Mint Tea
Also Known As: Mentha spicata, Mentha x piperita, garden mint, variegata ginger mint, apple mint, pennyroyal, lemon mint, crinkle leaved black peppermint, eau de cologne mint, balm mint, brandy mint, green mint, lamb mint, Our Lady's mint, peppermint, and spearmint.
One of the most popular of herbal teas, Mint Tea of one type or other is consumed throughout the world.
With a strong flavor, mint tea can be used alone, or to flavor black, green, or other herbal teas. Fresh mint sprigs are often used as a garnish for tea or other drinks.
When choosing a mint tea it is important to note if the genus name Mentha is present. This means the active ingredient menthol is present.
What is Mint Tea? Mint Tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves of any type of mint plant. Mint plants are popular garden additions. You can grow and dry you own mint leaves for tea.
Mint likes shady damp areas and will grow prolifically and spread. It is common to grow mint in a container to keep it from overtaking an area. Use fresh leaves in tea, and dry your harvest by hanging bunches of the sprigs upside down in a cool dry place. It generally takes a few days for the sprigs to dry. Once dry, store in containers.
Mint Tea Preparation:
Fresh Mint Tea:
Fresh mint is very powerful and it takes just a few leaves added to a pot of boiling water. Let steep for 5 to ten minutes and adjust strength by adding more water and sweeten to taste.
Dried Mint Tea:
Use a tablespoon of dried mint leaves per cup of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes and sweeten with sugar or honey as desired.
Mint can be used to flavor green or black tea. Do this by adding a few crushed leaves to boiling water with the green or black tea and steep as usual. Use fresh or dried leaves and remember a little goes a long way.
Home Remedies Using Mint Tea:
Benefits of Mint Tea:
Hot or cold Mint tea is commonly used for digestive upset, to relieve gas pains, nausea, heartburn, and stomach ache. Mint tea can be used to relieve headaches, and help people relax. The menthol in the tea is great for treating cough, colds, flu, sore throats, and sinus pressure. Mint tea is effective in the treatment of bronchitis, chest complaints.
When sipped hot, it can increase sweating and break a fever. Cold it will reduce hiccups and gas pains. Used topically it can treat sunburn, mouth sores, itching, toothache, wasp and bee stings, as well as muscle spasms.
Research done by the University of Maryland Medical Center, has shown that peppermint may be taken to help soothe symptoms of indigestion. The research showed that, "Peppermint calms the muscles of the stomach and improves the flow of bile, which the body uses to digest fats. As a result, food passes through the stomach more quickly."
Side Effects of Mint Tea:
Allergic side effects of mint tea can include flushing, headache, heart burn, irritated mucous membranes, muscle tremors, and skin rash originating from an internal dose, or skin inflammation from external use.
Mint tea containing menthol can cause throat or airway closure in infants, small children, and adults. Mint tea may worsen acid reflux symptoms and hiatal hernia.
Peppermint may make gastroesophageal reflux disease and gallstones worse, so do not take if you have these diseases.
