Top 5 herbal teas to improve digestion

Top 5 herbal teas to improve digestion

The festive season is just around the corner. Most of us can’t help but indulge in an array of sweet and savoury foods during this time. However, to ensure you don’t miss out on your favourite treats, make sure to keep your digestive system healthy. While some rely on over-the-counter pills to treat stomach ailments, there is a natural, herbal remedy to improve your digestive health. One way of ensuring this happens is to include herbal/digestive teas as part of your daily diet. They are known to help flush out toxins, thus improving your overall digestive health.

When Should you Drink Digestive Tea?

Drinks to help improve digestion

• Black Tea

  Assam's popular Camellia sinensis (Tea plant) is commonly used for making black tea. These leaves are completely dried out, which makes the tea black in colour. Black tea is rich in tannin, which consists of gallic acid. Gallic acid is beneficial in gastrointestinal processes and has powerful antioxidant properties, which helps reduce stomach aches and quicken the digestion process. Depending on your medical condition, you can consume this three to four times a day. There are no proven side effects that come with black tea.

• Peppermint Tea

  Peppermint, or simply mint, is famous for its cooling properties. The oil present in this herb is effective in treating stomach pain, gas, diarrhea and bloating. The goodness of methanol in mint acts as an analgesic to smoothen bowel movements. Since mint increases your energy levels, you can have a cup of this tea in the mornings. A few studies reveal that this also helps your body to relax. If you want a good night's sleep, consume mint tea before bed.

• Ginger Tea

  Zingibain, an enzyme found in ginger, helps in 'gastrointestinal motility'. It means ginger makes the food move faster in the digestive tract. It smooths the muscles found in that area, which gets rid of bloating. Ginger tea also reduces constipation. You will see better results if you have one or two cups of this every day.

• Green Tea

  This is a famous cousin of black tea. Rich in antioxidants, green tea reduces the absorption of starch from food. Since starch takes plenty of time to digest, consuming green tea is the best way to quicken your digestion. Green tea can be taken on an empty stomach if you do not suffer from acidity. Depending on your body condition, you can also have this during the late afternoons.

• Fennel – Coriander Tea

  Fennel is an excellent source of fiber. Intake of fiber helps reduce constipation, and fennel can also help reduce gas and inflammation in the digestive tract. It is usually taken after your meals. Also, coriander with fennel is an alternative cure for indigestion and other stomach ailments. Oils like linalool and geranyl acetate in coriander stimulate the secretion of various enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract. Hence, whenever you feel heavy after lunch or dinner, have this after-meal tea to relax your digestive muscles! The next step in improving your health is following a healthy diet. Add these herbal teas to aid digestion, and learn the art of brewing here.

How to Make Digestive Teas?

• Boil water and add a tablespoon or two of any tea mentioned above. Since ginger has a strong flavour, only one spoon would suffice to make it effective.
• After the tea reaches its boiling point, please remove it from the stove. Add a teaspoon of honey and give it a good mix. You can be generous with honey, as it is an excellent laxative. It goes the extra mile to improve your digestion process.
• You can also add cardamom to enhance the flavour. This is optional depending on your preference.

Where can you Buy Herbal Tea for Digestion?