Are you feeling bloated? Having stomach pains?
Some teas are particularly soothing and healing for the digestive system.
Sometimes black, green, and herbal teas can be a simple, natural solution that is gentle for your system and easy to incorporate in your daily routine. Plus a warm cup of tea not only soothes your stomach, it also gives you an overall feeling of wellbeing.
Tea: An Ancient Solution to Today’s Common Ailments
Ginger Tea
Offering a variety of health benefits and healing compounds to alleviate upset stomach, ginger tea has been used for thousands of years as a cure for nausea and digestive problems. While many people reach for the ginger ale when they have stomach pain or nausea, ginger tea contains higher concentrations of the compounds that alleviate these digestive issues. This makes it a better choice if you want to feel better faster.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint has been shown to inhibit pain receptors originating in the colon that lead to severe pain in the stomach muscles. Tea made from peppermint leaves not only helps alleviate pain associated with menstrual cramps and nausea — it’s one of the best teas to settle your stomach. Peppermint tea is the tea to drink when you are nauseated and are suffering from stomach pains and cramps.
Holy Basil Tea
Holy Basil tea is not made with the same type of basil that you put in your spaghetti sauce. This tea is made from the plant commonly known as tulsi tea, Ocimum tenuflorum. It is used widely in Indian medicine and Ayurveda. Studies have shown holy basil tea has the ability to decrease stomach acid. And, to increase and extend the life of mucous cells, the surface cells that line the digestive tract and protect it from disease. Tulsi tea is often used to treat anxiety, adrenal fatigue, hypothyroidism, acne, blood sugar, and hair loss.
Anise Tea
Aside from the legendary aphrodisiac powers attributed to it in Ancient Rome, anise tea helps improve digestion, alleviate cramps, and reduce nausea. Anise can also help regulate menstruation, boost lactation, and can be used to relieve a toothache It has an expectorant effect on the respiratory system when congested.
Chamomile Tea
Made using the buds of chamomile flowers, chamomile tea is known worldwide as a soothing, relaxing brew. It is also one of the best home remedies for abdominal pain. This tea offers carminative properties, which help to reduce feelings of gas and bloating that can cause an upset stomach. By reducing abdominal gas, it helps alleviate pain caused by stomach cramps. This tea also contains anti-inflammatory properties which can help with irritable bowel syndrome.
Black Tea
Thanks to the presence of tannins and other chemicals that have a positive and relaxing effect on the digestive system of the body, black tea can help to relieve an upset stomach and diarrhea. Diarrhea occurs when the intestinal lining is inflamed and black tea helps reduce this inflammation. Since black tea reduces inflammation in the digestive tract, it is highly beneficial to anyone with acid reflux or ulcer issues. Depending on your caffeine tolerance, drink 1 or 2 cups per day.
Senna Tea
Senna tea is a powerful laxative tea that can help you deal with painful constipation. The leaves, flowers, and fruits of the senna plant have been used in tea as a laxative or stimulant for centuries. Be careful! It is recommended that you do not use senna for longer than 2 weeks at a time. It can also make birth control less effective, making it more likely for an accidental pregnancy to occur.
Papaya Leaf Tea
Papaya tea helps with your indigestion problems, especially excessive acid reflux. It also helps with weight control through the healthy effective elimination process. According to research, papaya leaf tea may also be a benefit for gastric ulcers. This tea is often described as very smooth, with a subtle bitterness that can be very stimulating. Additionally, papaya leaf tea is a natural energy drink, providing special protein-digesting enzymes papain and chymopapain that aid in healthy digestion.
Green Tea
Green tea has been widely researched for its health benefits. Research has shown that it can help stimulate the production of gastric juices including bile, which can help to break down food more efficiently leading to fewer incidences of bloating and gas. Since green tea contains catechins including EGCG, which help to reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms of pain it can help to alleviate colitis and chronic gastritis. These two ailments are caused by inflammation and irritation in the stomach; which can affect digestion. It is recommended that you consume 2 to 3 cups of green tea per day to help improve digestion. You should drink it after each meal and not on an empty stomach as this can actually increase stomach problems.
Lemongrass Tea
It has been shown that lemongrass tea works wonderfully as an alternative remedy for stomach cramping, upset stomach, and other digestive issues. In fact, several studies have shown that lemongrass tea can help relieve abdominal issues such as stomach cramps and pain. Studies have also shown that lemongrass can be effective in treating gastric ulcers. Lemongrass tea can also be used to help treat oral infections and cavities, thanks to its antimicrobial properties.
Fennel Tea
Fennel has long been associated with digestive and metabolic health. A cup of fennel tea, made from the seeds, fresh leaves, or the bulb, after a meal can treat digestive issues like heartburn, flatulence, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Thanks to its estrogen-like chemicals, this tea can reduce menstrual cramps and symptoms of menopause. It may also increase lactation. Fennel tea tastes a little like licorice, with a relaxing scent and slightly bitter aftertaste. I must mention that some people are allergic to fennel. Make a cup (find directions here) and give it a smell, if it smells good then try it. If it doesn’t, Integrative Nutritionist Kimberly Lackey says to trust your nose and avoid it.
Many teas soothe symptoms of nausea, pain and excess gas while treating chronic diseases such as acid reflux and chronic gastritis. When you think of all the Chinese sages who’ve ingested probably thousands of cups of tea in their lifetimes, it’s no surprise that drinking tea can even help you live a long happy life. The protective role of tea consumption is not limited to a particular type of tea. Whether you want to cure nausea in a hurry or treat and prevent stomach ulcers, there’s a tea that’s right for you. So to boost your health from your brain down to your gut, drink high-quality tea every day.
If you know of a beneficial tea not included in this post, please share it with us! We are always excited to learn more about what our readers are using.