How to Drink Tea for IBS Symptoms and Digestive Health

How to Drink Tea for Digestion and IBS Symptom Management

Blog, Herbal Medicine, IBS / January 30, 2025

There are many time-tested, clinically-proven ways to drink herbal tea for digestion and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom management.

In my professional opinion as a clinical herbalist and functional dietitian nutritionist who’s been in remission from IBS since 2014, the 9 best categories of tea for supporting digestion and/or managing IBS symptoms include the following:

But that’s a lot of options, and one size never fits all!

When narrowing down your options in terms of choosing the best tea for IBS and digestive support, you/your clients will first need to consider each of the following:

Read on to learn how to select, prepare, and sip on certain types of tea for IBS symptom management and gut health support.  And as always, make sure to consult with your healthcare team first!

*This article was most recently edited and updated October 14, 2024.

Disclaimer:  The information and recipes I share in this article are meant for general educational purposes.  This content is not meant to replace medical or nutritional advice.  Everyone has individualized needs, so make sure to consult your doctor, a gut health dietitian, and a clinical herbalist if you’ve got any kind of medical condition, are pregnant/nursing or are taking medication!

Affiliate disclosure:  I’m a proud affiliate for Mountain Rose Herbs*. This organic online apothecary offers sustainably-grown, ethically harvested, organic loose herbs and teas. If you order a product through one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Herbal tea as a digestive ally

From calming a nervous stomach to nourishing/soothing a damaged gut lining and more… there’s a lot to be said about the potential benefits of tea for digestive support!

However, it’s important to keep in mind that tea as a stand-alone intervention is not considered holistic, and it won’t serve as a solution or cure for IBS.

Think of tea as more of a complementary herbal ally, and a natural symptom management tool which you can lean on alongside other interventions as necessary.

For example, when it comes to managing IBS symptoms and optimizing gut health, I find tea goes great when paired with holistic dietary interventions and lifestyle practices such as:

You (or your clients) may also potentially need/benefit from further testing to see if your IBS symptoms and digestive issues could be related to an underlying medical condition such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and/or a sucrase-isomaltase deficiency.

(A lot of gut disorders masquerade as IBS and can wreak havoc if left unchecked for too long! No amount of tea can replace medical/nutritional interventions especially in these cases.)

Anti-inflammatory teas: for an inflamed gut

Sipping on anti-inflammatory tea throughout the day can be an excellent way to help reduce inflammation in your gut.

A few of my favorite research-backed antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory teas for gut health include:

  • Turmeric tea (fresh or dried)
  • Ginger tea
  • Green tea
  • Matcha
  • Rooibos tea

How to brew:  To make a traditional tea infusion, steep ~1 teaspoon of loose tea or a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger/turmeric root into hot water for at least 15-20 minutes.

For matcha and for golden milk (made from turmeric), stir 1 teaspoon of powdered herb (matcha or turmeric, respectively) into ~8 ounces of unsweetened milk substitute of choice.

Drink 1 to 3 cups/day or as recommended by your healthcare team.

Recommended reading: 

Astringent teas: for diarrhea and leaky gut

Astringent teas make great candidates as a tea for diarrhea and upset stomach, as well as for leaky gut.

That’s because they’re drying, toning, and tightening to the tissues of the body.

In cases of diarrhea, from a constitutional standpoint, we’re dealing with excess wetness and loose tissues – so astringent teas help to dry things out and hold things in.

And in cases of leaky gut, we’re dealing with tissues that need tightening and toning.

My fave astringent teas to incorporate for diarrhea (or for leaky gut) include the following:

  • Black tea
  • Green tea
  • Oolong tea
  • White tea
  • Calendula tea
  • Blackberry leaf tea
  • Rosebud tea

How to brew:

  • Black/green/oolong/white tea:  Steep 1 teaspoon of loose dried tea leaves for ~3 to 5 minutes; drink 3 to 4 cups/day or as directed by your healthcare team.
  • Herbal teas:  Steep ~1 to 2 teaspoons of dried leaves/flower heads/flower petals in ~8 to 12 ounces of hot water for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Drink 1 to 4 cups daily or as directed by your healthcare team.

Recommended reading:  Best Types of Tea for Diarrhea and Upset Stomach

Antimicrobial herbal teas:  for dysbiosis

Aromatic antimicrobial herbs such as:

  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Oregano

can make great additions to an herbal tea blend if you or your clients are dealing with dysbiosis, a type of functional gut imbalance which means there is an overgrowth of harmful microbes (bacteria/fungus) in the gut.

