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Unsettled stomach? Or even worse, afraid you’re about to get another glimpse of your most recent snack?
If you’re reading this article, I suspect that I don’t have to tell you nausea is the worst. When you’re feeling sick to the stomach, chances are the only thing you can really focus on is finding a way to make that unpleasant sensation go away.
Grabbing a warm drink like a hot cup of tea can help soothe an upset stomach, and peppermint tea is a popular choice. But is peppermint’s tea to soothe the stomach just an old wives tale, or is there actually some research out there to support peppermint tea as a nausea cure?
In this article, we’re going to figure it out. Here’s a peek at what we have ahead:
That’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
Peppermint oil has been studied more widely than peppermint tea itself has, so let’s start by taking a look at the research on peppermint oil. Studies have linked peppermint oil time and time again to a variety of benefits, including some gastrointestinal ones that might be of interest to anyone suffering from a bout of nausea.
In animal studies, peppermint oil has been shown to have an impact on nausea and stomach pain in a couple of different ways: reducing pain and relaxing the muscles in the digestive tract, which may be sensitive or inflamed if you’re feeling nauseous.
But the benefits of peppermint oil may start even before you ingest it.
Picture this: you have a warm mug of peppermint tea, and you pull it close to your face, letting the steam wrap around your face. You take a deep breath of the delicious peppermint aroma, and… you’re starting to feel better already.
As it turns out, studies have also shown that simply inhaling the scent of peppermint oil can be helpful in reducing nausea. A study of 123 people undergoing surgery found that those who inhaled peppermint oil were less likely to experience nausea after their procedure.
Research suggests that peppermint oil helps with nausea – that’s great news, right? So what does it say about peppermint tea specifically?
As of this writing, there haven’t been any studies published specifically on peppermint tea as a remedy for nausea. However, there’s reason to believe that peppermint tea and peppermint oil have many of the same benefits.
Peppermint oil is made by heating peppermint leaves to create a vapor, and then cooling that vapor into the concentrated liquid we know as peppermint oil. Peppermint tea is made in much the same way – even if you don’t spring for loose leaf peppermint, peppermint tea bags are going to be packed with peppermint leaves that give you all of those same anti-nausea effects. When you heat them, all of those same beneficial compounds will be released from the leaves… right into your cup.
So while there isn’t any research specifically on peppermint tea as a nausea cure, we feel perfectly comfortable telling you that there’s a good chance it helps settle your upset stomach.
Don’t have any peppermint tea on hand? Not to worry. There are actually several other types of tea out there that research shows can help stop nausea and relieve digestive upset. The best part is, some of them are very common household teas, so you might even have a few of them in your cabinet already.
Whether you’ve been meaning to refill your stash of peppermint leaves or peppermint just isn’t your cup of tea, you can still reap the nausea-relieving benefits of tea with these common types of tea:
Even after your stomach has settled, there are still plenty of reasons to enjoy a cup of peppermint tea. On top of simply being a healthy and delicious drink choice, research suggests that peppermint tea packs a myriad of health benefits as well.
Some other benefits of drinking peppermint tea include:
With a list of potential benefits like that, there’s no reason not to grab a cup of your favorite peppermint tea and enjoy.
There you have it! If you were wondering what science has to say about the nausea-fighting benefits of peppermint tea, now you know. Peppermint oil has been found in multiple studies to have nausea fighting effects, which means peppermint tea is an excellent option next time you or someone you care about needs a little nausea relief.
So drink up, enjoy your tea, and we hope you feel better soon!
