Herbal Teas For Digestive Health

Herbal teas are a great way to get water in without the caffeine of green and black tea, and they usually have medicinal properties that can be utilized for your health. There are many herbal teas for digestive health, that are beneficial whether you’ve just eaten too much dinner at your favorite restaurant, or if you have digestive ailments that need support.  Here is a list of some of my favorites:

Suggested Medicinal Teas:

• Ginger – this is my favorite for people who have digestive upset including nausea from taking medication. Buy fresh ginger root, cut 1 square inch, and boil it up with 2 cups water. Drink 2-3 cups daily as needed. Tea bags are also available. Ginger is very warming which helps circulation, is good for any kind of upset stomach, and helps reduce inflammation.
• Detox Tea – these teas are typically blends and are commercially available as loose tea or tea bags. Detox tea mixes will with ginger tea. It helps cleanse the system and is often liver supportive. I like Yogi brand detox tea.
• Smooth Move – this tea, by Traditional Medicinals, helps relieve occasional constipation. I do not encourage people to use this tea every day as dependence on any type of laxative, even the herbal ones, is not good. If chronic constipation is a problem I first try increasing fibers such as ground flax seed and vegetables. Smooth Move can be good once in a while, especially if one is detoxing and wants to make sure the bowels are moving well to excrete toxins.
• Mint – one of the more popular herb teas, mint helps soothe upset stomachs and is a good digestive tonic. It is widely available in stores and restaurants, and makes a great after dinner drink. People who are taking homeopathic remedies may want to avoid mint tea as it can neutralize the remedy (same goes for coffee!).
• Chamomile – this herb helps with relaxation, stress relief and can be a good sleep aid. It has benefit for the digestive system also but is most commonly known for its relaxing properties.
• Pau d’Arco – this herb is an anti-fungal so it is a great choice for individuals with yeast-related issues. For people with pronounced yeast issues, I do not believe that pau d’arco tea alone is a strong enough anti-fungal agent, but used in conjunction with other anti-fungals it can be very helpful.
• Licorice Root – this plant has a wide range of applications, including soothing upset stomachs, helping with cholesterol, acting as an adrenal tonic and assisting female hormone balance. It can be estrogenic however, so women with normal to high estrogen levels may not want to take it. It can also increase blood pressure in high and prolonged doses.

Herbal teas make water more interesting, and are really nice in these colder winter months. Try mixing different ones together, or try different organic blends from the health food store.