Home — World self-care & traditional therapies — Food & herbs

Peppermint tea / peppermint oil

Mentha × piperita

A listing is not a recommendation.

Origin: Europe · Tradition: European herbal practice · Food & herbs

What it is

Peppermint tea, or an enteric-coated peppermint-oil preparation. The tea is used for a fresh feeling after eating; peppermint oil has been relatively well studied in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

A short introduction (not a treatment instruction)

Drink it as tea after a meal.
Do not swallow high-concentration essential oil as it is. For an enteric-coated IBS product, follow the directions.
Gastro-oesophageal reflux can worsen.

Symptoms or aims often mentioned with this practice

Constipation or digestion
Headache

Research notes (this is not a promise of effect)

B: Randomised trials or systematic reviews exist, but reports are modest, the group studied is limited, or study quality is limited

Peppermint oil has moderate evidence for IBS symptoms (NCCIH, MSK). Peppermint tea cannot be said to be equivalent as it is. Menthol applied to the skin for tension-type headache is a separate use.

Sources

Safety notes

Worsening of reflux. Peppermint oil in infants (especially on the face) is dangerous. Consult a professional about biliary disease.

If you are unsure, or if you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medicine, consult a qualified professional.

Situations in which this is better avoided

Essential oil in infants
When severe reflux worsens
Do not swallow essential oil on your own