Drinking Fresh Mint Tea Benefits + Is Fresh Mint Tea Good for You?

In this post I'll answer your top questions such as: Should I Use Peppermint or Spearmint? How Do I Make the Fresh Mint Tea? What's the Difference Between Peppermint & Spearmint? How Does Mint Tea Help Relieve Symptoms?

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My stomach gurgles. The thought of eating food causes my stomach to turn. Every bite I take feels dry, deliberate, forced. My mint tea ritual started one evening after I read that mint tea might help an upset stomach. So I bought a pot of fresh green spearmint. I love an herbal tea.

"I'll try anything." I thought. Bland foods like applesauce & toast weren't helping. It's day 3 & I can barely eat. My insides slosh around. I tried fresh spearmint tea that day. Sip sip sip.

"What is this feeling? This feeling of...comfort." My gut stopped doing flips long enough for me to smile as I watched The Office. My stomach stopping singing long enough for me to take a couple bites of my soup from lunch that I hadn't eaten. Plus, it's caffeine-free. Peppermint tea may help too. 

HALLELUJAH! Relief.

I sip fresh mint tea anytime my stomach starts feeling a little funky. It truly helps when I have peppermint tea. Keep reading to learn about the potential health benefits of peppermint and spearmint. Drinking peppermint is soothing. Mint tea can even help with bad breath. It's been used for centuries around the globe. Do you like peppermint tea or herbal tea? The fresh mint tea benefits felt soothing right away. Even when I travel, I like to have mint tea on hand.

Should I Use Peppermint or Spearmint?

Mint is that flavoring in toothpaste or breath mints or candies. Spearmint & peppermint very closely related, so they have similar properties in relation to their appearance, flavor, use, & cultivation. It all boils down to personal preference; you may use both peppermint or spearmint. Oh yeah!

What's the Difference Between Peppermint & Spearmint?

Peppermint has a higher menthol content, making it more minty refreshing taste & potent in flavor: think peppermint bark. Peppermint is often used medicinally to soothe aches or relax muscles. Peppermint packs a punch. It's considered spicier than spearmint, giving it the "pepper" name in peppermint. Good for drinking too.

Spearmint is lighter, more delicate, & less likely to overpower other spices. Spearmint can be found in sauces or your next mojito. Spearmint goes well with feta, tomatoes, olives. You might find spearmint in Greek food like tzatziki or maybe Vietnamese Banh Mi. Spearmint is used in foods & for drinking. 

How Do I Make the Fresh Mint Tea?

1. Boil water & pour into a mug.
2. Pluck a couple stems & fresh leaves. Add it to the hot water.
3. Let the stems & peppermint leaves steep in hot water for 5 minutes.
4. Muddle or mash the mint or spearmint leaves & stem to release more flavor & the natural oils in the water. Hooray for herbal tea medicinal properties.

You could always add mint leaves to water for infused cold water! Feels great on a hot day. You can blend peppermint and spearmint together. You can't go wrong with a hot cup of tea.

Do I Only Use Leaves? Do I Throw Away the Stems?

Use both! Both the leaves & the stems contain flavor. It comes down to which you like better. If you toss the stems, you're not getting the maximum benefits from the mint. Pluck off parts of the leave & stem simultaneously. It's better to use the whole thing if you can.

Fresh Peppermint Tea Benefits: How Does Mint Tea Help? What is the Benefit?

Is mint tea good for you? Mint has a potent but pleasant smell. Botanicals like ginger, peppermint, spearmint, & fennel are known for their natural herb remedies. Are there potential health benefits? But mint is pretty cool herb because of its versatility. Oh yes, there are mint tea benefits! Here are a few things peppermint & spearmint can help with:

Allergies - Mint contains an antioxidant & anti-inflammatory agent called rosmarinic acid, which means drinking peppermint tea may help with allergies, boosting your immune system.

Bad Breath - Have bad breath? Well, drinking peppermint tea may help with that! It'll leave you with a fresh minty taste, especially if you chew the leaves. Thanks to the menthol.

Caffeine-Free - Sip this any time of day without jitters or crashing. No caffeine! I enjoy drinking peppermint before bed for calming effects.

Common Cold / Sore Throat - The menthol can have a soothing, cooling effect on your throat.

Decongestant - Mint contains menthol which is a natural aromatic decongestant to may help break up phlegm & mucus.

Indigestion / Gas - Need some help with your IBS symptoms? Studies show that mint improves symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome like abdominal pain or menstrual pain or menstrual cramping. This may help with digestion.

Can I use a peppermint or spearmint tea bags instead?

Yes, totally. Use whatever you have on hand. Relief is relief. You'll get more of the natural nutrients with the fresh version, but organic peppermint tea or spearmint packaged/bagged tea might do the trick. You can also buy organic dried peppermint tea leaves or dried spearmint leaves in bulk to use for tea. Peppermint tea is very popular! The benefits of peppermint tea make it even tastier! I love drinking peppermint before bed. Choose whichever you like better.

Where can I buy it?

Ready to enjoy the mint tea benefits or the health benefits of peppermint tea? You can buy fresh peppermint or spearmint at your local farmers market, grocery stores, or herbs section. It can be fresh potted mint or loose leaf tea, use what works. You might be able to find edible essential oils too. If you can't find it, here are some online options:

- Peppermint tea bags
- Spearmint tea bags
- Organic peppermint leaves
- Dried organic loose leaf spearmint

Find an edible peppermint oil or, which is not the same as peppermint essential oil. You can mix the mint teas as well. You can even add your fresh leaves to colas, fruit juice, soft drinks

Can I drink this if I feel totally fine?

Of course. Peppermint tea or mint tea genuinely tastes amazing (if you're a mint fan). By all means, drink your fresh organic peppermint tea with breakfast; sip your spearmint tea on a cool winter afternoon or a hot summer's day; drink mint tea in the evening as you read a book. It's naturally caffeine-free (unlike green tea leaves which has caffeine) so you can drink it whenever you get the urge. Drink peppermint tea hot or cold!

Prepare mint tea at home with fresh peppermint leaves. Do some research to see what properties there are. Sometimes I pick off the peppermint leaves just to taste it! It's a healthy alternative to always chewing a mint chewing gum, especially for your jaw. Make a cup of tea tonight!

What other mint tea benefits do you know of? Do you like peppermint tea or peppermint oil? Can you find it at your local grocery store? How do you drink peppermint tea? How can it help your health?