Herbal Tea: Mint Tea
Last Updated: Aug. 5, 2010
Apple Mint (Left)
and Peppermint (Right)
Common varieties of mint used in tea include spearmint, peppermint, apple mint, and orange mint. Some cultivated mints are individual species that occur in the wild--e.g. spearmint is Mentha spicata, whereas others, such as Peppermint, are hybrids of different species. Usually when the term "mint" is used alone, it refers to spearmint.
Mint tea can be made out of fresh or dried leaves. It is typically brewed with boiling water. Mint teas make particularly good iced teas, as mint is often described as having a cool or refreshing quality.
Heath effects:
Many mints have numerous health benefits. Spearmint has significant antioxidant properties which have been shown to aid in the preservation of meat.[1] Mint tea has also been shown to enhance iron absorption.[2] Peppermint, spearmint, and Japanese mint have been shown to inhibit and kill a number of strains of harmful bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains such as MSRA.[3] Spearmint has also been shown to inhibit the growth of a variety of harmful fungi.[4]While most mints are generally safe for consumption in food or beverages, some species of mint are toxic in large doses. Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), which has a pleasant minty aroma and makes a delicious tea, can cause liver damage and can even be lethal, and is an ongoing source of poisoning.[5]
References:
1. Sweetie R. Kanatt et. al., Antioxidant potential of mint (Mentha spicata L.) in radiation-processed lamb meat, Food Chemistry, Vol. 100, No. 2, 2007, pp. 451-458.
2. F. Zaida et. al., Iron Availability and Consumption of Tea, Vervain and Mint during Weaning in Morocco, Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, Vol. 50, No. 3, 2006.
3. H. Imai et. al., Inhibition by the essential oils of peppermint and spearmint of the growth of pathogenic bacteria., Microbios., Vol. 106, Suppl. 1, 2001, pp. 31-9.
4. K. M. Soliman, R. I. Badeaa, Effect of oil extracted from some medicinal plants on different mycotoxigenic fungi, Food and Chemical Toxicology, Vol. 40, No. 11, Nov. 2002, pp. 1669-1675.
5. Ilene B. Anderson et. al., Pennyroyal Toxicity: Measurement of Toxic Metabolite Levels in Two Cases and Review of the Literature, Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol. 124, No. 8, Apr. 15, 1996, pp. 726-734.
Listings of this style of tea: (62 including sub-styles - hide sub-styles)
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Teabag | 
Sachet | 
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