I actually have ALWAYS loved peppermint or spearmint tea. I look for any blend of tea that have either one, I love them. If, however I can't find a blend, I always steep 1/2 chamomile and 1/2 peppermint or spearmint(so yummy and soothing). With any tea, though, the problem usually comes from the brewing or steeping method. If you steep to long or heat the water to hot, the tea releases oils that become quite bitter. You should only heat water just TO the point of boiling, pour over your tea bag or leaves, and steep for NO more than 3-5 mins. and then remove the bag or tea leaves. Give it a try, you might be surprised.

I'm a big fan of peppermint tea for my IBS, but I had no idea about the benefits of spearmint tea. Maybe switching to spearmint could kill 2 birds with one stone!

Traditional Medicinals has Organic Spearmint. I love their teas. The organic peppermint is amazing, I would imagine the organic spearmint is too!

UPDATE -

Hi ladies,

It's been a little more than two months since I started the spearmint tea. I was a little disappointed after about 4 weeks of not seeing much difference but I actually enjoyed the spearmint tea so I continued to drink it about 4-6 cups a day. After about 6 weeks I started to notice a difference. I still had some acne but not nearly as much as usual. And the acne that I did get was very sparse and not as abrasive as before. I still was having a bit of hair growth on the chin and upper lip ... but I wasn't plucking every day ... more like once a week. I'm 2 months into it and I have one blemish on my entire face right now and its so tiny and light that you can barely see it even without make up on. I still get a little bit of acne here and there but like I said, NOTHING like I did before. I've had so many people notice including my doctor.

It may not work for everyone ... but two months into it, its definitely working for me. It's worth a try tho if you are looking for alternative ways to help the acne.

What a great thread. Thanks. I'm looking for that link to the video on the oz website...

smilette, I thought I had Sleepy Time tea in the cupboard, but I don't. Tomorrow I am buying Sleepy Time/and or Spearmint Tea. Thank you so much for giving us your update. I don't expect miracles, but if it even helps a little, that would be great.

Again, thanks for posting about this simple remedy that might help some of us.

You're welcome Grace. I know it doesn't work for everyone, as I've seen on the boards and a few people in a PCOS support group I go to but there are a few of us that it has helped atlesat moderately.

I had a very hard time finding spearmint tea. As long as the spearmint or peppermint is the first or second ingredient, its fine. I actually do not like peppermint, its too strong for me but I found the sleepytime ( spearmint is the second ingredient ) hit the spot and I love love love it. I also get spearmint leaves at a local health food store and I steep those when I want to change up from my sleepytime tea. I have continued to drink no less than 4 cups of tea a day ... but usually end up drinking around 6. Hey, one less symptom ... or atleast manageable now. I really hope it works for you. Let us know.

ps - be patient ... as I stated I didnt' see results til 6 weeks into it.

Thanks! I am drinking Sleepytime tea as it's the only spearmint tea I can find. I really like the taste.

I've also started following The Insulin Resistance Diet.

I FOUND OUT BY MISTAKE!! LOL!! I know this sounds bad, however, I never ever wanted to be a mom. BUT, spearmint and folic acid has gotten me pregnant! I have PCOS, and major testosterone issues with it. Plus, I have Hypothyroid, so getting pregnant was NOT supposed to happen. I have NEVER gotten pregnant before! Well, it just so happens that I was at home depot and brought a spearmint herb plant home to put in my window, and I began to add it to my tea in the morning. I wondered what health benefits it could have so I looked it up. Well, apparently, it lowers testosterone! I thought this was great because I get acne on my face, and I wondered if it would help. NOT ONLY DID THE ACNE CLEAR UP, BUT I GOT PREGNANT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!! I didn't even think about getting pregnant when I was chewing on those stupid spearmint leaves everyday with my tea!!! lol!! I starting feeling depressed around allergy season so I beefed up on the B vitamins (which are fortified with Folic Acid). The folic acid primed the garden while the spearmint lowered the testosterone, and my eggs stopped turning into hormonal mush. I can't believe this has happened! Although, I don't want to be a mother, I know that there are so many PCOS'ers that want to get pregnant so badly, so I thought I would share my crazy story. Good look ya'll! Praying!

