12 Surprising Benefits of Spearmint Tea and Essential Oil

Wash and tear the spearmint leaves. Pour boiling water over one tablespoon of tea leaves for every 8-ounce cup of water in a French press or teapot with a strainer.

• Steep for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how powerful you prefer it. Gently smash the spearmint leaves with a spoon to release the oils. Then, remove the strainer while pressing on the leaves to drain as much liquid as possible.
• For a softer tea, leave the mint leaves on the stem rather than tearing them, and boil the whole stem and leaves in a mug or cup.

Spearmint tea has no caffeine and calories. It is a natural tea that you may drink at any moment without fear of negative side effects. When consumed or sipped in the amounts found in food and drinks, spearmint tea is safe. If ingested in significant quantities, it might cause kidney and liver damage.

1. Improves digestive health
   • Some data suggest that it could be beneficial for digestive health.
   • Spearmint herb possesses carminative properties, which aid in the normal passage of gases from the body and prevent the production and storage of excess gas in the intestines and stomach. Thus, it helps alleviate indigestion, vomiting, and bloating.
   • Furthermore, it aids in the appropriate and timely release of digestive enzymes, gastric juices, and bile, allowing efficient breaking down of meals that could be rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and preventing indigestion and diarrhea.
   • In addition, carvone, a monoterpene in spearmint, contributes to its antispasmodic properties. It helps relax the gastrointestinal walls and relieves cramps and intestine spasms.
2. Painkiller properties (especially for arthritic patients)
   • Spearmint possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects that could be an effective pain reliever for headaches and aching joints and muscles.
   • Spearmint may help relieve arthritis-related joint discomfort. A large review study comprising both human and animal trials reported that spearmint essential oil relieved pain.
   • Studies suggest that having spearmint tea two times decreased joint stiffness and physical impairment in people with knee arthritis.
   • Furthermore, tea brewed from this plant can help with arthritic stiffness and impairment.
   • Its antispasmodic properties alleviate painful muscular spasms and convulsions, which helps soothe menstrual cramps.
3. Enhances skin health
   • Spearmint is an excellent antiseptic agent to treat wounds, bug bites, cuts, and scrapes on the skin.
   • It cleans the wound and destroys germs on the skin, preventing wound infections.
   • Its anti-inflammatory characteristics help relax and soothe irritated skin caused by wounds and skin diseases, including acne and psoriasis. As a result, spearmint is beneficial for such chronic skin diseases. Furthermore, it is antifungal, making it an effective treatment for jock itch, athlete's foot, and nail fungus.
4. May relief nausea 
   • Spearmint can provide relief for people experiencing nausea because of illness, pregnancy, or travel. It is one of the most effective natural therapies for nausea.
   • A 2013 study published in the journal European Institute of Oncology and the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes reported that spearmint essential oil has a high inhibitory action against chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
   • Another 2013 study conducted by Carolinas Medical Centre University researchers reported that an aromatherapy treatment with spearmint was particularly beneficial to alleviate postoperative nausea.
5. Enhances emotional health
   • Spearmint can help with emotional wellness. Use spearmint essential oil to relax and soothe your senses if you are agitated, nervous, or anxious.
   • Spearmint tea is commonly used to relieve stress and insomnia in South American nations. Furthermore, the plant leaves contain menthol, which has a relaxing and calming impact on the body.
   • By interacting with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in the brain, spearmint relieves tension and promotes relaxation. GABA is a naturally occurring amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain, slowing neuronal activity.
   • It helps elevate your emotional spirits, alleviate moderate sadness, and provide a brain boost after a long and exhausting day.
   • Use spearmint oil to improve mental clarity, focus, and attention, which is perfect for individuals preparing for exams or making significant judgments.
6. May fight bacterial infections
   • Many chewing gums, toothpaste, and breath mints contain spearmint as a flavoring component.
   • Spearmint has antibacterial action against food-poison-causing pathogens, such as E coli and Listeria.
   • Furthermore, it possesses antibacterial and antiseptic properties that aid in the removal of germs and other pathogens from the mouth, hence preventing mouth and tooth infections.
7. Good for the hair
   • Its antibacterial, antifungal, and cooling characteristics maintain the health of the hair by acting as an efficient natural scalp treatment for dandruff, lice, and itchy and dry scalp.
   • Spearmint essential oil stimulates the hair follicles, promotes hair growth, and strengthens the hair by aggressively promoting blood circulation to the scalp area. This reduces hair loss and results in healthier hair.
8. May help women with hormone imbalances
   • Spearmint tea is claimed to benefit females by decreasing masculine hormones, such as testosterone, and increasing hormones needed for ovulation.
   • Drinking spearmint tea may benefit women with facial hair, according to research. Female facial hair overgrowth has been linked to elevated amounts of male hormones or androgens.
9. May improve memory
   • Animal research reported that spearmint extract helped subjects perform better on a labyrinth or maze test, indicating improved memory and learning.
   • As a result, research on the benefits of this type of mint for memory is limited but intriguing, particularly for elderly persons.
10. Packed with antioxidants
    • Antioxidants help prevent and repair damage caused by free radicals, which are damaging molecules that can cause oxidative stress.
    • Oxidative stress has been linked to several chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
    • Spearmint has a high concentration of antioxidant chemicals, such as rosmarinic acid, flavones, and flavanones (limonene and menthol). Two tablespoons (11 grams) of spearmint offers two percent of the recommended daily intake for vitamin C.
11. May be helpful during seasonal allergies
    • Rosmarinic acid has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Rosmarinic acid could be beneficial if you suffer from seasonal allergies.
    • According to research, it lowers the immune response to pollen and minimizes nasal congestion. Antioxidant levels are frequently lower in asthmatics, and multiple studies have linked a lack of antioxidant foods to worsened asthma symptoms.
    • Antioxidant-rich diets, however, have been linked to enhanced respiratory function and a decreased incidence of asthma.
12. A potential treatment for high blood pressure
    • Spearmint helps reduce blood pressure. Though human study on this potential feature is limited, some scientific data suggest that this herb may be advantageous in this regard.
    • In one animal research, carvone was 100 times more efficient at reducing blood vessel contractions than verapamil, a commonly used blood pressure medication.
    • Carvone acts like calcium-channel blockers, which are used to treat hypertension.

You can use the oil in your daily life easily and safely to reap its numerous benefits.

Topically

• Dilute spearmint essential oil in a 1:1 ratio with a carrier oil (sweet almond or coconut oil) and apply topically to desired areas.
• You can use it to heal wounds, cuts, and skin fungal infections, promote hair health, and relieve pain from sore and aching joints. In traditional medicine, it is used to relieve nausea and promote digestive health by rubbing it on your stomach and abdominal area.

Diffuse

• Diffuse three to four drops of spearmint oil in an oil burner or diffuser to get rid of the nausea feeling.

Mouthwash

• To improve oral health, mix one to two drops of spearmint oil into a cup of water and gargle. However, avoid swallowing the oil while gargling.

Bath

• Add roughly five to six drops of the oil to a tub of warm water to ease hurting muscles and soak away any stress or tension you may be feeling.

Compress

• Add roughly two to three drops of the oil to a compress and hold it against your head to relieve headaches.

Pregnant women should avoid using spearmint oil because it is an emmenagogue. It accelerates menstrual flow and bleeding, as well as estrogen production, which can lead to miscarriage.

When using it topically, dilute it with equal parts of carrier oil and do a skin patch test to guarantee no sensitive, allergic, or irritating responses. Avoid using it on open wounds, cuts, or sores. Unless under expert guidance, do not consume spearmint essential oil.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies spearmint as generally safe for their intended usage.