Best Teas For Digestion & Gut Health

One natural way of improving digestion and healing a leaky gut is drinking digestive teas. Below are the 8 best herbal teas that help with digestion, ease digestive and stomach issues and improve gut health. 

Disclaimer: This post is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. I’m not a qualified practitioner and I’m not encouraging anyone else to drink these teas. Please consult a qualified medical professional before using any herbs or supplements, especially if pregnant, nursing or on any medications, and if you have any concerns regarding your health. This post contains affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you I will earn commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclaimer here.

 

Gut healing teas to help digestion 

70-80% of our immune system is in our gut and digestion is vital for overall health. Even if we eat well, if we struggle with poor digestion and digestive complaints then we won’t absorb the nutrients from the foods we consume.  

I’ve detailed in a previous blog post 10 tips to improve digestion naturally. An additional way to aid digestion is drinking herbal teas. If struggling with digestive and stomach issues like nausea, bloating, gas, indigestion, acid reflux, diarrhoea or constipation, there are specific herbal teas shown to help provide relief for each specific problem and improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients from our food to maximise the health benefits.

Related Post: 10 Tips To Improve Digestion Naturally

 

Caffeine free herbal teas for digestive health

While some people recommend black, oolong, chai and green teas, these contain caffeine. Herbal teas with caffeine can potentially cause or worsen digestive problems in the following ways:-

  • Caffeine is a stimulant, causing the stomach muscles to contract, which can worsen stomach cramps and aches (1).
  • Has a laxative effect, potentially causing diarrhoea (2).
  • Increases stomach acids which can cause heartburn, acid reflux and indigestion (3).
  • It’s a diuretic, which over time increases dehydration, increasing the risk of constipation (4). 
  • Can irritate the stomach lining, causing a leaky gut, where small gaps develop in the gut lining. This impairs the digestion and absorption of nutrients and causes toxins and other particles to leak through and enter the bloodstream, increasing inflammation and is associated with numerous health and digestive problems like bloating, gas and nausea (5, 6, 7).

Therefore, drinking herbal teas without caffeine may be best, especially for those with digestive and stomach complaints. Below are 8 of the best herbal teas to aid digestion and improve gut health.

 

8 herbal teas good for digestion and gut health

1). Chamomile 

Digestive Benefits 

  • One of the best teas for acid reflux. When pepsin, a digestive enzyme, is produced in excess, it travels back up to the throat causing acid reflux. Chamomile controls the amount of pepsin released to ease symptoms (8). 
  • Relaxes and calms the whole body, including relaxing and soothing inflammation in the muscles of the digestive tract and stomach to ease stomach cramps, bloating, indigestion, gas and diarrhoea (8). 
  • It eases anxiety and promotes relaxation to improve sleep which aids gut health, making it the best tea for digestion at night (8).
  • Has antibacterial properties. It prevents and inhibits the growth of bacteria in the gut, which can help reduce the risk of and prevent stomach ulcers (8).

 

How to make chamomile tea

Ingredients & Equipment Needed

  • Kettle
  • Filtered water 
  • Mug

 

Method

  • Boil filtered water in the kettle.
  • Pour 250ml/1 cup of boiled water into the mug over the tea and let it steep for 5-10 minutes – the longer you brew it for the stronger and more intense the flavour. 

 

2). Dandelion root

digestive health benefits

  • Increases bile production from the liver, which helps break down and digest fats in our food and increases the absorption of fat soluble vitamins (9). 
  • Bile also binds to harmful toxins and waste products so they can be removed from the body via the colon, which can further improve gut health and digestion (9).

 

How to make dandelion root tea

Ingredients & Equipment Needed

  • Filtered water
  • Mug

 

Method

  • In a small saucepan, bring 325ml/1.33 cups of filtered water to a boil over a high heat. 
  • Add 2 teaspoons of dandelion root, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes (the longer you leave it the stronger the flavour).
  • Remove from the heat and serve by straining the tea into a cup with a tea strainer.

