For centuries, herbal teas, also sometimes referred to as tisanes or infusions, have been widely used around the whole world. Thanks to the wide range of benefits that herbal teas provide, herbal teas are always drunk by people who need immediate help.

One specific type of tea, called peppermint tea, has always been a popular tea of choice. Because it has some peppermint extract, it immediately calms a person down. It also has significant soothing effects on colds, coughs, and other ailments that might be overwhelming for an individual.

What Is Peppermint Tea?

As time passed by, people started to use peppermint tea as one way of treating their ailments. It is also taken by people because it is said to be an overall health tonic, providing various advantages for the mind and body of an individual.

Peppermint tea's main component is peppermint, which is a mixture of mentha and piperita – therefore, it can be considered as a hybrid herb. It is a fragrant aromatic herb that belongs to the family of mint. It is like having aromatherapy at the same time that you are sipping on your hot tea.

Just like other teas, peppermint tea is brewed using one of three methods: crushed fresh mind, dried peppermint leaves, or the most common, which is brewing tea bags. The water has to be extremely hot to brew it but be careful because it should not be boiling.

You can brew your peppermint tea from 5-7 minutes to get its flavour, but you may alter it depending on how you like your tea. Because peppermint has such a distinct sweet eucalyptus taste, adding sugar or honey would be unnecessary.

Origin of Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea is brewed from peppermint leaf, which is a combination of two dissimilar plants, water mint, and spearmint. The first record of peppermint tea usage can be seen from Ancient Egyptians when they found some dried peppermint tea leaves in various pyramids, way back in 1,000 BC.

Since then, a lot of different civilizations have started using fresh mint, mainly due to its healing properties. And now, the use of peppermint leaves became rampant, and it has taken the form of tea for easier usage.

Why Peppermint Tea Was Used In History

Indigestion is most often characterized by pain or discomfort in a person’s dyspepsia or upper abdomen. A person with indigestion may also feel sharp, burning pain right behind the breastbone, and this is often referred to as heartburn.

Ever since the rise of Ancient Egyptians, peppermint teas became widely popular as a remedy for indigestion. As a matter of fact, the first record of dried peppermint leaves was found in some pyramids in Egypt.

Other than Ancient Egyptians, ancient Greeks and Romans also utilized dried peppermint leaves and used them as stomach soothers. They drank peppermint tea to relieve themselves from nausea and vomiting because the tea has soothing effects on the stomach. This is all thanks to peppermint tea's anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea has a lot of health benefits, and here are some of its most notable uses!

Relief From Headache

A study suggests that peppermint oil has the ability to alleviate pain and discomfort by relaxing an individual's muscles. It is also quite known that one of the menthol's properties is that it has a cooling effect that eases muscle tension and migraine. Other than applying peppermint oil, drinking peppermint tea and smelling its menthol aroma aids in getting rid of a headache.

Improvement of Digestive System’s Function

Peppermint tea also has the ability to reduce and limit muscle spasms within the gastrointestinal tract (G.I. tract). Because of this, it relieves various symptoms such as gas, indigestion, and bloating. Another benefit of peppermint tea is that it prevents the contraction of smooth muscles. Hence, it actually relaxes the digestive system, which is an effective way to ease discomfort in the GIT.

Promotes Fresh Breath

It's no secret that menthol has been used to promote fresh breath. It is a common ingredient in toothpaste and mouthwashes, thanks to its cooling effect. Peppermint tea is an effective way to give the mouth a fresh and clean feeling, and it also contains menthol that effectively wards halitosis, which causes bad breath.

Because peppermint tea has an aromatic fragrance, it is capable of masking the bad smell while its anti-bacterial properties work hard to kill the bacteria that cause bad breath. By drinking one cup of peppermint tea in the morning or after consuming food throughout the day, your breath will remain fresh and free of any nasty odours.

Combats Cold, Flu, and Sore Throat

Peppermint tea, just like most herbal teas, contains properties that help the body in getting rid of colds and flu. It helps in building up the body’s immune system, acting as a support while the main guns fight off the virus.

Another great effect of peppermint tea in the human body is that it helps in speeding up the healing process of sore throats. The tea relaxes the muscles in the throat so that it becomes less irritated and swollen.

Because of peppermint tea's menthol component, it is able to relax the muscles along the nose, which helps in opening up the airways, therefore relieving any signs of congestion and accumulation of mucus within the nasal cavity.

Provides Better Sleeping Pattern

Do you find it hard to sleep at night? Worry no more because peppermint tea can help you with your sleeping problem. By drinking this tea, you will find it easier to fall into the most peaceful and restful sleep that you will ever experience. You will wake up feeling recharged and refreshed. It also promotes more vivid dreams, which can be an additional factor for better sleep.

Keeps You Focused

This tea is an effective way of decreasing your stress level. It is an amazing way to cool down and relax. Peppermint tea has also been known to be a natural remedy to keep a person focused. It has been studied and proven to have a significant effect on brain function because it increases alertness.