Green Tea Vs. Peppermint Tea: How Different Are They?

Are you wondering what the differences between green tea vs. peppermint tea are? Let’s check out this comprehensive breakdown between the two for more insight.

Green tea vs. peppermint tea
Green tea vs. Peppermint tea

Green tea is a true tea, while peppermint is a herbal tea made from the leaves of the peppermint plant. So, at a glance, it seems like these teas are worlds apart. Let’s dive into our green tea vs. peppermint tea guide to break the differences down further.

What Are Green Tea And Peppermint Tea?

Green tea is made from the leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis plant. The leaves are picked young and minimally processed to deliver a clean, grassy, and vegetal-tasting profile. The first green tea was discovered in China as far back as 2737 B.C. Green tea has about 30mg of caffeine in one cup and is commonly processed by withering and oxidation.

Today, there are over 1500 different types of green tea categorized by origin, process, and harvest time.

Meanwhile, peppermint tea is not an actual tea as it’s not made from the tea plant. It’s more like an herbal drink that contains no caffeine at all. Instead, peppermint tea contains menthol, an organic compound known for its cooling benefits.

Peppermint tea is a stellar bedtime drink. Plus, it also warms you up on a chilly day. According to some archaeological studies, peppermint tea was found dried in the Egyptian pyramids dating back to 1550 BCE.

What Does Green Tea And Peppermint Tea Have In Common?

Both green tea and peppermint tea may help reduce bad breath and aid weight loss. Despite the caffeine gap between the two, they can make some of the best cold-beating drinks to get you through a chilly morning.

Transparent mug with tea bag
Both peppermint and green tea are offered either in loose-leaf or tea bag forms

These drinks might help reduce acne breakouts, but you should consult your doctor first if you’re taking any medication. Other than that, the calorie amount in both types is zero. Today, you can find both peppermint tea and green tea offered either in loose-leaf or tea bag forms.

Green Tea Vs. Peppermint Tea: The Differences

Green Tea Peppermint Tea
Contains caffeine No caffeine
Made from the Camellia sinensis plant Made from the buds of the peppermint plant
Tracing back to 2737 B.C in ancient China Tracing back to 1550 B.C in ancient Egypt
Vegetal, earthy, and more bitter taste Pleasant minty taste
Rich in antioxidants and antibacterials Rich in menthol, menthone, and limonene
More popular and easy to find with thousands of varieties Less popular and harder to find

What’s Better About Green Tea?

Originating in ancient China, green tea has been used for generations as a traditional medicine thanks to its stimulant, diuretic, and astringent compounds. When consumed frequently, green tea is a great natural therapy to enhance your heart health and regulate blood sugar. The high concentration of antioxidants and vitamins in green tea also helps with overall health. 

With a beautiful aroma and a distinctive tasting profile, green tea has become a well-received ingredient in different recipes. You can also reuse left-over green tea leaves to remove odor, clean carpets and surfaces, deter bugs and fertilize your garden. You might also be wondering, is green tea matcha?

What’s Better About Peppermint Tea?

More than just an herbal drink, peppermint tea has been widely used to aid digestion and ease coughs and colds. The menthol compound in the tea is used to treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) thanks to its relaxing effects on the muscles.

Peppermint tea has a subtle minty flavor with some light grassy notes. Since it contains no caffeine, I like to have it every other evening before I go to bed for healthy skin. When cooking, add a few dried peppermint tea leaves to boiling pasta to give your dish a wonderful extra flavor.

Who Should Use Green Tea (And Why)?

Green tea is considered one of the healthiest drinks in the world. The antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins in green tea are great for your metabolism, and therefore it contributes to your weight loss journey too.

Attractive blonde woman drinking tea
Green tea is great for your metabolism

Green tea alone is also a natural cleaner. So drink a cup of hot green tea after a meal to cleanse your mouth and use the rest to rub it all over your table to remove odor.

Who Should Use Peppermint Tea (And Why)?

Peppermint tea is a great alternative to green tea if you want to cut down on caffeine. If you like something hot and soothing for your mind and stomach before bed, ditch green tea for peppermint. The flavor of peppermint tea is sharp, cooling, and refreshing.

If you need something less jittery to boost alertness before work, peppermint tea is the way to go.

On a chilly rainy day, those coming down with a cold should find peppermint tea brings comfort. Its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties will soothe your stuffy nose. Other than that, I also like to pack peppermint tea along on a trip to help settle my stomach. 

You might also be interested in our round-up of the best teas without caffeine.

Author

  • Oanh Nguyen

    Born and raised by a traditional mama-barista, Oanh is a typical Viet coffee aficionado who would spend her entire precious Sunday showing you how to categorize coffee beans just by the looks and smells. She enjoys writing about everything drinks-related while sipping her favorite rosebud tea. Find Oanh on LinkedIn.