Each month at English Tea Shop we’re shining a spotlight on one of our wonderful organic ingredients and this month it’s… peppermint! Peppermint has a wholly unique flavour; it’s warm and pungent with a cooling, refreshing aftertaste due to its high menthol content. It is used to flavour all sorts of things; from toothpaste to chocolate, but we think it’s best enjoyed in a calming cup of tea, preferably after dinner!
Origins of peppermint
Peppermint is thought to have originated in North Africa or somewhere in the Mediterranean and has existed since around 1000 BC. It was first cultivated for medicinal use in the Eighteenth Century, but peppermint oil is said to have been extracted for use, as far back as in Ancient Egypt. Peppermint is enjoyed all year round, but it is often associated with the festive period and peppermint flavoured candy canes have become a family favourite at Christmas. It is unknown when peppermint was first added to these sweet treats, but the tradition is thought to originate from a German legend where a choir master asked a confectioner to create a seasonal treat shaped like a shepherd’s crook to remind children of the Nativity.
Health Benefits of Peppermint in Tea
In addition to making a delicious evening brew, this wonderful aromatic makes an excellent ingredient in our teas due to its numerous health benefits. It is thought to improve digestion and IBS symptoms, due to its soothing properties, whilst freshening breath. Peppermint’s menthol properties can assist in the treatment of colds and clear the airways. Moreover, it is also thought to increase mental wellbeing; reducing stress and improving concentration, due to its mood boosting effect. Peppermint’s physical and emotional benefits are perfect for this time of year. As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, our perky peppermint has your back. And of course, it’s the taste of Christmas so it’s sure to bring a smile to your face!
How we are sustainably farming peppermint for our teas
We currently source our peppermint from Egypt and have implemented a series of sustainable farming practices to make this ingredient even more environmentally friendly. We are undergoing a crop localisation project in an attempt to localise our peppermint to Sri Lanka. We ran a pilot project to identify the best growing conditions for our peppermint, taking into account both geographical and climate conditions. We then distributed peppermint seeds to our organic farming community in Pasanka, Sri Lanka, to see how our peppermint would grow. We are still carefully monitoring the outcome of this pilot and hope to localise more of our ingredients in the future!
Where to find our peppermint
Peppermint plays a key role in lots of our blends here at English Tea Shop. It’s such an amazing aromatic that we’ve included it in two of our Wellness Range teas, so you can feel good whilst you drink up. You can find our peppermint in the aptly named Perfect Peppermint, where it makes up 70% of the blend. Pure Me, where our peppermint makes up 32% of the blend and is a sweet and refreshing mint tea with soothing herbs and spices. It also makes up 31% of our Calm Me blend which has notes of Ceylon cinnamon, liquorice and peppermint. If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas pick me up for a loved one this year, why not go for our wonderful Wellness Collection with these two blends and many more. In addition, you can find our peppermint in our Mint Green Tea and our Apple, Rosehip and Cinnamon blends, and many more.
What is your favourite way to enjoy peppermint at Christmas time?