Which Teas Are Good for Digestion?

Swapping out your morning coffee with a tea for digestion could be an excellent way to kickstart your day. Several herbal teas, such as peppermint and ginger, and also green tea are touted as top picks for beverages that may help ease some common stomach ailments.

A wide variety of herbal teas may help with digestion, according to Brigham and Women's Hospital. Some of the best herbal tea for gut health includes peppermint, chamomile, anise, turmeric, fennel, coriander and caraway.

The Cleveland Clinic identifies six teas known for their healing properties, including peppermint tea. They say the peppermint oil in the tea may improve irritable bowel syndrome. Additionally, Penn Medicine says peppermint tea contains menthol, which can help soothe an upset stomach, and it's also an excellent tea for constipation.

Green tea may also be beneficial as a tea for digestion. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), drinking green tea can help relieve digestive symptoms. That said, it does contain caffeine, which can stimulate your intestines, causing diarrhea and upset stomach. If you want to include green tea in your diet to ease GI issues, opt for a decaffeinated version.

You can also find ginger in herbal blends for stomach ailments. The NCCIH says ginger may help alleviate nausea and vomiting. It's also commonly recommended to ease nausea caused by motion sickness.

Read more: 10 Everyday Ailments Soothed by Tea

Constipation, bloating, gas, diarrhea and indigestion are common complaints among adults. These conditions involve the digestive or gastrointestinal tract, which includes the stomach, small and large intestines, esophagus, liver, gallbladder and pancreas.

If you're experiencing a back-up in your GI tract, drinking tea for digestion may not be enough to get things moving again. For issues not related to a medical diagnosis, you first need to look at lifestyle factors that may be playing a role in your digestion problems.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, factors such as eating a diet low in fiber, not getting enough exercise, stress, resisting the urge to have a bowel movement, eating large amounts of dairy products and taking certain medications and prescriptions can all upset the GI tract.

But if you do have a medical diagnosis, you can also expect to deal with issues related to digestion, including bloating, gas, diarrhea, cramping and indigestion. Some of the more common culprits include Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Read more: Best Tea for Bloating, Gas and Constipation

While you can use tea for digestion, the dosage required to ease stomach pain or discomfort may not be enough to make a significant difference. The good news? There are other ways to help relieve bloating, constipation and gastrointestinal issues.

Moving your body through daily activity and exercise can help ward off several digestive system problems. Plus, making changes to your diet, so it includes plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, and dietary fiber is another simple adjustment you can make on your own.

Fermented foods, such as probiotic yogurt and kefir, contain bacteria that may help support the digestive system. Including these foods in your nutrition plan may also benefit gut health and reduce discomfort from stomach issues.

Additionally, learning to cope with and manage daily stress and anxiety can help ease many stomach problems. Talk to your doctor if you think a mental health condition is interfering with the health of your digestive system.