Does Mint Tea Have Caffeine

In this brief article, we will answer the question “does mint tea have caffeine?”, and will be telling you about the benefits of mint tea, and some potential side effects that mint tea might have. Mint tea has been recognized for its medicinal, therapeutic and aromatic properties since ancient times. There are approximately 25–30 species of Mentha.

Does Mint Tea Have Caffeine?

No, regular mint tea does not have caffeine. Mint tea is a herbal tea and herbal teas do not naturally contain caffeine. Mint tea will only contain caffeine when other tea types containing caffeine are mixed with mint tea.

Which sorts of tea contain Caffeine?

The tea types which naturally contain caffeine are white, green, yellow, oolong, black, and pu-ehr, all derived from the processing of leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis. These types of tea are processed through different degrees of oxidation, which confer them different amounts of caffeine and theobromine (two compounds capable of stimulating the central nervous system), as well as other compounds, such as phenolics, amino acids and sugars in their composition.

 According to studies, the tea type containing the higher amount of caffeine is the yellow tea, followed by the white tea, oolong, dark, black and green tea (5).

Is the amount of caffeine in the tea important?

Yes, the amount of caffeine in the tea is important, as caffeine may promote stimulating effects on the central nervous system. An excessive ingestion of caffeine may lead to undesired negative symptoms to the body, such as headache and stress-like effects. High doses of caffeine can interfere with performance on complex tasks (6).

The capacity of a subject to tolerate caffeine varies, according to genetic factors, among others, however, according to the Food and Drug Administration, most adult individuals tolerate 400 mg of caffeine per day, which equals to 5 cups of coffee daily. This is not the case of children and pregnant or breastfeeding women, to whom caffeine is not recommended (7). ef Intro

If Mint Tea does not contain caffeine, what does it contain?

Spearmint contains carvone, a compound that gives it its mildly sweet and cool flavor and is also present in caraway seeds and dill. Peppermint is rich in menthol and menthone, which gives the tea a distinct, spicy flavor. Both species contain certain classes of phenolics, however, the predominant ones are eriocitrin for peppermint and rosmarinic acid for spearmint (2).

In addition, mint tea species contain many other chemical compounds such as flavonoids, volatile oils, luteolin, and hesperidin, which may provide health benefits. The major components of the volatile oil are methanol and methone.

What Are The Benefits of Mint Tea?

The benefits of mint tea include the relief of many gastrointestinal ailments. Early Native Americans made a traditional version of mint tea using wild mint leaves to relieve an upset stomach. Is is said as folk remedy or in complementary and alternative medical therapy that the benefits of mint include: biliary disorders, dyspepsia, enteritis, flatulence, gastritis, intestinal colic, and spasms of the bile duct, gallbladder and gastrointestinal tract (1).

Here are some of the health benefits that mint tea has to offer:

Relief From Stomach Problems

Peppermint can help settle an upset stomach. In certain cases, peppermint has also provided relief for the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). When using peppermint oil as a treatment for IBS symptoms, many studies found a significant positive effect (1).

These attributes are due to its ability to relax stomach muscles which improves the flow of bile, aids food digestion, and facilitates gastric emptying. 

However, peppermint might act as an irritant in some individuals, so those suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease should avoid taking it. Although the toxicity of mint is considered low, the use of peppermint is contraindicated in patients with bile duct, gallbladder and liver disorders. Caution is also recommended for the use of peppermint oil capsules in patients with gastrointestinal reflux, hiatal hernia or kidney stones (1).

Relieves Cold and Flu Symptoms

The aroma of mint tea can open nasal passages. Moreover, menthol present in peppermint leaves possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that contribute to providing relief from cold and flu (1). 

Certain studies also reveal that menthol has anti-viral properties, which makes it even more effective for managing the symptoms of flu. It is also effective as an antitussive agent and is helpful in alleviating the nasal symptoms of allergic rhinitis (1).

Some other possible benefits of mint tea include relief from tension headaches, muscular soreness, abdominal and menstrual pain. In a study using peppermint oil, the intensity of pain experienced by patients with tension-type headaches was significantly reduced (1). Besides, Powdered peppermint extract and powdered spearmint extract showed significant inhibition against key enzymes of type 2 diabetes (α-glucosidase) and hypertension (2).

Is There Any Risk Of Drinking Mint Tea?

Yes, there are certain risks associated with drinking large amounts of mint tea, despite it having various health benefits and being a refreshing summer and winter drink (4):

• Heartburn: as mentioned, peppermint aids digestion and provides relief from stomach pain. However, it can worsen the symptoms of acid reflux.
• Medication Interactions: mint shouldn’t be taken by people on cyclosporine, a drug prescribed to organ transplant patients. Also, mint can adversely affect the action of medicines metabolized in the liver, and those that reduce gastric acid.
• Diabetes and Blood Pressure: peppermint has been shown to reduce blood sugar and blood pressure, hence people with the conditions, as well as those taking medication for it, should avoid mint tea.
• Kidney Stones: peppermint tea is not advised for people with kidney stones.

Conclusion

In this brief article, we answered the question “does mint tea have caffeine?” and told you the types of tea that contain caffeine, how much caffeine you can ingest daily, about the benefits of mint tea, and some potential side effects that mint tea might have. 

If you have any more questions or comments please let us know.

References

1. McKay, Diane L., and Jeffrey B. Blumberg. A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea (Mentha piperita L.). Phyto Res Int J Dev Pharmac Toxicol Eval Nat Prod Deriv, 2006, 20, 619-633.
2. Cam, Mustafa, et al. Bioactive properties of powdered peppermint and spearmint extracts: Inhibition of key enzymes linked to hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Food Bios, 2020, 35, 100577.
3. Park, Yun Ji, et al. Metabolic profiling of nine Mentha species and prediction of their antioxidant properties using chemometrics. Molecules, 2019, 24, 258.
4. Abdel-Aziz, Shadia M., Abhinav Aeron, and Tarek A. Kahil. Health benefits and possible risks of herbal medicine. Microb food health. Springer, Cham, 2016. 97-116.
5. Bortolini, Débora Gonçalves, et al. Processing, chemical signature and food industry applications of Camellia sinensis teas: An overview. Food Chem, 2021, X, 100160.
6. Tarka, Stanley M., and W. Jeffrey Hurst. Introduction to the chemistry, isolation, and biosynthesis of methylxanthines. Caffeine. 2019, 1-11.  
7. Spilling the beans: how much caffeine is too much? Food and Drug Administration.