Do you want to know is peppermint tea good for colds and why?
Peppermint is a plant that has one powerful active ingredient that helps us with cold, flu, respiratory and other health problems.
Menthol is the essential oil that we use for relieving cold symptoms. It is used in products for inhalation, nasal drops, and also in candies and pastilles for sore throat.
In this article, you will see how you can help yourself relieving the symptoms at home.
People also use it because of the cooling effect. Therefore, the peppermint tea is recommended for a sore throat that accompanies cold.
Peppermint tea benefits
This herbal plant is one of the healthiest herbs and commonly used due to the effects of containing essential oil or its main ingredient menthol.
It regulates digestion and releases circular muscle that closes the opening between the esophagus and stomach.
Peppermint reduces the pressure in the stomach. It also stops the intrusion of calcium into muscle cells and inhibits the excessive activity of the intestinal smooth muscle, which facilitates exhaust gases and calms irritated intestines.
Improves digestion
Its bitterness raises appetite and improves digestion because it speeds up the formation and secretion of digestive juices and bile.
It disinfects the bile and increases its solubility. It releases a circular muscle that closes the outlet duct into the duodenum.
Relieves the pain
Peppermint causes the movement of gallstones, but it’s not necessarily that it will destroy them.
It relieves stomach pain because it makes nerve endings less sensitive to it and it also prevents the feeling to vomit.
This herbal plant has an anti-inflammatory effect, but much less than chamomile. Those who have strong inflammation of the stomach should rather avoid it.
Antivirus properties
Why is it good for a cold? Peppermint is great when we have it or flu. It has disinfectant, anti-virus properties which are useful in the treatment of both conditions.
Promotes sweating
Warm tea promotes sweating and reduces the perception of pain. You can find menthol in the nasal drops, in inhalation drops for inflammation of the respiratory tract.
Menthol preparations
Some candies and pastilles also contain menthol to prevent infection in the throat. Its preparations cool the skin first and then warm it.
Relieves breathing
This is beneficial for treating muscle-skeletal pain, headache, and toothache. When you rub your chest with menthol it will relieve breathing because it relaxes the bronchi.
Peppermint is slightly soothing but also prevents fainting and relieves spasms of internal organs. It slightly expands the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart wall.
The preparations can make your breathing easier when you have a stuffy nose and respiratory problems. You can find it in aromatherapies, ointments, and other products.
Japanese are familiar with its anesthetic effects, so they often used it for relieving rheumatic, muscle and gastrointestinal pain.
Peppermint substances
Peppermint is an excellent dietary supplement since it contains manganese, vitamin A and C, calcium, copper, iron, omega-3 fatty acid, dietary fiber, and a lot of anti-oxidants.
In folk medicine, it is appreciated due to the antibacterial and antiseptic action. The menthol in the tea gives cooling and anesthetic effect.
With a cup of peppermint drink you will consume:
- Vitamin A and C
- Electrolytes
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Zinc
- Bronze
- Iron
- Folate
- Niacin
About menthol
Japanese know menthol about 2000 years. It appeared in the west in the 18th century (1771), when German physician and chemist Hieronymus David Gaubius isolated it from the peppermint oil.
We get it from natural aromatic oil derived from peppermint (Mentha piperita), or synthetically.
It is colorless to white, water-soluble, waxy material with a melting point slightly above room temperature.
It is often used in products for the relief of skin irritation, sore throat, nasal congestion, problems with sunburn, pain in muscles and joints because of its cooling effect.
It is often found in other products such as toothpaste; cough relief products, lip balms, gums, and cigarettes.
How does it work?
The menthol in gels and creams stimulates skin receptors for the cold. This allows the cooling sensation in contact with the skin.
It stimulates receptors and gives a cooling feeling, while the real temperature of the skin doesn’t change.
Analgesic
In addition to the cooling effect, menthol is also an analgesic.
It acts in two ways: it masks the sensation of pain by binding to pain receptors in the skin and by binding to non-painful receptors (receptors for cold) that give a sense of cooling and thereby divert attention.
Accelerates the healing of damaged tissue
It also acts on the conductivity of the blood vessels. Initially, causing them to tighten and decrease the blood flow.
Consequently, it reduces the swelling of the damaged tissue. The spread of blood vessels follows, thereby increasing blood flow. The restoration of damaged tissue is accelerated.
Prepare steam inhalation
Prepare yourself an herbal infusion with peppermint, lavender or chamomile for inhalation.
Herbal steam bath stimulates blood circulation in the mucous membrane of respiratory thin mucus.
It contributes to the restoration of the affected mucous membranes in the nose, sinuses or lungs.
Pour the inhalation liquid into the inhaler and tilt your head over the container with the tea mixture. Cover your head with a towel and relax.
Chamomile detoxifies, peppermint opens nasal congestion, soothes inflammation of the respiratory difficulty and soothes a strong cough. If you will also use lavender; use its flowers.
Drink the tea and use menthol products
Is peppermint tea good for colds? It sure is. I recommend you to drink it when you have a cold or flu.
It will ease the breathing and relieve the pain from the sore throat. It is a great antiseptic so drinking it will help you to kill germs that are causing you troubles.
A sore throat can hurt a lot so don’t hesitate to prepare it.
Running nose and breathing issues are also a common symptom in cold. Peppermint tea can help here also.
Drink it and use it as inhalation. It will open your nasal canal and ease breathing.
Besides the tea, you can buy pastilles for sore throat that are made from menthol. You can also prepare them at home.
