Is Peppermint Tea Good for Cough?

Partly: peppermint tea may temporarily ease a mild cough when its warm liquid soothes a dry or irritated throat, but it is not a proven cough treatment.

When might peppermint tea help a cough?

Peppermint tea may be comforting when a mild cough leaves your throat feeling dry or scratchy. The benefit is likely to be temporary, and it may come from the warm liquid rather than from peppermint itself.

There is limited evidence for peppermint products and respiratory symptoms, and the available study did not test peppermint tea. You can try it as a comfort measure if it agrees with you, while paying attention to how long your cough lasts and whether other symptoms develop.

How might peppermint tea soothe a cough?

Warm liquids can feel soothing against an irritated throat, while drinking fluids helps prevent the mouth and throat from feeling dry. Peppermint also contains menthol, which can create a cooling sensation. That sensation does not necessarily mean that the airways have opened or that the cause of the cough has been treated.

A comfortable drinking temperature matters more than making the tea very hot. Let it cool before sipping: a drink hot enough to burn your mouth or throat will not help irritation.

Peppermint tea is one option among the best drinks for cough if you want a warm, pleasant-tasting fluid. It should not replace an evaluation for a persistent, severe or unexplained cough.

What does the evidence say about peppermint and cough?

Direct evidence that peppermint tea reduces coughing is lacking. The available research on peppermint products is not enough to show that the tea works better than warm water, reduces cough frequency or shortens an illness.

In a small randomized trial of an aromatic spray, 60 people with upper respiratory tract infections received either a placebo spray or a spray containing oils from five plants, including peppermint. Participants rated their most bothersome symptom—sore throat, hoarseness or cough—as more improved 20 minutes after using the aromatic spray. There was no significant difference between the groups after 3 days.

That result is not proof that peppermint tea treats cough. The researchers tested a combination spray, not a drink, and the reported outcome was not limited to cough. It is also impossible to tell from that trial whether peppermint alone contributed to the short-term improvement.

How can you use peppermint tea for a cough?

If you enjoy peppermint tea, prepare a cup and sip it warm when your throat feels irritated. Use food-grade peppermint leaves or a tea bag intended for drinking, rather than concentrated peppermint essential oil.

Ingredients

1 cup (240 mL) water
1 teaspoon (about 1 g) dried, food-grade peppermint leaves, or 1 peppermint tea bag

Steps

Boil the water and pour it over the peppermint leaves or tea bag in a cup.
Brew according to the package directions, then remove the tea bag or strain out the leaves.
Let the peppermint tea cool to a comfortable temperature and sip it slowly.

Refrigerate any leftover peppermint tea promptly and drink it within 24 hours for best flavour. Discard it sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. If a clinician has advised you to limit fluids, count peppermint tea toward your prescribed limit.

There is no established medicinal dose of peppermint tea for cough. Drinking more than you find comfortable is not known to make it more effective.

Who should be careful, and when should you see a doctor?

Peppermint can worsen symptoms for some people with acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Stop drinking peppermint tea if it triggers heartburn or makes your symptoms worse. Avoid it if you have a known peppermint allergy.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your clinician about using peppermint tea regularly for symptoms; information about medicinal use during these periods is limited. Check with a child’s clinician before offering herbal tea to a young child, and make sure any drink is cool enough to prevent burns.

Do not swallow peppermint essential oil or apply concentrated oil near a child’s face. If you take medication or have an ongoing medical condition, ask a clinician or pharmacist before regularly using concentrated peppermint products. Do not stop prescribed medication in favour of peppermint tea.

See a clinician if your cough lasts more than 3 weeks, gets worse, or comes with a fever that does not settle. Seek urgent medical care for difficulty breathing, chest pain or coughing up blood. Peppermint tea may provide comfort while you arrange care, but it should not delay assessment of these symptoms.