A new scientific review reveals compelling evidence that peppermint and spearmint teas offer a range of health benefits, from supporting brain function and hormone balance to aiding digestion, joint health, respiratory wellbeing, and even helping with diabetes management. The study, ‘A Narrative Review on the Mechanistic Actions and Potential Health Benefits of Peppermint and Spearmint Teas,’ from the Tea Advisory Panel, highlights seven key ways that just one to two cups of mint tea a day could support overall health.
Ancient civilisations have a long history of using mint, mint tea, and other mint-based products for a range of important health and wellbeing uses. Besides its fresh and enlivening aroma, mint has traditionally been used for its oral, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, skin, nervous system, urinary system, reproductive, pain and inflammation management benefits.
Now, a new study from the Tea Advisory Panel (TAP) – A Narrative Review[1] on the Mechanistic Actions and Potential Health Benefits of Peppermint and Spearmint Teas – provides refreshing scientific evidence for seven ways consuming mint tea could help bolster our health.
Study co-author and tea expert Dr Tim Bond comments, “The list of health areas regular mint tea (peppermint or spearmint variants) consumption could help support includes brain health, heart health and digestive health. It may also help to reduce arthritic pain and improve sleep, so it really has potential as a simple health hack.”
“The benefits of mint tea are thanks to its polyphenol, antimicrobial, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and blood pressure lowering effects, making it an easily achievable action to put on our list of health-focused objectives for 2025,” adds study co-author and fellow TAP expert Dr Emma Derbyshire.
Fellow study co-author and medical herbalist, Dr Chris Etheridge, notes further, “Consuming mint has long been linked to a wide range of health benefits, including heart health, healthy enzyme activity, brain health, and mood. Other studies point to benefits in female hormones.”
The new study’s authors highlight seven potential health benefits of drinking one or two cups of mint tea – peppermint or spearmint – daily.
Brain Health: We’re probably all familiar with the fresh and lively aroma of mint tea and its ability to perk us up. As it turns out, there’s scientific evidence to back this up. Dr Tim Bond explains, “One UK study found that drinking just 200 ml of peppermint tea, equal to one cup, significantly enhanced the speed of memory, long-term memory and alertness.”
Joint Health: Study co-author and TAP expert, Dr Chris Etheridge, explains some of the science they found to back mint tea’s joint health benefits, commenting, “In a clinical study where one group of trialists were given two 300ml cups of spearmint tea a day for 16 weeks, a significant reduction in their knee arthritis pain compared with the control group was found. This suggests that spearmint tea could be a useful complementary strategy to help ease the pain from knee osteoarthritis.”
Dr Emma Derbyshire adds, “Researchers have attributed this benefit to spearmint’s potential anti-inflammatory effects, which could be due to high levels of rosmarinic acid – a natural plant compound.”
Female Hormonal Health: The research team also found evidence on mint tea in relation to women’s health woes. In particular, Dr Emma Derbyshire points to a study, noting that, “The researchers conducted a five-day trial on females with polycystic ovary syndrome, a common condition characterised by an imbalance in female hormones, and nine females with excess facial hair with an unknown cause. The women were asked to drink one 250ml cup of spearmint tea twice a day during the follicular stage, or the first half, of their menstrual cycle.
“After 5 days, the researchers observed significant reductions in free testosterone and increases in key menstrual cycle hormones: free oestrogen, luteinising hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in the women. This prompted the researchers to suggest that spearmint mint could be a potential remedy for facial hair in women.”
Dr Tim Bond comments: “It’s possible that spearmint tea could have a testosterone-blocking effect with the result that women’s hormones can be rebalanced. We still need longer-term intervention studies to confirm this.”
Respiratory Health: During the colder months, we’re much more likely to pick up a sniffle or cough. The good news is that regular mint tea consumption might help to protect our lung health. As Dr Tim Bond explains, “Researchers in Finland examined the effects of a number of peppermint tea samples from different countries and found them to protect against Chlamydia pneumoniae, a type of bacteria known to cause respiratory tract infections.”
He adds, “In fact, the tea was shown to block bacterial growth by up to 70%. This suggests that drinking peppermint tea could have a beneficial impact on the health of people who develop acute respiratory tract infections – especially good news at this time of year.”
Digestive Health: NICE estimates that up to one in five people in the UK live with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea or constipation. The new study suggests that mint tea has the potential to help ease these symptoms.
As Dr Emma Derbyshire explains, “To take one study as an example, researchers have found that peppermint tea has a relaxing effect on the tissue of the gastrointestinal tract.”
Dr Tim Bond adds, “Research also shows that tea produced from spearmint leaves has traditionally been used in the treatment of digestive disorders, along with complaints such as headaches, fevers and other minor ailments.”
Diabetes Help: Previous scientific research has linked a type of compound known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs) to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. “This is another area in which a regular cup of peppermint tea has the potential to benefit our health,” says Dr Emma Derbyshire, adding, “According to researchers, extract of peppermint leaf and the polyphenols it contains could help stop these AGE products from forming in the first place. Assuming this is the case, it’s another way in which a simple cup of mint tea could help support a crucial area of our health.”
Busting Health Nasties: N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) is an enzyme that helps the body get rid of cancer-causing agents and other toxins.
Dr Tim Bond highlights a study mentioning this enzyme in relation to mint tea, explaining that, “A study by researchers from Greece looked into peppermint tea’s impact on human metabolism enzymes.
The researchers gave the adult trial participants 2 g of dry peppermint leaves in 200 ml of water, or two small cups, twice a day. After six days, they observed a blocking action of the NAT2 enzyme. This suggests that drinking peppermint tea may have a small potential role in cancer.cer prevention.”
Dr Emma Derbyshire concludes, “Our new narrative review shows that drinking up to two cups of mint tea daily could benefit everything from our metabolic health, to our brain health, to our digestive health, to women’s hormonal health, to our joint health. So, there’s good evidence that popping the kettle on for a simple and refreshing cup of mint tea can help keep your health in mint condition.”
¹ Bond, T., Derbyshire, E (2024, Etheridge, C. A Narrative Review on the Mechanistic Actions and Potential Health Benefits of Peppermint and Spearmint Teas (Mentha x piperita L. and Mentha spicata L.). Nutrition & Food Technology Journal. Ahead of print.
You can learn more about the association’s work at www.teaadvisorypanel.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.