# Mint Tea and Looseness?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mint-tea-and-looseness/841009>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [September 29, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mint-tea-and-looseness/841009 "2019-09-29T20:15:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mint-tea-and-looseness/841009/1 "2019-09-29T20:15:38Z")

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Something I have wondered for a while now. Is mint tea soothing to looseness (aka diarrhea)?

I know the menthol in mint is very soothing. You don’t want to know where I use Vicks medicated rub.

But I have never heard it mentioned for that use. So please help me out.

:):):):)🙂

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mint-tea-and-looseness/841009/2 "2019-09-29T21:11:57Z")

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Mint is known for it’s laxative properties.[This site](https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/tea-for-constipation#dosage)says Peppermint tea will help. Peppermint is the primary ingredient in several IBS treatments. Doesn’t seem like something harmful so just try it.

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**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2019, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mint-tea-and-looseness/841009/3 "2019-09-29T22:54:42Z")

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Mints are known for settling disturbed digestion, including mild stomach upset; I’ve drunk mint tea for that reason, on the grounds that it couldn’t hurt (I drink it sometimes for the flavor anyway), and had either placebo effect, success, or the disturbance was about to go away anyway.

I am neither a doctor nor an herbalist.

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**Author:** ![Peter\_A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cdc98d/32.png) [@Peter\_A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_A)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2019, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mint-tea-and-looseness/841009/4 "2019-09-29T22:57:08Z")

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I like mint tea, and ginger tea. I think it’s better than drinking cans of Monster Energy, which is very bad for anxiety sufferers.

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**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2019, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mint-tea-and-looseness/841009/5 "2019-09-29T23:01:18Z")

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If you have loose bowels I think mint tea is not a good idea. You don’t need the laxative effect. For general stomach ache? Yes.

(A personal opinion, IANAD or anything similar)

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**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\
**Post date:** [September 29, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mint-tea-and-looseness/841009/6 "2019-09-29T23:08:21Z")

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I do a lot of various teas for different reasons; straight mint green tea is my go-to for upset stomach. If I am looking to loosen things up I still use mint but in a black brick tea.