Here are Best 7 Teas for Gut Health, Digestion, & Relief: According to Dietitians

Do you drink tea to support your gut health? With all the different varieties and choices out there, it can be hard to pick the right tea for you. There are also important considerations for those with certain conditions. Before you brew another cup, find out what you need to know about the 7 best teas for gut health!

The Best Teas for Gut Health

There are a few key characteristics to look out for when choosing teas to support gut health.

Some teas may help speed up the movement of food through your digestive system, while others can have calming and muscle-relaxing properties.

The gut microbiome is made up of a collection of organisms in the intestines that can have a wide range of benefits for the digestive system and overall health. Certain teas can actually help feed beneficial microbes in the gut and support a positive balance of microorganisms.

We will focus on the 7 best teas that can help support a happy gut and promote healthy digestion.

Ginger Tea

Ginger has many potential gut health benefits. The ginger root contains a compound called gingerol that can help support gut motility, or the movement of food from the stomach and down through the intestines. 

Since ginger can support the emptying of the stomach, it is a common remedy for nausea. It’s even been found to help with morning sickness in pregnancy.

If the motility of the gut is slowed, this can lead to constipation, gas, and bloating. Ginger can help keep things moving and reduce the time foods spend fermenting in the intestines.

You can find ginger tea as tea bags using dried ginger. You can also make your own ginger tea by pouring boiling water over fresh ginger that’s been peeled and sliced.

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint is more than just a toothpaste flavor, it also has special properties that make it an excellent choice for supporting the gut. The active ingredients in peppermint are menthol and methyl salicylate which have antispasmodic (muscle-relaxing) effects on the body.

Peppermint may help relax the muscles of the digestive tract to help relieve indigestion, gas, and bloating. There have actually been multiple studies showing that peppermint may help manage symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, it’s important to note that this research was done with capsules of peppermint oil. Little research has been done using peppermint tea, but its helpful properties could be beneficial for those who are generally healthy and just need a little digestive boost.

Caution: do not consume peppermint if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or a hiatal hernia as this may cause or worsen symptoms of heartburn and indigestion.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea has been shown to be calming for the gut and nervous system. It also may help reduce GERD symptoms when used after a meal or before bedtime.

If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it’s important to note that chamomile tea is to be avoided during the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet.

Low FODMAP Diet note:

According to the Monash University Low FODMAP Diet app, strong brewed Chamomile tea is high FODMAP at ¾ cup (180 mL) servings and above. Weak brewed chamomile is high FODMAP at 1 cup (250 mL) servings and above.

The FODMAP content of chamomile tea could be an issue for those who are sensitive, but it may actually promote gut health for others. This is because high FODMAP foods can feed the bacteria in the microbiome which is associated with a healthy digestive tract.

Fennel Tea

Fennel has traditionally been used as a digestive aid to be sipped during meals. The fennel plant and its seeds have been studied for a wide variety of purposes including antifungal, antibacterial, and antioxidant benefits. These properties may be helpful for supporting a healthy gut.

Fennel tea can be purchased as bags or made at home using fennel seeds.

Low FODMAP Diet note:

Strong and weak brewed fennel tea is High FODMAP at ¾ cup (180 mL) servings and above.

Dandelion Tea

Dandelion tea is made from either the leaves or the ground up root of dandelions. Yes, the same dandelions you find growing on grassy lawns. While many people view them as weeds, dandelion tea has a variety of potential benefits including digestive support.

The liver and gallbladder are important organs for the digestive system. The liver makes a compound called bile that helps break down fat and the gallbladder stores and releases bile into the digestive tract. Dandelion may help support the liver and gallbladder and thus, play a role in improving fat digestion and overall digestive health. 

Low FODMAP Diet note:

Strong brewed Dandelion tea is High FODMAP at 1 cup (250 mL) servings and above.

Green Tea

Green tea is often praised for its health-supporting properties and has been studied for everything from weight management to skin health. 

Another area where green tea shines is in supporting the health of the gut microbiome. Green tea contains a compound called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) that may increase the growth of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

Black Tea

Black tea may also help support gut health. While black tea is often overshadowed by green tea, both have anti-inflammatory properties. 

Black tea has also been shown to be beneficial to the diversity of the gut microbiome.

How to Incorporate These Teas into Your Daily Routine

If you want to add tea drinking into your gut health routine, there are a few points to consider.

First, teas that can help with digestion support like ginger or chamomile can be used right after a meal. You may add these as a post-dinner tea drinking habit as part of your nightly routine.

Black tea and green tea contain caffeine, so these should be avoided too close to bedtime. You could consider replacing coffee with either green or black tea to get gut health benefits without adding extra caffeine to your day.

Conclusion

As you can see, different types of teas can help support the gut in a variety of ways. There’s the calming effects of chamomile, motility properties of ginger, and the microbiome benefits of green tea.

Cautions:  

Before adding tea to your daily routine, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider. Some teas may interact with certain medications. Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use certain teas unless approved by your healthcare provider.