppermint tea, there are a few important things you will want to avoid. These are: air exposure, light exposure, moisture, heat, and strong odors.
In order to keep your tea in its best and freshest condition, you will want to store it in a container that helps avoid the above-mentioned threats.
The best containers are made of opaque materials with a tight seal. Some good options include non-reactive metals, glazed ceramics, and non-leaching plastics. Beware that while you may see wood tea storage options, they are not best for storing loose leaf tea, as they can have their own odors that can alter the taste of your tea.
Once you have your tea in its storage container, keep it in a cool, dark place.
Here are some good options for storing your tea:
Looking for ways to organize your tea bags? Try these:
You want to ensure your tea stays fresh as long as possible. To make sure you’re not making any common mistakes, be sure to check out our post on the best practices in tea storage!