 

3). Fennel seed

Benefits

  • Contains a unique volatile oil called anethole which helps fight and prevent the growth of bacteria, viruses and fungus (10).
  • Increases production of bile and digestive enzymes in the stomach to help break down and digest food more efficiently and maximise the amount of nutrients we absorb. More efficient digestion helps to ease constipation (11).  
  • Eases muscles spasms by relaxing the muscles in the stomach, colon and digestive system to reduce pain and stomach cramps and provide relief for gas, flatulence, bloating, constipation and diarrhea (12).

Related Recipe: Fennel Juice Recipe To Aid Digestion 

 

How to make fennel tea

Ingredients & Equipment Needed

  • Filtered water
  • Mug

 

Method

  • In a small saucepan, bring 325ml/1.33 cups of filtered water to a boil. 
  • Remove from the heat, add the crushed fennel seeds and let it steep for 5-10 minutes – the longer you brew it the more intense the flavour.

 

4). Ginger 

Ginger tea benefits

  • Prevents the chemical acetylcholine, which triggers stomach contractions, from acting, to ease stomach cramps and spasms (13).
  • Increases digestive enzyme production in the stomach to aid digestion by helping to break down, digest and absorb nutrients from the food we eat (14). 
  • Increases the speed food moves out of the stomach and through the digestive tract, helping to ease bloating, nausea, vomiting, constipation and gas post meals (15). 

 

How to make ginger tea

Ingredients & Equipment Needed

  • 1 inch fresh ginger
  • Filtered water
  • Mug

 

Method

  • Thinly slice a 1 inch piece of fresh ginger.
  • In a small saucepan, add the sliced ginger and 325ml/1.33 cups of filtered water. Bring the water to a boil over a high heat.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes (the longer you leave it the stronger the ginger flavour).
  • Remove from the heat, strain the ginger tea into a mug with a tea strainer and serve.

 

5). Marshmallow root

Benefits

  • One of the best teas for gut health as it heals a leaky gut by creating a coating around the stomach lining to close the small gaps that developed in it (16).
  • Reduces acid reflux and heartburn symptoms. Marshmallow also coats the lining of the throat and oesophagus, preventing any acids from causing irritation (17). 
  • The protective layer formed around the stomach lining prevents stomach ulcers from forming (18).  

 

How to make marshmallow tea

Ingredients & Equipment Needed

  • Kettle
  • Filtered water
  • Mug

 

Method

  • Boil filtered water in the kettle.
  • Pour 250ml/1 cup of boiled water into the mug and let it steep for 5-10 minutes – the longer you brew it for the stronger the flavour. 

 

Marshmallow root tea cautions 

Marshmallow tea should be drunk at least 2 hours before or after taking other medications and supplements as the coating it forms on the stomach lining may slow the absorption of them (19).

 

6). Peppermint

Peppermint tea benefits

  • Contains menthol which soothes the lining of the stomach and digestive tract and reduces inflammation to ease stomach pain, aches, spasms and cramps (20).
  • Easing stomach spasms and cramps helps provide relief for nausea and vomiting (20). 
  • For Irritable bowel syndrome specifically, peppermint has been shown to ease symptoms of bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation and gas (21).

 

How to make peppermint tea

Ingredients & Equipment Needed

  • Kettle
  • Filtered water
  • Mug

 

Method

  • Boil filtered water in the kettle.
  • Pour 250ml/1 cup of boiled water into the mug over the tea and let it steep for 5-10 minutes – the longer you brew it for the stronger the flavour. 

 

Peppermint tea cautions 

Peppermint tea isn’t recommended for those with GERD, heartburn and acid reflux as it also relaxes the muscles in the throat and oesophagus, which can increase the amount of acid travelling back up the throat, worsening symptoms (22).

 

7). Spearmint

Benefits 

  • Eases stomach aches, cramps and bloating. It contains a compound carvone, which relaxes the stomach and digestive tract muscles, preventing them from contracting and spasming (23, 24).
  • Eases nausea and vomiting. Relaxing the stomach muscles allows food to move through the stomach quicker to provide relief for these symptoms (25).

