How to make water mint tea
Mint has been shown to soothe the stomach and promote healthy digestion, to ease feelings of nausea and to reduce inflammation. Chris Naylor shares how to make tea using water mint leaves.
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As the name suggests, water mint flourishes in wet ground, and for this reason it can be found growing around lakes, rivers and ponds.
Like the common mint plant, it has leaves with serrated edges, but unlike mint, they are tinged with purple and are deeply veined.
The edible parts of the water mint plant are its leaves, which have been used in herbal remedies for thousands of years.
Water mint is perennial, so the leaves can be harvested at any time. The youngest leaves have the best flavour, so aim for these if you want a strong minty quality.
More foraging recipes by Chris Naylor:
Ingredients
- Water mint leaves Handful, Fresh or dried
- Water Boiling
Method
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Step 1
If you are using fresh leaves, wash them before use. Place a few of the leaves in a mug of hot water and leave for a few minutes to brew.
![Water mint. © Jörg Hempel, used via Flickr (used with Creative Commons 2.0)]( "Water mint. © Jörg Hempel, used via Flickr (used with Creative Commons 2.0)")
Water mint. © Jörg Hempel, used via Flickr (used with Creative Commons 2.0) -
Step 2
Add sugar to taste, and enjoy a cup of fresh water mint tea.
![Water mint tea. © Tatevosian Yala/Shutterstock]( "Water mint tea. © Tatevosian Yala/Shutterstock")
Water mint tea. © Tatevosian Yala/Shutterstock
This is a recipe from Go Wild: Find freedom and adventure in the great outdoors by Chris Naylor, published by Summersdale.
Main image: Water mint tea. © Tatevosian Yala/Shutterstock
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