Peppermint tea

Peppermint tea is a drink that is either a mixture of tea and peppermint ("Mentha piperita") or a tisane (infusion) of peppermint alone. This drink is said to have health benefits. It is sometimes called "mint tea", although there are other kinds of mint that could be used in that case. Pure peppermint tea is naturally caffeine-free, although when peppermint is mixed with other tea this may cease to be the case.

A tea made from blending peppermint and spearmint leaves is referred to as a Doublemint tea.

Health benefits and concerns

Some believe peppermint tea has healing effects, as a result of the menthol that it contains. It is said to ease such problems as irritable bowel syndrome, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and baby colic. Its minty flavour can take the edge off bad breath. It is also said to control mild asthma, manage stress and ward off the common cold. In some countries, peppermint tea preparations list these proposed effects on their labels.

However, peppermint has muscle relaxant properties and therefore may relax the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing the contents of the stomach to move upwards into the esophagus. For this reason, patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are advised to avoid peppermint.

There have been no human clinical trials on the health benefits or risks of peppermint tea. [cite journal |author=McKay DL, Blumberg JB |title=A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea (Mentha piperita L.) |journal=Phytother Res |volume=20 |issue=8 |pages=619–33 |year=2006 |month=Aug |pmid=16767798 |doi=10.1002/ptr.1936 |url=]

Peppermint contains B vitamins, calcium and potassium.

References

External links

* [http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peppermint-000269.htm University of Maryland Medical Centre website on Peppermint] , retrieved on September 11, 2007