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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.

Water mint tea. © Tatevosian Yala/Shutterstock
By
Published: May 14, 2020 at 2:32 pm
  • Easy
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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.

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)

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: 

Dandelion syrup. © Ulyana Khorunsha/Shutterstock

Authors

Chris Naylor

Ingredients

  • A handful of Water mint leaves, fresh or dried
  • Water, boiling

Method

  • 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.

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

Goes well with

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