Does every meal make you feel bloated and gassy? Or does it happen unexpectedly, for no apparent reason?
Be that as it may, you probably need to find a solution to get rid of these unpleasant feelings.
There are many reasons for gas and bloating, and most of them have to do with your gut health.
What causes bloating?
Disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) and celiac disease are serious causes of bloating in the stomach and intestines.
A sluggish bowel can also be a cause, especially if it leads to chronic constipation. When bowel movements are infrequent, the abdomen may become excessively “full.” Bloating can also be caused by gastroparesis, the slow release of food from the stomach into the small intestine, which is often associated with low levels of stomach acid.
The most common culprit is the wrong gut bacteria. When “bad” bacteria suppress “good” bacteria, dysbiosis occurs. Left untreated, this can lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or Candida yeast overgrowth.
SIBO occurs when bacteria from one part of the digestive tract enters the small intestine or when the natural bacteria in the small intestine gets out of control. This bacterial imbalance can cause bloating, diarrhea, and pain.
Likewise, an overgrowth of the yeast Candida albicans can lead to gas and bloating. This yeast usually lives naturally in the intestines, but when it gets out of control, it can damage normal digestive function.
Some foods may cause allergies or intolerances. Wheat and dairy products often cause bloating, as do fructooligosaccharides (FODMAPs) found in onions, garlic, apples and other foods.
Of course, there are times when it is difficult to avoid certain foods. For example, you know that beans and spices give you a stomach ache, but your boss arranged a lunch at a Mexican restaurant, or you are dairy intolerant, but your best friend gave you a box of chocolates for your birthday.
In such cases, it is useful to know that relief can come from a simple tea!
7 Best Teas to Reduce Flatulence
There are many amazing medicinal herbs that can be brewed into tea for flatulence. Drinking these teas throughout the day can help relieve pain and discomfort from digestive problems.
1. Mint Tea
Peppermint is an amazing herb that has been used for centuries to treat a variety of digestive problems thanks to its active ingredient, menthol.
Menthol is what gives mint its characteristic minty flavor. Additionally, menthol has remarkable anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce inflammation. Thanks to these properties, mint tea can alleviate stomach discomfort that causes bloating and gas.
Research shows that peppermint tea has strong antispasmodic properties, which means it helps relax the intestinal muscles. This relieves discomfort from intestinal gas and bloating.
Research also confirms that mint tea has an analgesic effect that helps relieve discomfort associated with bloating.
2. Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is made from the rhizome of the ginger plant. This drink has a spicy, warming aroma that is both stimulating and nourishing.
Ginger is a powerful antiemetic, which means it helps reduce feelings of nausea and stomach upset. For hundreds of years, ginger has been used as a home remedy for vomiting, upset stomach, and even morning sickness.
Fresh ginger tea for flatulence is especially effective in soothing a bloated belly due to its anti-inflammatory and carminative properties. These properties make it especially useful for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Research also shows that ginger tea promotes faster and more efficient emptying of the digestive system, which helps prevent feeling "full" after eating.
3. Chamomile Tea
This gentle tea is famous for its properties to soothe an inflamed stomach and at the same time lift your spirits, that is, a complete tea for gas formation! Made by steeping chamomile flowers in hot water, chamomile tea has a natural calming effect on the body and mind. It can also help reduce fluid retention in the body and improve overall health.
Research shows that chamomile is especially beneficial for irritable bowel syndrome, as it helps soothe the intestinal tract and relax the abdominal muscles. It is also effective in combating bloating caused by foods containing lactose.
Regular consumption of chamomile tea can improve sleep quality and promote relaxation. This is because chamomile acts on a chemical level to increase the activity of GABA receptors in the nervous system, which helps improve mood.
See also: tea for better sleep
4. Green Tea
Among the many healing properties, green tea is a fantastic digestive aid. In fact, it may be one of the best teas for your gut, thanks to its high content of catechins and antioxidants. These catechins are not only powerful scavengers of free radicals (which can damage cells), they help to soothe the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract.
Green tea can also help eliminate gas buildup in the intestines, which reduces bloating in your stomach. In addition, green tea helps your digestive system function more efficiently by stimulating the enzymes your body needs to properly break down food.
5. Hibiscus tea
We tend to think of hibiscus as just a pretty flower, but it's also a great digestive tonic. It is made by infusing bright hibiscus petals into boiling water. The result is an aromatic, decaffeinated tea with a distinctive taste. Some say it's even hints of cranberries!
The great thing about hibiscus tea is that it helps balance hormones. It can reduce water retention and eliminate bloating, especially at certain times of the month.
The high flavonoid content of hibiscus tea also helps modulate aldosterone, a hormone responsible for regulating water intake and electrolyte levels.
6. Fennel Tea
Fennel is a revered digestive aid that has been used for centuries. Fennel tea is made from the seeds of the fennel plant, which have a wonderfully sweet flavor similar to licorice root.
Research published in the journal Food Biochemistry has shown that fennel is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent, especially in the digestive tract. The essential oils in the plant have also long been used to treat digestive disorders, perhaps because they contain estrogen, which suppresses muscle spasms. This helps your digestive system break down food more efficiently without bloating.
The aromatic and carminative properties of fennel also relieve flatulence, diarrhea, bloating or stomach cramps, which are often caused by irritable bowel syndrome. Fennel tea even helps reduce acidity in both the stomach and intestines.
7. Dandelion Root
Dandelion root is one of the best herbal remedies for the liver. Dandelion tea can be made from just the root or the whole plant: roots, leaves, and petals. However, most research has been done on the medicinal benefits of dandelion root.
Dandelion root tea is a natural diuretic, which means it helps the body flush out excess fluid and eliminate toxins. This greatly helps in relieving bloating caused by belly gas.
Dandelion root also stimulates the liver, which plays a key role in digestive function. It helps with cleansing and sluggish liver, and also promotes the secretion of bile by the hepatobiliary system. This makes it a very useful remedy for reducing liver and gallbladder congestion.
What tea to drink when you have a bloated stomach?
So, which tea is better helps with bloating? It's difficult to choose one since everyone will have different preferences and symptoms. However, chamomile tea is generally considered to be the most gentle and effective for all types of symptoms. It is powerful but soothing and has only a mild taste.
Best of all, chamomile has the added benefit of calming the mind and relieving nervous tension, which can be a factor in bloating.
Final Thoughts
While all of these herbal teas are helpful in relieving the acute symptoms of bloating and gas, they are only a temporary solution. If you find yourself suffering from these digestive problems on a daily basis, you may have a problem with your gut bacteria. The best treatment is changing your diet and adding probiotics.
Try eliminating high-sugar foods from your diet and reducing your consumption of red meat.
Probiotic supplements, usually available in capsule or tablet form, are a convenient way to deliver “live” beneficial bacteria to the gut, where they can restore a healthy balance.
It's also important to check your diet for foods that may cause negative reactions in you. As mentioned, wheat and dairy products are common causes of gas and bloating, so it is important to eliminate them from your diet first and then monitor your symptoms when reintroducing these foods.
Also, review the list of FODMAP foods and determine which ones may be causing your symptoms. Remember that gas and bloating can have many causes!