Do not take peppermint or drink peppermint tea if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD - a condition where stomach acids back up into the esophagus) or hiatal hernia. Peppermint can relax the sphincter between the stomach and esophagus, allowing stomach acids to flow back into the esophagus. (The sphincter is the muscle that separates the esophagus from the stomach.)
By relaxing the sphincter, peppermint may actually make the symptoms of heartburn and indigestion worse.
Excess drinking spearmint tea can potentially stress your kidneys, leading to a condition called hyponatremia.
1 tablespoon dried peppermint leaves in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes; strain and cool. Drink 4 - 5 times per day between meals. Peppermint tea appears to be safe, even in large quantities.
The recommended dosage for spearmint tea is 6 tbsp. of dried herb per 2.5 cups of boiling water per day.
Peppermint tea calms your bowels as well and aids in digestion. In some studies, both peppermint AND spearmint have be known to reduce excess body hair on women, such as facial, because of lowering androgen levels in the body. The mint in this tea will help open up your sinuses, so it's good for runny or stuffed up noses. Also try agave nectar as a sweetener. It is better if you are diabetic. This tea is good for stomachaches. You can also make tea straight from non-dried leaves, though it is not recommended. Sweeteners can include Rapadura sugar substitute, honey, syrup, stevia, etc.
