The Best 7 Teas for Digestion and Gut Health
Discover the 7 best teas for gut health! Reduce bloating, ease digestion, and support a healthy gut with these soothing herbal brews. Try them today!
Have you ever contemplated the cause of your occasional stomach upset or the sensation of being perpetually bloated? There might be a dish in your kitchen cabinet that is currently cooking and will alleviate your stomach discomfort.
We often harm our gut health by consuming processed foods and worrying about our busy lives. However, what if you only needed to relax with a cup of tea?
Your gut does a lot more than just break down food. Trillions of bacteria reside there, exerting a significant influence on your immune system and even your mood. Disrupting this delicate environment can lead to symptoms such as gas, pain, swelling, and other issues that interfere with our daily routine. 1
There are many ways to keep your gut healthy, but tea, which has been used for hundreds of years to heal, is a gentle and effective way to take care of your gut health. Each type of tea has its own special benefits that can help our digestive system feel better, heal, and stay balanced, as well as give you a moment of peace in the middle of a busy day.
Let's look at seven strong teas that can change the health of your gut and find out why you should include them in your daily practice.
1. Peppermint Tea: The Bloating Banisher 🌿
The painful, bloated feeling after meals can completely spoil your day. Fortunately, peppermint tea offers a natural and refreshing way to relieve bloating.
How it works: Peppermint's menthol2 gently relaxes the muscles of your digestive tract, allowing gas to move more easily and decreasing the painful, bloated sensation.
Benefits for gut health:
It reduces intestinal spasms and relieves irritable bowel symptoms.
It reduces gas and relieves stomach cramps.
Instructions for consumption: Prepare a cup following a substantial meal or whenever you experience the familiar abdominal discomfort. To fully preserve the essential oils, soak them for 5–7 minutes, covered.
2. Ginger Tea: Your Digestive Superhero 🫚
Ginger tea is the ideal remedy for an upset stomach.
How it works: Ginger's strong chemicals, gingerols and shogaols, activate digestive enzymes3. This process speeds up food movement through your bowels and lowers inflammation.
Benefits for gut health:
Stops and eases nausea
Boosts digestive juices
Lowers pain in the intestines
Lowers swelling all over the digestive tract
How to have fun with it: Separate fresh ginger root into thin slices. Let the ginger sit in hot water for 10 minutes. Incorporate a small quantity of honey and a squeeze of lemon to provide an additional boost to your digestive system.
3. Chamomile Tea: The Gut Calmer 🌼
Chamomile tea may provide a mild and relaxing solution for individuals experiencing stomach issues as a result of stress.
How it works: An antioxidant in chamomile called apigenin makes it work. It lowers nervousness by binding to certain brain receptors and calming the body down, all the way down to the intestines4.
Benefits for gut health:
Reduces inflammation in the digestive tract
Helps ease cramps and pain in the belly
Prevents ulcers
Makes acid reflux less severe
How to Enjoy It: Prepare a cup of it before retiring for the night to alleviate nausea and savor the flavor. Not only do the relaxing benefits help your gut health, but they also help you sleep better, which is also good for your gut health.
4. Green Tea: Gut Bacteria's Best Friend 🍃
Your overall health depends on the health of your gut microbiome, which is the community of trillions of bacteria that live in your digestive system.
How it works: Green tea, which is full of polyphenols called catechins5, is a strong prebiotic that feeds good bacteria in the gut and stops bad bacteria from growing.
Benefits for gut health:
Helps beneficial bacteria grow
Lowers inflammation in the gut
Improves the barrier work
Helps control bowel movements
How to appreciate it: Consume one to two cups daily, brewing it at a slightly lower temperature approximately 175°F (ca. 79°C) to preserve the beneficial catechins and prevent it from becoming bitter. Adding a squeeze of lemon makes the good things about it work better.
5. Fennel Tea: The Gas Reducer 🌿
Fennel tea can help ease the pain of bloating and gas, which can be embarrassing in social settings.
How it works: An important part of fennel called anethole relaxes the muscles in the intestines6. This action makes it easier to get rid of gas and stops painful spasms.
Benefits for gut health:
Gets rid of gas and bloating
Lessens the signs of indigestion
Restores intestinal cramps
It facilitates the process of going to the bathroom.
What to do: Lightly crush the fennel seeds before soaking to maximize flavor. The crushing will release more of their fragrant oils. Consider consuming a cup after meals that frequently induce gas, such as those that contain beans, cruciferous vegetables, or dairy.
6. Licorice Root Tea: The Gut Healer 🍵
Tea made from licorice root has amazing healing qualities that can help people with chronic digestive problems heal their guts.
Licorice's glycyrrhizic acid and flavonoids gently coat the lining of your digestive system7. The effect keeps it safe from damage, lowers inflammation, and helps healing last.
