The world has varieties of teas, which may fascinate us. These types of teas are exported and imported worldwide, which makes them popular.
No doubt, these teas prove to be beneficial for us as they contain antioxidants. Drinking tea has numerous benefits.
Although, it can prove to be dangerous too as it contains caffeine (even if it is present in low amounts). But there are certain varieties of tea which are caffeine free, and one such variation is peppermint tea.
Despite being caffeine free, you should be concerned about how many cups of peppermint tea should you drink per day. This will help you be on the safe side because an excess of it can be harmful.
Before moving any further, let’s get familiar with peppermint first.
What is Peppermint?
Found mostly in the Mediterranean region, Peppermint is a ‘perennial mint.’ It is cultivated in most parts of the world, especially in the countries of Europe and South America.
Peppermint is a hybrid of water mint (Mentha Aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha Spicata).These are both found in wild.
During the summer season, small purple flowers blossom on these herbs. The leaves and the flowers of these herbs are then used to make the herbal infusion.
Peppermint tea is used widely as it is caffeine free and induces sleep. It will improve the quality of sleep, thus providing a feeling of freshness. Apart from the delicious taste, peppermint tea also has a sweet smell and also promotes brain health.
How Much Peppermint Tea Should You Drink Per Day?
As mentioned earlier, peppermint tea is caffeine free, but this does not signify that you can drink it in excess. Everything should be consumed in moderate amounts to acquire more benefits from it. Similarly, peppermint tea should be consumed in moderate amount as an excess of it can be dangerous.
According to research studies, you can drink two to three cups of peppermint tea daily, to enjoy the maximum health benefits.
There are different suggestions regarding how many cups of peppermint tea you should drink per day.
TheRightTea suggests that you should drink 3 cups of peppermint tea on a regular basis for eight weeks to get more advantages. However, it also adds that you should skip the daily consumption for few days during the prolonged period of eight weeks.
Another recommendation by University of Maryland Medical Center says that you can drink four to five cups of peppermint tea daily.
However, there is a different suggestion for seasonal allergies. TheSpruce suggests you should drink one to two cups of peppermint tea to get cured of cold and flu or other seasonal allergies.
Menstrual cramp is yet another problem which girls face. It is excruciating and irritating. Girls often look out for a solution to reduce the painful menstrual cramps. Well, peppermint tea is a solution to that problem. If you drink one or two cups of peppermint tea daily during menstruation, it can lessen the menstrual cramps, solve PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome) and even dysmenorrhea.
As you can see, suggestions have varied from one source to another.
So, it is better to drink 2-3 cups of peppermint tea per day to get maximum benefits and avoid the side effects. However, you should talk to your doctor first before adding it to your diet.
Health Benefits of Peppermint Tea
Peppermint is loaded with menthol, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. It also has vitamins such as vitamin A, B-complex, and C. Peppermint tea also includes flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, tannins, and carotenoids.
As it has so many essential nutrients, it has numerous benefits. Some of them are mentioned below:
1) Peppermint tea also plays a vital role in decongesting of nasal and bronchial passage. People suffering from cold and flu are often recommended to drink peppermint tea. It also healed the infection in the upper part of the respiratory tract which will thus help in breathing easily
2) Peppermint tea has been found useful in reducing menstrual cramps. It is also helpful for people suffering from anxiety disorders. It is only beneficial for curing one kind of constricting muscles, the muscle lining along the walls of the uterus.
3) Peppermint helps to reduce weight by promoting digestion. As it enhances the metabolism, it will allow the absorption of all essential nutrients and also remove the waste materials. The enhanced bile production also plays a significant role in splitting up fats at a faster rate. This will this help to reduce weight.
4) Peppermint tea is known for its ability to enhance the mental performance and also improve information storing capacity of the memory. This tea will further assist you to remain calm and concentrated.
5) Peppermint has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics. It contains all the necessary compounds which enhance the immune system and keeps the body protected against various diseases.
6) People suffering from headaches always prefer to take painkillers. However, these can prove to be dangerous for your heart health. Instead of these painkillers, you should drink the peppermint tea. Apart from consumption, if you inhale the aroma of peppermint tea or oil, it can also reduce your headache.
Side Effects of Peppermint Tea
There are specific side effects of excess consumption of peppermint tea. Some of them are as follows:
1) It is suggested to consult the doctors for patients who had suffered from gallstone problems. Peppermint tea may have some effects on the medicines.
2) Peppermint leaves are rich in menthol. Some people may be allergic to it. It may induce the symptoms of allergy such as heartburn, headache, and lightheadedness. It may also reduce your heart rate.
3) Peppermint tea, if applied topically can cause rashes and sores on the skin. To determine the effect, you should use it topically on a smaller area and observe the reaction.
Final Thoughts
Peppermint tea is one of the most beneficial forms of herbal teas. Also, it is very beneficial. Although it has some side-effects, they are considered to be very rare.
Apart from being useful and effective, peppermint tea is very safe too. But you should always be aware of how many cups of peppermint tea should you drink per day.
Even if it contains no caffeine, the excess of other compounds may pose some health risks. So be careful and enjoy drinking this minty tonic in moderation.