The Tea Journey: Peppermint Leaf Tea

6 Feb

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Welcome back to the Tea Journey and to our second instalment, Peppermint Leaf tea. I think we all have this vague idea that mint tea is good for you in some way, easing digestive complaints, reducing bloating and whatnot. However, my only experience of mint tea was in Morocco where a tiny portion is served with around 6 sugar cubes, so that kind of defeated all the health benefits.Since then, I’ve not really had mint tea. I must admit that I’m not actually the greatest fan of mint full stop, apart from the mint sauce in a jar you used to have with your nan's roast dinners that doesn’t really taste like mint. However, I am keen to test out the health benefits and to see if I can acquire a taste for it.

The preparation

The preparation of Peppermint Leaf tea is easier than Jasmine. Simply pour fresh, boiling water over the bag and infuse for 3 minutes.

The experience

The Jing Peppermint leaf tea leaves no holds barred when it comes to strength of flavour. Forget watery mint teas, this one punches you in the face with a minty hurricane as soon as you open the packet. Once the water is added, the smell softens somewhat. It smells a little like Murray mints – smooth, creamy and sweet with the mintiness, rather than the harshness of a humbug or Polo.It almost immediately turns a vibrant, golden yellow. It’s almost unbelievable that a little bag of dried herbs can exude so much colour in so little time. As you waft and drag the bag through the water you can see the dried mint unfurl and enliven so that it ends up looking like a clutch of freshly mown grass.And then you take a sip.I’ve honestly never had a tea like it. There is just so much going on in there that you immediately take another one just to work out what the hell just happened. At first it’s really mellow, the flavour coming mainly from the smell that wafts towards your nose. It’s slightly sweet (although maybe that’s my brain tricking me into thinking it’s a Murray mint…). Then after you swallow, a spicy heat lies across the back of your tongue. It’s tingly and peppery, like the sensation you get from a clean, chilli-based meal (I’m talking Thai rather than Tikka).The more you drink, the tingle spreads around your mouth making you feel refreshed, clean and cool (I'm honestly not trying to make this sound like a toothpaste, it's not!). Unlike other teas where it can start to feel claggy in your mouth after half a cup, this one just keeps getting fresher.

The rituals

As peppermint tea is caffeine-free and has digestive-easing properties, it is traditionally drunk as an after dinner palate cleanser. Peppermint helps the movement of gas through the body, thereby reducing bloating and speeding up digestion. It is also a natural anti-inflammatory, so is popular with IBS-sufferers to soothe their tummies.Similarly to jasmine, peppermint also has stress relieving properties and is commonly used in aromatherapy. A natural sedative, its anti-inflammatory nature can reduce blood pressure and body temperature, allowing you to unwind and relax.Why not start drinking Peppermint tea before bed? Have an early night with a favourite magazine or a new book, fluff up your pillows and curl up with a soothing peppermint tea. Particularly if you’re a bad sleeper or have tummy trouble, it could help you relax and sleep more soundly.Peppermint Leaf is certainly the surprising tea. I hadn't, to be honest, expected to enjoy it. I thought it would be too minty, or not minty enough. I thought it might be dusty or synthetic tasting. I didn't expect the freshness, I didn't expect to, well, enjoy it. Having learned a little about it's health benefits, I think I've found myself a new bedtime drink.Check out Jing Tea's peppermint range here*.