When your stomach is in turmoil after a meal or you just want to keep your digestion smooth, nature provides a treasure trove of remedies. For millennia, people have utilized herbs to calm, harmonize, and revitalize the digestive system.
Here are seven plants that can help improve your digestion on a natural basis:
Peppermint
Peppermint is the superstar of digestive herbs. Its menthol content has a cooling effect that helps relax the muscles in your gastrointestinal tract, easing bloating and indigestion. A cup of peppermint tea or water infused with tinctures after meals can be a soothing way to prevent that uncomfortable, overfull feeling. It’s also a handy herb for those prone to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
How to use: Sip on peppermint tea or take peppermint oil capsules to relieve bloating, gas, or nausea.
Ginger
Ginger is a superfood for digestive health and isn't simply for flavoring food. Ginger, well-known for its stimulating and warming qualities, can aid in accelerating the digestive process. It also promotes saliva, bile, and gastric juice production, all of which are necessary for breaking down food.
How to use: Fresh ginger tea (water infused with tincture) or simply chewing on raw ginger can alleviate nausea, reduce indigestion, and ease stomach cramps.
Fennel
This crunchy, licorice-flavored herb is excellent for digestion. Fennel seeds contain compounds that relieve gas, bloating, and cramping. It acts as a carminative, helping to expel gas from the intestines and soothe spasms in the digestive tract. In traditional cultures, chewing on fennel seeds after meals is common practice.
How to use: Chew on a spoonful of fennel seeds after a meal, or brew fennel tea to settle an uneasy stomach.
Chamomile
Chamomile is gentle yet effective when it comes to calming an upset stomach. It’s particularly beneficial for reducing inflammation in the digestive tract and relaxing the muscles of the gut. If your digestive troubles stem from stress, chamomile can also help calm your mind, as it has mild sedative properties.
How to use: Brew a calming chamomile tea or take its tincture before bed or after a heavy meal to ease digestive discomfort and promote relaxation.
Dandelion
Often seen as just a pesky garden weed, dandelion is actually a potent digestive aid. Dandelion roots and leaves stimulate the production of bile, which helps break down fats and improve overall digestion. It’s also a diuretic, so it helps your body flush out toxins, supporting your liver and kidney health.
How to use: Add dandelion leaves to your salads or brew dandelion root tea to support liver health and digestion. You can also use Dandelion Root Tincture as a powerful substitute of its tea.
Licorice Root
Licorice root has a sweet taste, but it also has a sweet effect on your stomach. It reduces inflammation and discomfort by covering the lining of your stomach with a protective coating. It’s particularly beneficial for heartburn and acid reflux sufferers as it helps prevent stomach acid from harming the esophagus.
How to use: Look for deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) tablets, or sip on licorice tea to soothe heartburn and digestive discomfort.
Slippery Elm
This lesser-known herb is a fantastic healer for the digestive tract. Slippery elm contains mucilage, a gel-like substance that coats and soothes the lining of the intestines. This makes it especially beneficial for anyone dealing with ulcers, gastritis, or inflammatory bowel disease.
How to use: Drink slippery elm tea or mix it into water to create a soothing, healing tonic for digestive issues.