5 Surprising Peppermint Tea Benefits: Ease a Migraine, Upset Stomach and More
Discover why experts say peppermint tea is a head-to-toe healer
Peppermint tea is known for its subtly-sweet, yet bright and bracing flavor. And according to experts reporting in the journal Phytotherapy Research, it’s one of the world’s most widely-consumed herbal teas. But the brew does more than tickle your buds: According to Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM, author of Be Your Own Herbalist, the health benefits of peppermint tea are downright impressive.
“I always keep peppermint tea on hand as part of my natural healing pantry,” she says. “Not only does it have a refreshing and delicious taste, it is a cost-effective remedy for a wide variety of health concerns.” In fact, it turns out the popular beverage is a head-to-toe healer. Read on to learn more about the benefits of peppermint tea, and how to put them to work for you.
5 peppermint tea benefits
Whether you have an upset stomach or are feeling a little blue, here are all the ways peppermint tea benefits you.
Woman's World Answers
Peppermint tea improves mood and memory
“Drinking peppermint tea is a delightful way to boost mood, alertness and even memory,” Schoffro Cook notes. “That’s thanks to its compounds known as menthol and menthone that have brain-boosting benefits.”
A 2021 study in the Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research found that people who sipped a cup of peppermint tea (which is naturally caffeine-free) daily experienced marked improvements in memory within four weeks. Plus, their levels of stress and anxiety dropped significantly.
Other research reveals the minty vapors of peppermint tea have brain-perking powers. A 2008 report in the journal Aromas, Cognition and Mood determined that people exposed to a peppermint scent performed better on tests of memory and alertness than those who didn’t inhale the aroma. And in a study conducted at the University of Cincinnati, sniffing a peppermint scent boosted subjects’ focus and attention, too.
Peppermint tea soothes headaches
“Applying peppermint tea compresses on the base of the skull and forehead is an effective treatment for tension headaches and migraines,” Schoffro Cook says. In fact, findings in the International Journal of Clinical Practice suggest the strategy can reduce migraine pain by 50 percent. “The menthol in peppermint tea is a naturally powerful analgesic and anti-inflammatory that works quickly to reduce pain perception in the neck and head,” Schoffro Cook explains.
To get the pain-relieving peppermint tea benefits, soak a washcloth or muslin cloth in two to three cups of warm (but not hot) tea, then apply it over your forehead or the back of your head. “Lie back in a comfortable position and let the compress work for at least several minutes, refreshing the cloth as needed,” Schoffro Cook advises. “It works best when applied at the first sign of a headache or migraine and reapplied every five to 10 minutes until you experience pain relief.”
Peppermint tea eases congestion
Drinking peppermint tea at the first sign of a respiratory infection can speed symptom relief, according to Shchoffo Cook. The reason: A compound called rosmarinic acid found in peppermint tea blunts airway inflammation.
“Plus, it encourages the body to make prostacyclins, molecules that open the airways and improve breathing,” she adds. What’s more, the menthol in peppermint leaves has a study-backed ability to calm coughs: Researchers reporting in the journal Thorax found that inhaling mentholated vapors cut subjects’ coughing episodes by 43 percent for an hour afterward.
“Additionally, peppermint tea compounds known as luteolin and apigenin glycosides help to kill harmful bacteria linked to sore throat and respiratory infections” Schoffro Cook notes. Indeed, a 2013 study in the journal Food Research International credited the compounds with an antibacterial action against C. pneumonia, a species of bacteria that’s a common cause of respiratory tract infections.
Peppermint tea soothes GI upset
“Peppermint tea works on the digestive tract to ease nausea, indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other tummy troubles,” says Shoffro Cook, who explains that its rosmarinic acid and volatile oils tame inflammation and help to relax the muscles and lining of the GI tract. “Even one cup may quickly send digestive troubles packing, but two to three cups daily for at least a few weeks is often helpful for chronic GI issues,” she advises.
Another option to consider if you suffer from IBS: Taking peppermint oil capsules. A 2015 study in the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences found that taking 180 mg of peppermint oil three times daily reduced the number of severe IBS symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation by up to 68 percent within four weeks. The peppermint oil product used in the study: IBGard.
Note: As helpful as peppermint tea and its compounds can be, they can also relax muscles in the esophageal sphincter, a muscular ring that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Since this can allow gastric acid to creep upward, Scoffro Cook says it’s best to avoid peppermint tea or oil capsules if you suffer from heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Peppermint tea relaxes sore feet
“If you haven’t experienced the foot-soothing, pain-alleviating effects of a warm peppermint tea footbath, you’re in for a treat,” Schoffro Cook promises. “Not only do the therapeutic compounds in peppermint tea relax muscles and reduce inflammation, they also boost circulation to make you feel like you’ve just returned from the spa.”
Her recipe for relief: Add three to four teabags to 2 gallons of hot water, then allow it to steep and cool until it reaches a comfortably warm temperature. Pour into a basin and soak your feet for 10 to 30 minutes. “You can also add a few drops of peppermint oil to your favorite moisturizer and massage your feet afterward for a full, foot-soothing spa treatment,” she suggests.
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