6 Teas That Can Help With Bloating
Bloating happens. Sometimes it’s a big meal. Sometimes it’s just your gut moving a little slower than usual. Tea won’t cure an underlying issue, but a few tried‑and‑true options can relax your belly, move gas along, or help with water retention. Here are six simple picks and how to use them.
Peppermint
Peppermint is a classic for a reason. The menthol helps your gut muscles relax so gas can pass and cramps ease up. If you get heartburn, go easy—it can relax the valve at the top of your stomach and make reflux worse. Want receipts? Peppermint oil capsules have decent support in IBS for pain and bloat (systematic review, update, pooled analysis).
How to use: Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons dried leaves 5 to 7 minutes. Sip after meals.
Ginger
Ginger helps food leave the stomach a bit faster, which can take pressure off and tame that heavy, stuck feeling. It’s also great when bloat shows up with a hint of nausea. Studies in people suggest it can speed up emptying and ease indigestion discomfort.
How to use: Simmer a few fresh slices 10 minutes, or steep 1 teaspoon dried for 5. Lemon squeeze optional.
Fennel
Fennel seeds taste a little like licorice and have been used forever after meals. They help calm little spasms in the intestines so gas can move. The best research is in babies with colic (trial roundup); adult data are lighter, but traditional use plus broader herbal reviews suggest it can help some folks (overview).
How to use: Lightly crush 1 teaspoon seeds, steep 10 minutes with the cup covered. Sip slowly.
Chamomile
Chamomile is the gentle one. It’s calming and can take the edge off cramping and upper‑belly pressure. Lab work shows it relaxes smooth muscle (in‑vitro study); clinical summaries for gut symptoms are small but promising (overview).
How to use: Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons dried flowers 5 minutes. Great in the evening.
Lemon Balm
Clean, citrus‑mint vibe. Handy when your bloat rides along with stress. Most modern research focuses on mood and sleep (review), so think of it as a chill, supportive add‑on rather than a direct bloat fix.
How to use: Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons dried leaves 5 to 7 minutes.
Dandelion
If your “bloat” is more water retention than gas, dandelion leaf can nudge fluid out gently. A small human pilot found it increased urination; big‑picture summaries say the benefits are still uncertain (overview).
How to use: Leaf tea 5 minutes. Root tea (more for heavy meals) simmer 10 minutes. If you’re on diuretics or have kidney issues, check with a clinician first.
The right cup won’t fix everything, but it can take the edge off pressure, cramping, and that over‑full feeling. Pick one or two that match your pattern, brew them right, and see how you feel over a week.
