With new Kaiser Family Foundation polling showing that healthcare is a top concern for Americans this year, taking steps to protect health are on a lot of minds. It doesn’t replace access to a doctor, but peppermint tea can help promote healthy digestion, according to experts.
Around 40% Americans’ daily lives are disrupted by digestive troubles, according to 2022 data from the American Gastroenterological Association. Ipsos polling from the following year found that “most Americans are uninformed about gut health and the microbiome.”
A recent article in Parade noted the potential benefits of peppermint tea this week. First, the outlet stressed the importance of hydration in general when it comes to gut health.
“Your gut relies on adequate fluid intake to keep things moving smoothly, maintain the integrity of the intestinal lining and support the trillions of bacteria that help you digest food, regulate inflammation and even influence mood,” Parade explained. It said even being mildly dehydrated can have a negative impact on digestive health.
Along with overall hydration, Parade said that peppermint tea could be part of “strategic hydration” decisions for health. Warm liquids can “stimulate digestion and promote gentle movement through the intestines,” and Parade said experts point to peppermint tea as a welcome addition.
“According to Dr. [Omar] Khokhar, a board-certified gastroenterologist with OSF HealthCare, sipping a warm mug of peppermint tea promotes solid hydration and gut motility while helping to reduce stomach spasms,” Parade said.
Khokar explained that: “Peppermint tea has the benefit of anti-spasmodic properties, which is helpful in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).”
A study published in the Psychotherapy Research journal in 2006 said that “animal model studies demonstrate a relaxation effect on gastrointestinal (GI) tissue, analgesic and anesthetic effects in the central and peripheral nervous system, immunomodulating actions and chemopreventive potential,” for peppermint. Another study published in Nutrition and Food Technology: Open Access in 2024 said that “for peppermint tea, mechanistic studies imply a relaxation effect on gastrointestinal tissue.”
Dr. Jamil Alexis, a gastroenterologist at Stamford Health cited by Parade, said that peppermint tea’s benefits come from oil in the peppermint leaves it is brewed from. Peppermint oil has benefits on its own as well.
Peppermint can have “anti-inflammatory activity, smooth muscle relaxation and modulation of visceral pain and sensitivity via calcium-channel blockade. Its benefits extend throughout the GI tract, with effects noted in the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, gallbladder and colon,” said Dr. James J. Lee, a gastroenterologist with Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, Calif., also cited by Parade.
As it relaxes muscles, it allows bile and digestive enzymes to move through the gastrointestinal system easier, Parade elaborated. In that way, it can help digestion, and it has been associated with positive outcomes regarding bloating, gas abdominal pain and constipation.
Dr. Alexis added that peppermint tea could be beneficial for patients with IBS and other gut-brain interaction disorders, known as functional gastrointestinal disorders. Dr. Kezia Joy, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and medical advisor at Welzo, said that the tea provides relief from symptoms rather than acting on gut bacteria.
That makes peppermint tea’s impact different from kombucha, a fermented tea that does act on gut bacteria. Additionally, peppermint tea has also been linked with a positive impact on the brain. A study published last year in the Human Psychopharmacology journal found that “200 mL of peppermint, consumed as tea, effectively boosted cognition and cerebral blood flow in otherwise healthy adults.”