Aiding in digestion helps us not only get the most out of the food we eat, but also aids in relieving potential discomfort. From ensuring good digestive health to relieving indigestion when it occurs, the right tea can help you enjoy each and every meal. In this guide, we ranked and reviewed the best teas for digestion.
If you want to get some for yourself, we have a collection of the best teas for your digestion right here in tea bags, loose leaf, or iced tea pouches.
What is the Best Tea for Digestion?
1. Yaupon Tea
Yaupon is the only naturally caffeinated plant native to North America. It has unique properties that traditional teas lack. One of these benefits is theobromine, which you may know better in association with chocolate. It’s the compound that makes you feel better when you eat it. It helps elevate your mood and boost your focus and attention. When combined with the caffeine in yaupon, there is a synergistic effect on these benefits, reducing those hangry feelings that come with fasting.
Benefits:
- Theobromine acts as a muscle relaxer to calm those sounds of hunger.
- Benefits for your immune system from the antioxidants that remove free radicals in your body.
- Gives the gentle boost of energy from caffeine tempered by an interaction with polyphenols that can reduce the negative effects on mood.
Side Effects:
- May cause sleeplessness due to caffeine if large amounts of yaupon are consumed all at once.
Try our CatSpring Yaupon tea to make fasting more enjoyable. It’s organic, non-gmo, kosher, sustainably grown, and naturally caffeinated.
2. Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea has a signature minty flavor due to its easy brewing using mint leaves. This menthol based flavor can help soothe your intestines and decrease bloating while also freshening your breath instantly. A refreshing glass that has a cooling effect, this is a yummy option for those looking to compliment their time of fasting. *Pro tip: you can also add peppermint oil to other beverages*
Benefits:
- Improve digestive issues and relieve discomfort and bloating thanks to the menthol.
- A natural muscle relaxant to soothe nerves and relieve potential headaches.
- Freshens breath to help you feel satiated.
Side Effects:
- Can worsen acid reflux by relaxing the muscles around the stomach sphincter.
3. Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is a great companion for your fasting period. Whether helping stave off hunger, soothe an upset stomach, or aiding the body in breaking down food, you can never go wrong with adding ginger to your tea routine. As a rule of thumb, one cup of ginger tea contains about 250 milligrams of ginger so aim to drink two to four cups of this tea to alleviate feelings of nausea.
Benefits:
- Makes you feel fuller longer by curbing your appetite.
- Improve stomach emptying due to compounds such as gingerols and shogoals that stimulate stomach contractions.
- Combat nausea thanks to ginger’s active ingredient, gingerol, that’s been shown to relieve an upset stomach in pregnant women and chemotherapy patients.
Side Effects:
- Makes heartburn worse because it relaxes the muscle that prevents stomach bile from entering the esophagus.
4. Fennel Tea
Made from dried fennel seeds, this tea has oils that relieve gas, bloating, constipation, and abdominal pain. It originates in the Mediterranean though it is now found all over the world. It's long been used to improve digestion and has a relaxing aroma. Tasting like licorice, this is a good option to try to help relive IBS symptoms.
Benefits:
- Relaxes your muscles which improves digestive flow and can help remove toxins from your system.
- Improve sleep by relaxing your muscles, thereby allowing you to relax and unwind at the end of the day.
- Antibacterial properties can help support healthy microbiomes.
Side Effects:
- Some people may be allergic to Fennel so be sure and consult your doctor before trying.
5. Marshmallow Root Tea
Marshmallow is part of the malvaceae plant family which has the distinction of being mucilaginous. This means they have a gelatinous consistency and can be used in recipes to thicken up soups and broths. In the body, they can increase mucus production in mucous membranes. A contributing factor to interstitial cystitis is the breakdown of the mucosal bladder lining and associated organs. Marshmallow tea can contribute to the expansion of mucus in these areas, relieving the inflammation and irritation.
Benefits:
- Increase mucus production to help line your digestive tract and improve digestion due to compounds such as mucilage.
- Ease pain as a study has found that marshmallow may have analgesic or pain-reducing properties.
- Reduce risk of ulcers due to antioxidant properties that combat effects of inflammation.
Side Effects:
- May cause an upset stomach and it should only be consumed for up to four weeks at a time.
6. Black Tea
Basically Green teas’ cousin, Black tea contains similar helpful properties to help you feel energized. With about half as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, this flavorful tea can help power you through the day. Black tea also has antioxidants and compounds that ease effects of inflammation, protecting your cells and organs from damage.
Benefits:
- Antioxidants help alleviate inflammation and counteract many of its negative effects.
- May improve stomach emptying and ease effects of some medications that cause upset stomach.
- Get longer lasting energy thanks to L-theanine which is known to slow the release of caffeine and provide energy longer.
Side Effects:
- Possible sleeplessness if you consume too much caffeine later in the day.
7. Licorice Root Tea
Licorice root has a long history of usage across Asia and Europe, even dating back to the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Made from the root of the licorice plant, it has been used to treat an upset stomach, treat respiratory problems, and decrease inflammation. Contemporarily, people use licorice to remedy acid reflux and other intestinal issues.
Benefits:
- Protect your stomach thanks to compounds that line the stomach and protect it from too much acid.
- Reduce harmful bacteria due to flavonoids that combat them.
- Hydrate your digestive system by washing away any debris in your system.
Side Effects:
- May elevate the stress hormone, cortisol production, due to glycyrrhizin accumulation when consumed over long periods of time.
The Bottom Line
Owing to their amazing healthy-boosting properties, these are some of the best teas for digestion. They can help soothe symptoms of nausea, constipation, ulcers, and general discomfort.
If you want to get our best tasting tea for digestion, check out our organic, naturally caffeinated CatSpring Yaupon tea here.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you have serious health-related issues you should reach out to a medical professional. While we have studied the scientific research available, this is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