Benefits for gut health:
This product calms down an upset digestive tract.
It aids in ulcer healing.
Lessens acid reflux symptoms
Keeps stomach acid levels normal
To enhance the experience, steep the licorice root tea for a duration of 5 to 10 minutes. Remember that daily use should only last for 2 to 3 weeks at a time, with a break in between, because it can affect blood pressure. For long-term use, DGL is a better option.
7. Turmeric Tea: The Inflammation Fighter ✨
Gut inflammation that lasts for a long time can sadly cause serious digestive problems and constant pain.
How it works: Curcumin, a potent anti-inflammatory chemical found in turmeric, reduces inflammation throughout your body, including the delicate digestive system8.
Benefits for gut health:
Lowers inflammation in the gut
Makes absorption of fat better
Helps stop leaky gut
Supports the production of enzymes
How to enjoy it: To optimize its effectiveness, combine turmeric with a pinch of black pepper (which facilitates the body's absorption of curcumin) and a small amount of healthy fat, such as coconut oil. A little honey can really improve the taste.
Creating Your Gut-Healing Tea Routine
For optimal results, consider strategically incorporating these beneficial teas into your daily routine:
Morning: Begin your day with green tea to energize your gut flora.
After meals: Enjoy peppermint, ginger, or fennel to gently aid digestion.
During stressful moments: Sip calming chamomile to soothe both mind and gut.
Evening: Drink turmeric tea to help reduce inflammation while you sleep soundly.
Healing phases: When your gut requires additional tender loving care (TLC), consume licorice root tea in moderation.
Beyond the Cup: Complementary Approaches to Gut Health
Although these drinks are good for you in many ways, they work best when used as part of a larger plan to improve your gut health:
Feed your microbiome by eating a range of foods that are high in prebiotics, like asparagus, bananas, garlic, and onions.
Stay hydrated: eating and drinking enough water are both critical for gut health.
Manage your stress: Incorporate practices such as meditation, deep breathing, or gentle yoga into your routine.
Work out regularly: Regular exercise supports healthy gut motility, which makes it easier for the body to do its job.
Prioritize quality sleep: Your gut undergoes various processes during sleep, including both repair and regeneration.
The Bottom Line: Small Sips, Big Impact
In order to achieve a healthier gut, there is no need to purchase costly supplements or make substantial lifestyle adjustments. The most effective methods of improving one's mood are frequently simple, such as indulging in a warm cup of tea.
By meticulously incorporating these seven healing teas into your daily routine, you are not merely alleviating pain for a brief period. You're actively taking care of the environment in your gut, lowering harmful inflammation, and helping your body's amazing natural healing processes.
Pay close attention to what your body is telling you, see how it reacts to different teas, and come up with a custom plan that works for your digestive system. Definitely, your digestive system will appreciate your efforts, and you will probably feel better overall, have more energy, and think more clearly, in addition to digestive benefits.
Are you ready to start your journey to healing your gut with tea? Which of these seven strong drinks are you most excited to try? An effortless sip will bring you a happy, healthier gut.
Recommended Books for Deeper Understanding
For those seeking a more comprehensive understanding of gut health, these acclaimed books offer invaluable insights:
"The Mind-Gut Connection" by Dr. Emeran Mayer – Explores the fascinating two-way street between your gut and your brain.
"Fiber Fueled" by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz – Provides a practical, plant-based approach to optimizing gut health.
"Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ" by Giulia Enders – Makes complex gut science accessible and engaging for everyone.
"The Good Gut" by Justin and Erica Sonnenburg – Offers practical advice based on cutting-edge research into the gut microbiome.
"The Gut-Immune Connection" by Dr. Emeran Mayer – Reveals the profound and often overlooked impact of gut health on your immune system.
References
Cardona F, Andrés-Lacueva C, Tulipani S, Tinahones FJ, Queipo-Ortuño MI. Benefits of polyphenols on gut microbiota and implications in human health. J Nutr Biochem. 2013
Chumpitazi BP, Kearns GL, Shulman RJ. Review article: the physiological effects and safety of peppermint oil and its efficacy in irritable bowel syndrome and other functional disorders. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018
Nikkhah Bodagh M, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2018
Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Mol Med Report. 2010
Cardona F, Andrés-Lacueva C, Tulipani S, Tinahones FJ, Queipo-Ortuño MI. Benefits of polyphenols on gut microbiota and implications in human health. J Nutr Biochem. 2013
Badgujar SB, Patel VV, Bandivdekar AH. Foeniculum vulgare Mill: A Review of Its Botany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Contemporary Application, and Toxicology. Biomed Res Int. 2014
Raveendra KR, Jayachandra, Srinivasa V, et al. An Extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra (GutGard) Alleviates Symptoms of Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012
Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. Curcumin: A Review of Its Effects on Human Health. Foods. 2017