Introduction
Spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) is a popular aromatic herb that belongs to the Labiateae (Lamiaceae) family. Other members of the Lamiaceae family are sage and peppermint. It is widely found in Eurasia, Australia, South Africa, the USA, and China. Commonly, used as fresh (raw vegetable, spice, or flavoring herb) or as dried leaves or powder (herbal tea, dishes, and beverages, or medicine). Spearmint essential oils are widely used in food, cosmetics, confectionery, chewing gum, toothpaste, mouthwashes, and pharmaceutical industries (1). The benefits of spearmint tea are good for treating PCOS, body pain, anxiety, and insomnia.
Common name
Pudina
Nutritional value of spearmint
According to USDA spearmint contains several important nutrients such as protein, fat, crude fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, Vitamins A, B6, C, and folate (2).
| Compound | Amounts per 100 g. |
| Water | 85.55 g |
| Energy | 44 Kcal |
| Protein | 3.29 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.73 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 8.41 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 6.8 g |
| Calcium | 199 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 11.87 mg |
| Magnesium | 63 mg |
| Phosphorus | 60 mg |
| Potassium | 458 mg |
| Sodium | 30 mg |
| Zinc | 1.09 mg |
| Copper | 0.24 mg |
| Manganese | 1.12 mg |
| Vitamin C | 13.3 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.08 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.17 mg |
| Niacin | 0.95 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.25 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.16 mg |
| Folate, DFE | 105 µg |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 203 µg |
| Vitamin A | 4054 IU |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.19 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.025 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.39 g |
Health benefits of spearmint tea
Some of the main benefits of spearmint tea are as follows
1. Treats polycystic ovarian syndrome
Hirsutism is the excessive growth of facial or body hair in women and other psychological problems due to elevated androgen levels during polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). However, intake of spearmint tea twice a day for 1 month alters the hormone levels and increases luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol (3).
2. Improve cognitive function
Daily intake of spearmint extract (900 mg/day) enhances ‘head and brain’ function such as quality of working memory and spatial working memory, improves the ability to fall asleep, vigor-activity alertness, contentedness, and calmness due to the presence of polyphenols including rosmarinic acid in it (4).
3. Reduce the pain of knee osteoarthritis
A high amount of rosmarinic acid in spearmint tea is beneficial against stiffness, and physical disability and reduces pain in osteoarthritis. Thus daily consumption of spearmint tea for 16 weeks significantly decreased pain (5).
4. Enhance athlete performance
The presence of rosmarinic acid; phenolic content and another bioactive compound in spearmint tea improves athletic performance through its anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and cognitive improvement properties. Therefore daily consumption of 900 mg of spearmint extract in the form of tea for 90 days improves the ability to react to a stimulus quickly and efficiently, at high speed (6).
5. Anti-inflammatory properties
Rosmarinic acid found in spearmint acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that inhibits acute and chronic inflammation (7).
6. Antimicrobial properties of spearmint tea
Carvone and limonene obtained from spearmint and its oil fight against bacteria such as Vibrio as well as some fungi like Fusarium graminearum, F. moniliforme, and Penicillium expansum (8, 9).
7. Treat anxiety and insomnia
Spearmint tea contains phenolic compounds such as flavonoids and tannins which show a wonderful effect on the treatment of anxiety and increase the sleeping time (10).
8. Protect bone marrow cells
Spearmint is a good source of powerful antioxidants such as polyphenols that protect bone marrow cells, other chromosome damage, and apoptosis against both exogenous and endogenous DNA damage caused by different chemicals (11).
9. Presence of antioxidants
Spearmint has antioxidant properties due to the presence of a high amount of phenolic substances such as eugenol, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, and alpha-tocopherol which play important roles in scavenging harmful radicals from the body and protect against various diseases (12).
10. Antimutagenic properties of Spearmint tea
It contains a bioactive compound that protects against various chemicals that cause mutation thus preventing carcinogen activation or risk of cancer (13).
11. Manage diabetes and cholesterol level
Oral intake of spearmint leaves or spearmint tea reduces blood glucose levels, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels in diabetic patients due to the presence of the high phenolic compound in them (14).
12. Treat stomach issue
Carmint is a combination of lemon balm, spearmint, and coriander which is effective in reducing the severity and frequency of abdominal pain/discomfort and bloating in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (15).
13. Protect from nicotine induced damages
Nicotine mediates some of the injurious effects like oxidative damage caused by consuming tobacco products which affect the liver, testis, brain, and other organs however spearmint (rich in the phenolic compound) helps the recovery of all these organs at normal levels by increasing good enzyme and decreasing bad enzyme and exhibited interesting scavenging activity (16, 17).
Side effects of Spearmint
1. Risk of allergy
Sometimes spearmint causes uvular angioedema (upper airway obstruction/ swelling). Therefore, a person should avoid both ingestions of fresh mint leaves and exposure to preparations in which mint is used as a flavoring ingredient (18).
2. Risk of infertility
Spearmint does not contain any toxic effect on the reproductive system however high amount of spearmint decreases sperm count, sperm motility, and testosterone concentration as well as induce oxidative stress thus precaution should be needed because it may cause adverse effects on male fertility (19, 20).
3. Risk of uterus damage
As we know spearmint tea has a wonderful effect on digestion but it should be used in the recommended fashion or at the recommended dose because at high dosage it may cause lipid peroxidation and uterine damage (21).
4. Risk of kidney injury
Intake of a high amount of spearmint tea may increase the level of plasma urea and creatinine and affect the kidney and its tissue in various ways, therefore, precaution should be needed (21).