Does your stomach feel uncomfortably full after meals? Do you regularly experience belching, gas and an upset stomach? While it is important to see a doctor if digestive troubles are severe or persistent, in many cases a cup of herbal tea can encourage healthy digestion and help to relieve symptoms.
Peppermint, ginger and chamomile are three of the best herbs for indigestion. All three also make enjoyable herbal teas to drink in between and after meals. Find out why each herb is beneficial for the digestive system.
Peppermint
A refreshing cup of peppermint tea makes an ideal after dinner tea. Mint is cooling on the stomach, and with a little honey or sugar it is a sweet, soothing herbal infusion. This herb relaxes visceral muscles, helps to prevent gas and stimulates the flow of digestive juices. It is particularly useful when any nausea is present as the volatile oils in peppermint act as a mild anesthetic to the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.
Enjoy a cup of peppermint tea after meals to help ease indigestion, or throughout the day as needed. This herb is safe for general use, although always check with a doctor before using herbs if pregnant, nursing or on any medications.
Ginger
Ginger is another excellent herb for indigestion. Where peppermint is cooling and stimulating, ginger is warming and stimulating. A cup of ginger tea will increase blood circulation and the secretion of gastric juices. It is very helpful for gas and an upset stomach. Ginger is also an anti-microbial herb, helping to keep the digestive tract clean.
As with peppermint, ginger tea can be enjoyed throughout the day for digestive support. In excess it can be irritating for some people. Try drinking one to two cups a day at first to see if ginger is comfortable for you. Avoid if taking anticoagulant medications or if you have gallstones.
Chamomile
Chamomile is a favorite evening tea because it not only calms the stomach, but it relaxes the nerves as well, helping to promote a restful sleep. As an anti-spasmodic herb, chamomile is well-suited for indigestion when there is any abdominal cramping.
Enjoy a cup of this herbal tea after dinner or before going to sleep. Avoid chamomile if you are allergic to ragweed. Also, alternate chamomile with other carminative herbs to avoid developing an allergy.
All of these herbs for indigestion are calming and soothing on the stomach. They will relieve gas, bloating and that uncomfortable feeling after eating by helping the digestive system do its job. Try a cup of herbal tea and see which herb is the most helpful for easing your symptoms.
Sources:
Balch, Phyllis A. “Prescription for Nutritional Healing.” Fourth Edition (Penguin Books, 2006).
Hoffmann, David. “The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal: A Safe and Practical Guide to Making and Using Herbal Remedies.” (Element Books, 1996).