Not sure I've tried exactly what he was referring to, but I do drink Twinning's mint tea. I was on the line about it the first couple of times I drank it, but I actually like it now. I don't like all mint teas, though. But it is good for digestion, heart burn, stomach problems (which I have), and can be a bit calming, so works mildly for anxiety, which I like. I drink it when I have anxiety or heart burn, if I'm at home. But I've not really read anything about it helping the things you've mentioned - but that doesn't mean it won't.

Boston's Mint-in-Tea...is my favorite.

Hey guys

This is the first time I have posted in a forum but I just had to share my story as I'm now at a place where my pcos and insulin resistance is under control. Sorry it's so long

I'm now 27 but when I was 19 I started to get acne, yes as I was going through puberty I got the odd breakout here and there but nothing out of the ordinary for a teenage girl, my periods were always regular and my body hair was normal, 4 years on from when my acne got bad at 19 I had tried evey lotion potion and vitamin my last resort was accutane and contraception, my skin was beautiful after about 8 months I didn't notice any major depression or anything from accutane. 2 years after accutane I went off pill to give myself a break and after a week or 2 my skin started to break out, then it got really bad, even worse then the first time but this time around I got excess hair too, lower back arms face hips and butt, it was long and course and pigmented but not black.

I was diagnosed with pcos but only months later was told by another specialist I didn't have pcos I was just sensitive to normal levels of testosterone as my hormones were normal, he put me back on the pill which gave me daily headaches for years, I was put back on accutane :-(

After another 2 years I was sick of being on the pill, my periods were absent and I still got breakouts I just knew there was something wrong with my body so I went to an endo and she tested me for insulin resistance and of course... I HAD IT! Since then I have exercised 5-6 days a week, I cut sugar, I cut carbs and kept my diet clean and natural as possible with lots of spearmint tea (supposed to balance out androgens) White peony, licorice and chaste berry and I can happily say I am off the pill completely with no acne whatsoever, my periods are back and my body hair has settled down! No pill no accutane no spiralactone just 100% natural which I didn't think was possible and I had soecialists telling me I'd have to be on the pill for the rest of my life. I read a couple of people think the spearmint to is disgusting but that to me is a matter of opinion I love it and find it so refreshing! I have never found it in a supermarket but it can be ordered online as can the White peony, licorice and chaste berry supplements

It is possible ladies :-)

Spearmint... YUM!

Spearmint is edible, so I don't see any potential downsides to drinking tea. But by the same token, I'm a bit skeptical about the medicinal upsides. *shrug*

I love tea. I love spearmint (really don't like most mint though, and especially not peppermint). What I do sometimes is put whole leaves into my smoothies (other ingredients are frozen mango, frozen raspberries, water, and sometimes honey or agave... occasionally vodka). I also like to make mint juleps, my mashing up mint leaves and sugar then mixing in crushed ice and bourbon. Yes, most of my uses of mint involve alcohol.

As for tea, I think lots of things are supposed to be helpful. Raspberry leaves are supposed to be really good for reproductive health. David's Tea (one of my favourite places) has a raspberry leaf-based tea, and I'm sure there are many others, or you can probably order straight raspberry leaf.

Another thing: It's totally easy to grow your own mint. Consider buying a mint plant or seeds from your local garden store and keeping a plant in the window. It'll cost the same as a bundle of mint from the grocery store, but you'll only have to buy it once to have mint for a long time.

I heard about it and tried it. I like the way it tastes but I think you need to drink like 3 cups a day of it but spearmint raises estrogen levels and for some of us that is not a good thing so I stopped drinking it.