 

How to make spearmint tea

Ingredients & Equipment Needed

  • Kettle
  • Filtered water
  • Mug

 

Method

  • Boil filtered water in the kettle.
  • Pour 250ml/1 cup of boiled water into the mug over the tea and let it steep for 5-10 minutes – the longer you brew it for the stronger the flavour. 

 

Spearmint tea cautions 

Similar to peppermint, spearmint tea is not recommended for those with GERD, heartburn and acid reflux as relaxing the muscles in the throat and oesophagus can increase the amount of acid travelling up to the throat (22). 

 

8). Yarrow

Benefits

  • Improves digestion and absorption of nutrients. It contains choline, which helps activate our parasympathetic rest and digest system, which we need to be active to optimally digest, break down food and absorb nutrients (26). 
  • Increases the speed food moves out of the stomach, relieving indigestion (27). 
  • Strengthens and protects the lining of the stomach, helping to heal a leaky gut and prevent stomach ulcers (28, 29). 
  • Increases the production of bile to help break down and digest fats and fat soluble vitamins from the foods we eat (30). 

 

How to make yarrow tea

Ingredients & Equipment Needed

  • Kettle
  • Filtered water
  • Mug

 

Method

  • Boil filtered water in the kettle.
  • Pour 250ml/1 cup of boiled water into the mug and let it steep for 5-10 minutes – the longer you brew it for the stronger the flavour. 

 

Importance of Loose herbal teas rather than teabags when making digestive teas

Tea bags, although simple and convenient, contain micro plastics, which:-

  • Slow and impairs digestion.

  • Causes an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria in the gut, negatively impacting gut health and increasing the risk of developing a leaky gut.

  • Increases inflammation. 

  • Can cause and worsen digestive complaints. For example, people with inflammatory bowel disease were found to have a higher concentration of micro plastics in the body than healthy individuals (31, 32, 33, 34, 35). 

 

Loose tea is free from micro plastics, contain a greater amount of nutrients and have a stronger flavour (36).

 

Summary of best herbal teas for specific digestive complaints

  • Acid reflux and gerd – chamomile and marshmallow root.
  • Gut health – yarrow and marshmallow.
  • Nausea and vomiting – ginger, peppermint and spearmint.
  • Stomach ache, pain and cramps – chamomile, fennel, ginger, peppermint and spearmint.
  • Constipation – fennel and ginger.
  • Diarrhea – chamomile, fennel and ginger.
  • Stomach ulcers – chamomile, marshmallow root and yarrow.

 

Other digestive health posts

 

Herbal tea recipes

 

Contact me & follow me on social media

I hope this post was helpful. What herbal teas for digestion do you enjoy and find beneficial? I would love to know what helps you. Leave me a message below or contact me on social media – I’m on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & YouTube.

 

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8 best herbal teas for digestion and gut health



4 thoughts on “Best Teas For Digestion & Gut Health”

  • Thank you for this post.
    I never drink coffee, rarely drink tea but I do enjoy herbal teas from time to time. I have tried various tea bags and have always found that they smell nice but there’s almost no flavour so I stopped buying them. (I hadn’t even thought about the microplastics in the teabags – I’m glad you mentioned that) I have opted to make my own at times using ginger or fennel. I would really like to try making chamomile and yarrow from scratch too. Lots of yarrow grows here where I live, so perhaps I could dry some myself.

    • You’re welcome Elizabeth, thank you for your comment. I love herbal teas, I drink a range of them everyday. I agree with you, when I switched to drinking loose tea I realised just how little flavour teabags had. I hope you enjoy chamomile and yarrow tea if you make it and it benefits you. That’s great you have access to yarrow. Sadly I’m not aware of any growing locally to me so have to make do with store bought.

    • I love ginger and mint tea too, it always helps me feel better. I’ve got into the habit of having it everyday to prevent stomach problems occurring in the first place. I’m really pleased they help you too. Thanks for getting in touch, I hope you’re well.

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