The holiday season has arrived, so make way for celebration, indulgence, and festive feasts! If you’ve ever experienced bloating or digestive issues, don’t fret,– we’re here with some tea (literally) to help with your digestive health. Here are 5 simple yet delicious teas, rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles, for reducing bloat and solving digestive issues.
Ginger honey tea
Ingredients:
- 1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled
- 6 cups (1440ml) of water
- 1/3 tbsp honey (or to taste)
- Lemon zest
Instructions:
- Slice the ginger into coins. Bring the ginger, lemon rind, water and honey to a boil in a small pot
- Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes before serving
This spicy-sweet tea is a cozy and delicious way to address digestive issues. Ginger, lemon, and honey can help your body effectively absorb the food you eat, which prevents post-meal bloating. They also possess anti-inflammatory qualities that can relieve symptoms of an upset stomach.
In TCM, ginger is considered a warming herb, and is thought to harmonize and balance the lungs, spleen and stomach, making it an excellent choice to relieve cold and flu symptoms as well as indigestion. TCM practitioners recommend ginger for general stomach discomfort but also IBS and acid reflux. Additionally, lemon rind and ginger both stimulate the digestion process with natural compounds that enhance blood flow and uptake of nutrients. It’s no wonder that this easy ginger honey tea recipe gives such a boost to digestion.
Dried Hawthorn Mandarin Peel Tea
Ingredients:
- 9g Dried Hawthorn
- 3-6g Dried Mandarin Peel
- 1 tsp Brown Sugar, or to taste
- 1 cup (240ml) water, or as much as desired
Instructions:
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a cup
- Add boiling water and let the ingredients steep for 5 minutes
- Consume the beverage gradually throughout the day (add warm water as required)
Hawthorn berries are a tart natural remedy for digestive problems that has been used for hundreds of years, as early as 659 A.D. Not only are hawthorn berries full of antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory compounds, but research has shown that hawthorn berries are also an effective digestion aid. Hawthorn extract is also considered warm in nature and benefits the spleen, stomach, and liver in addition to promoting qi. It has been shown to reduce the “gut transit time” of food in the digestive system, meaning that food moves through your digestive system faster, relieving indigestion.
Hawthorn extract can also increase the production and effectiveness of the digestive enzymes that break down fatty, protein-rich foods, speeding up the process and ensuring that your body can absorb more nutrients. In particular, when indigestion occurs, hawthorn combined with orange soothes the bowel and reduces bloating. This makes it the perfect pairing with meat and greasy comfort foods that are in abundance during the holidays.
Corn Silk Tea
Ingredients:
- 1 handful (20g) corn silk
- 3 cups (720ml) water
- Fresh ginger and brown sugar, optional, to taste
Instructions:
- When preparing ears of corn, save the corn silk and lay it out on a paper towel to dry for a few days, turning occasionally
- Take a handful of silk, storing the rest in a cool, dry place, and add to a pot along with the water
- Bring the pot to a boil; let simmer until about half-reduced
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly before drinking throughout the day
Before you get rid of all of those corn husks, consider making this sweet corn silk tea to aid digestion and reduce bloating. In TCM, corn silk is thought to improve metabolism by targeting the small intestine, which plays a large role in digestion by absorbing nutrients into the body and moving food along the digestive tract. It has been used to improve digestion, acid reflux, constipation, and even aid weight loss. At the same time, corn silk does not affect the balance of yin and yang in your body because it is considered neutral in nature, so it is the perfect subtle addition to your health routine.
Mint tea
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp (1.5g) dried peppermint leaves, 1 mint tea bag OR 3 tbsp (17g) fresh peppermint leaves
- 1 cup (240ml) water
Instructions:
- Bring the water to a simmer before removing from heat and adding the peppermint
- Let the tea steep for 10 minutes before straining
Mint tea is a classic hot drink that is already a household staple for many because of its natural sweetness and lack of caffeine. But did you know that mint tea can help aid digestion and prevent bloating? Peppermint relaxes your digestive tract, preventing cramps and easing pain. Numerous studies have found that peppermint can be a treatment for IBS symptoms, including bloating, reducing symptoms by up to 40%. Peppermint has also been found to reduce the frequency, length, and severity of abdominal pain. The best part? Because it is naturally caffeine free, you can enjoy peppermint tea after a meal, before bed, or any time of day to relieve indigestion and bloating.
ReNoo
Last but not least- ReNoo! The main trio of fermented ingredients in ReNoo is specifically combined to aid digestion and prevent bloating: soybean, coix seed, and brown rice, with just a dash of cinnamon. To prepare ReNoo, mix the sachet into hot water and enjoy, topping up with more water as desired or until granules are gone. The result is an energy-boosting, roasted matcha flavored tea.
The fermented ingredients in ReNoo pack a powerful probiotic punch, healing your gut biome by restoring the balance of healthy bacteria and supporting digestive health. Individually, they are also well-known in TCM for strengthening qi and other qualities. Brown rice is often used to treat indigestion, diarrhea, and nausea. Similarly, soy beans are known to clear toxins and stabilize irregular bowel movements. Coix seed has been used to combat dysfunction of the spleen and stomach, and research has shown that it’s particularly beneficial to intestinal villi, which lines the small intestine and helps your body absorb nutrients, and to gut microflora, the microorganisms that keep your digestive system happy and healthy. In combination, they are the core of ReNoo’s anti-bloating, digestion-aiding properties that can help you feel your best while enjoying the holidays.
This season, it’s more than possible to balance indulgences with healthful practices– just remember to slow down, rest your stomach and your body, and enjoy a cozy cup of TCM-backed tea to help with digestion and bloating.