I had no idea this drink would keep me feeling cool (Image: Danielle Kate Wroe)
Summer has truly come early this year as temperatures across the UK are currently hitting 35 degrees in some areas. Because of this, people are seriously struggling to keep cool in the UK heatwave. In just one week, we’ve gone from still using electric blankets at night time to forgoing covers altogether and still feeling sweaty.
We’re all desperately ordering SPF 50 to slather all over our bodies, and digging out the summer clothes from the depths of our wardrobes, but what are you supposed to drink in this weather to stay cool? Iced coffee and coconut water each have their benefits, but they just don’t seem to cut it.
After seeing a nutritionist claiming that hot mint tea was meant to cool you down in hot weather, I was majorly sceptical. How could a hot drink possibly make you cooler? Sipping on a piping brew is the last thing I want to do when my house feels like the centre of the sun, even with the windows open.
When I saw claims that hot mint tea could lower body temperature, I was intrigued. Why? How? Although I did remember my grandma saying that she thought drinking a cup of tea on a sunny day was the key to staying cool. And here was I thinking it was drinking Aperol spritzes…
Tempted enough by the promise of feeling less warm, I bought some mint tea bags. I opted for Tetley, which can be bought from Asda for just £1.56, but own-brand bags may be even cheaper from some supermarkets.
I was shocked that someone suggested drinking hot tea! On a day like this! (Image: Danielle Kate Wroe)
After I’d brewed the tea and taken the tea bag out, it felt really counterproductive to hold a hot brew in my hands on such a warm day. At first, before I’d taken a sip, it felt as though I was getting warmer, and I wasn’t impressed.
I decided to drink it before I headed out into central Manchester for the evening, hoping that it would cool me down enough so I wouldn’t sweat all my make-up off while travelling on the tram.
Hesitantly, when it was cool enough to drink, I took a sip and felt a cool tingly sensation go through my body. Until I took another sip, I wasn’t convinced, but the menthol feeling genuinely made my body temperature feel so much cooler.
And there’s a reason behind it. According to All Recipes: “When you consume mint or mint-flavoured foods or drinks, the menthol interacts with the receptors in your skin and mouth, creating a cooling effect. It triggers the cold-sensitive receptors, which can make you feel cooler even though the actual temperature of your body remains the same.”
Simone Thomas, a nutritionist and wellness coach, also explained: “Easy to grow in the garden or in pots, and cheap to pick up in the supermarket, peppermint is the perfect pick-me-up and offers a natural way to cool down as the herb’s menthol stimulates your body’s cooling receptors.”
When it comes to choosing a hot or cold brew, Simone said she “prefers it cool when it’s warm outside as it’s so refreshing.” I’m relieved to find out that enjoying my mint tea cold would still offer benefits in the scorching weather.
It turns out that mint tea has tonnes of health benefits too, as well as making you feel less hot and bothered. It can aid digestion, is caffeine-free, may help you to sleep better, makes your breath smell fresher, and can also help if you’ve got a blocked nose, according to BBC Good Food.
I was so impressed with the way that the mint tea made my body feel that I decided to have a cup before I went to bed, and the tea, combined with a good book, did make me feel very ready for sleep – and way less hot before drifting off.
Regardless of the weather outside, I feel that I have a new nighttime routine – and a new heatwave saviour.
Will you be trying a cup of peppermint tea this evening to cool down? Let us know in the comments…
