Ask the question ‘what is peppermint tea,’ and I bet you expect a tea-related answer.
But hold up. Because we’re about to knock your socks off (assuming you’re wearing some).
Because peppermint tea isn’t a tea at all!
😮😮😮
That’s right. Peppermint tea is a tisane rather than a tea. Tisanes (pronounced tea-zahn) are infusions made from plant material such as leaves, spices, bark, roots and berries. Tisanes are more commonly referred to as herbal teas, even though they are not technically teas. Why? True teas (such as black, green and oolong) all contain leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. Herbal ‘teas’ (such as peppermint, chamomile, ginger and rooibos) are made of those aforementioned plant goodies and don’t contain any Camellia Sinensis leaves. Not one! So, nope, not a tea at all.
But does your loose leaf peppermint tea miss those tea leaves? No way! It’s actually one of the most popular single-ingredient herbal teas out there, despite not being recorded until the 18th century.
Quality loose leaf peppermint tea is made up entirely of dried leaves from the peppermint plant. That’s the Mentha x piperita, if we’re getting technical. And this Mentha x piperita? It’s the zonkey of teas – the peppermint plant is a natural hybrid of spearmint and water mint.
Peppermint Tea Taste
Brew a cup of loose peppermint tea and enjoy a treat of the mintiest kind!
Because peppermint tea is just lush… Expect a fresh, mouth-cooling menthol taste that’s cool on the palate. It’s both refreshing and relaxing, with a unique balance of bitterness and smoothness.
You’ll love its characteristically minty scent, too. Imagine an Aero bar candle and you’re getting close… The peppermint tea smell is strong and aromatic, with invigorating properties that give you a little boost!
And it gets better, because this beautiful light brown infusion is suitable for veggies and vegans. So everyone can go potty for peppermint!
Peppermint Tea Benefits
Is peppermint tea good for you? Aye aye! Tea lovers have been reaping the mint plant benefits for centuries.
The peppermint tea benefits come from the essential oils that transfer into the hot water as it steeps. These healthy essential oils include menthol, menthone and limonene. And they do rather a lot of good…
Aids digestion
Helping ease digestive issues is perhaps the main peppermint tea benefit. Not-very-nice feelings of bloating and gas can come from overeating or eating too quickly, and can make the stomach feel swollen and hard.
The natural oils in your tea have a relaxing effect on gut, tame intestinal spasms and help to remove gas.
What’s more, peppermint tea contains hard-working antioxidant compounds called flavonoids. These help to stabilize cells called mast cells, which we find in the gut. Mast cells are involved in allergic reaction and can lead to stomach bloating. Zingy peppermint tea calms these cells and helps to ease painful cramps.
Gives your brain a boost
That fresh, menthol scent is a little pick-me-up for your mind! It helps to invigorate the senses and make you feel more alert. Ideal if you’re feeling the 3pm slump!
Research suggests that the scent alone can make you more alert, boost your concentration and improve your memory recall!
Great before bed
Peppermint Tea is a super pre-bed drink because it is naturally caffeine free. Remember the bit about peppermint tea not being a true tea? ‘Real’ teas like English Breakfast and Earl Grey come from the Camellia Sinensis plant, which contains caffeine. The peppermint plant, however, is caffeine free!
So, even though there is no direct link between the peppermint tea and sleep improvement, you can rest assured that it won’t leave you buzzing at bedtime!
Helps with colds
Feeling snotty? Try a sip of loose leaf peppermint tea! The crisp menthol aroma has an effect on the nasal sensory nerve endings, and helps to clear mucus and open up the airways.
The cosy steaminess of your hot peppermint tea will do good too, as it can help to loosen up some of that snotty mucus! Great news when you’re on tissue no. 78.
Freshens breath
You don’t need us to tell you that peppermint stops bad breath, do you? Think of all the chewing gum and mints and tubes of peppermint toothpaste…
Peppermint tea doesn’t just mask the nasties causing bad breath – it helps tackle them directly. Peppermint has natural antibacterial properties, you see, which helps to quash the bacteria causing bad breath.
Calories in Peppermint Tea
Ooooh here’s one more to add to your list of peppermint tea benefits: it’s virtually calorie free!
Peppermint tea contains just 2 kcal per 100ml, so is one of the best teas for weight loss. Drinking peppermint tea can also make you feel fuller for longer, helping to keep those mid-afternoon munchies at bay.
Does Peppermint Tea Stain Teeth?
It’s time to smile, because we’ve got some good news! Peppermint tea is unlikely to stain your teeth!
More or less neutral in pH and free from the teeth-staining tannins black tea contains, peppermint tea won’t leave stains on your pearly whites.
You know the benefits. You know the facts. Now it’s time to find out how to make loose leaf peppermint tea!
We’re making peppermint tea in a teapot here, and this loose leaf tea recipe will make enough for approximately two mugs.
Boil your kettle and leave it to cool for a minute or two.
Add four teaspoons (10g) of peppermint tea leaves to the pot.
Then, pour in 800ml of boiling water and give it a stir. Water at 100 degrees is best for herbal teas.
Wait for three-to-five minutes, depending on how strong you want your tea. Tisanes can take a longer steeping time than green, black and white teas because they don’t contain caffeine, so there isn’t such a risk of it turning bitter if you steep for too long.
Pop a tea strain over your mug and pour in the peppermint tea.
Take a sip and enjoy! Peppermint tea is best without milk (but maybe a little honey?)
Cold Peppermint Tea
Did you know you can drink loose peppermint hot or cold? Forget the sugary bottle of shop-bought iced tea – here’s your peppermint iced tea recipe for summer!
To make one cooling glass, you’ll need:
Two teaspoons loose leaf peppermint tea
Around 250ml boiled water
Ice
Fruit to garnish (berries or lemon are nice!)
Method
To make your cold peppermint tea, grab a heat-proof glass and add your loose peppermint tea.
Add the boiled water and leave to steep for around ten minutes.
Strain the tea into another glass.
Top up with cold water and ice cubes, and make it pretty with fresh fruit!
Best Loose Leaf Peppermint Tea
Zingy and light, treat yourself to the best loose leaf peppermint tea and you’ll feel all-round awesome! Because alongside all those fab peppermint tea benefits, you’ll get a mug brimming with minty-fresh flavour!
Here at Two Chimps, you can buy loose leaf tea online. And not any bog-standard loose leaf tea; the best loose leaf tea.
We named our show-stopping loose leaf peppermint tea Pepamyntee, because it’s super peppy and 100% pure! Pepamyntee tea contains the finest American peppermint leaves – a highly sought-after tea among connoisseurs. We ethically source premium leaves from select tea gardens to ensure you get the best. You won’t find any low-grade fannings here – just crazily delicious whole leaves bursting with minty flavour!
Meet the chimp behind this article!
Charlotte joined Two Chimps after completing her BA Hons in Graphic Communication and Illustration at Loughborough University. She also earned two diplomas: Art and Design Foundation and Professional Studies.
What Charlotte does outside of the treehouse:
In her spare time, Charlotte is a keen baker and loves to bring delicious treats for the team to enjoy during their Monday tea break. Charlotte likes to practice her drawing and painting skills to relax, usually with one of her cats sitting on her lap to keep her company!
Charlotte says…
“I’m thrilled to join the Two Chimps Troop after five years of studying. I get to write blogs, design, manage social media, and connect with our amazing customers every day. It’s always exciting, and I learn something new every day!”
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