(Other antimicrobial herbs like Oregon grape root are very bitter and may not be the best candidates for tea.)

Best delivery method:  herbal tea infusion (steep ~1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herbs in ~8 to 12 ounces hot water for at least 15-20 minutes)

Carminative herbal teas: for gas and bloating

Carminative herbs are those which can potentially help reduce/relieve IBS symptoms of gas and bloating.

You can integrate any of the following carminative herbs into your herbal tea infusions:

  • Anise
  • Black pepper
  • Coriander 
  • Cardamom 
  • Chamomile 
  • Cinnamon 
  • Cumin 
  • Fennel seed 
  • Ginger
  • Holy basil 
  • Lemon balm
  • Peppermint leaf 
  • Rosemary 

Demulcent teas: for constipation, leaky gut, and/or inflammation

Demulcent herbs such as:

  • Marshmallow root
  • Licorice root

can be made into herbal tea decoctions or cold infusions, which are the best methods for extracting the slippery, slimy, soothing demulcent and prebiotic constituents from these herbs.

(Note that I don’t work with slippery elm bark which is considered an endangered species, and I don’t recommend prickly pear nopal cactus powder in tea form as it can get way too thick!)

Demulcents can be helpful in some cases of constipation, as well as in cases of soothing an inflamed, irritated gut lining (such as in cases of leaky gut and/or inflammatory bowel disease).

Avoid demulcent teas in cases of SIBO, since they often tend to worsen or trigger gas/bloating in some people.

Recommended reading: Demulcent Herbs: Unlocking Their Potential for Gut Health & Beyond

Laxative teas: occasionally, for constipation

Laxative herbal teas may include any of the following:

These teas may be helpful as infusions or decoctions occasionally, as needed for constipation.

Recommended use:  1 cup as needed, or as directed by your healthcare team

However, I wouldn’t recommend taking these on a regular basis since we can build up a tolerance to laxative herbs and tea.

It’s also important to remember that laxative tea is just a more natural form of symptom management and should not replace fundamental practices like staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet (with plenty of fiber), and staying active.

Recommended reading: 

Low FODMAP teas: for safe enjoyment and support

If you’re among the ~75% of folks with IBS who feel better on a low FODMAP diet in the early stages of healing, you may be best off sticking to a Monash-approved low FODMAP tea. (Monash University is the leading authority in the low FODMAP diet for IBS.)

Low FODMAP teas are considered the least risky when it comes to symptom triggers in the early stages of an IBS healing journey because these teas are the least likely to ferment in your gut and trigger symptoms such as gas/bloating.

Monash-approved low FODMAP teas can be enjoyed hot or iced, as long as you stay within the recommended brewing times as noted below.

Caffeinated low FODMAP teas

  • Black tea (weak, infused for only 1-2 minutes)
  • Weak chai (infused for only 1-2 minutes)
  • Green tea (infused up to 3-5 minutes)
  • Matcha (up to 1 teaspoon per serving)
  • White tea (infused up to 3-5 minutes)

Caffeine-free low FODMAP teas

Recommended reading:  15+ Low FODMAP Teas: Comprehensive List & Expert Guidance

Nervine herbal teas: for stress and anxiety

Nervine herbal teas make wonderful allies for anyone with a stressed-out gut or “nervous stomach”.

Aside from having a mild anti-spasmodic effect on our gut, these herbs also help to activate our vagus nerve which is part of “rest and digest” or “heal and repair” branch of our autonomic (automatic, subconscious) nervous system.

My favorite non-sedative nervine herbs to brew into tea for IBS and digestive support include the following:

How to brew:  Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of loose herbs in ~8 to 12 ounces of hot water for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Recommended reading:  Intro to Nervines: Your Best Nervous System Allies

Vulnerary herbal teas: for inflammatory bowel and leaky gut

Much like anti-inflammatory, astringent, demulcent herbs, vulnerary herbs can also potentially make wonderful allies for folks navigating inflammatory bowel disease and/or leaky gut.

That’s because vulnerary herbs are those which have been found to have a wound-healing effect – not just topically on our skin but also with an affinity for our gut lining.  (As within, so without!)

My favorite vulnerary herbs to brew into tea for digestion and IBS include the following:

  • Calendula
  • Plantain leaf
  • Violet leaf

Recommended reading:  6 benefits of calendula tea

How to prepare digestive herbal tea

I use and recommend traditional (versus instant, conventional) methods of herbal tea preparation. 

It’s simple and easy to make traditional herbal tea infusions and tea decoctions with organic fresh or dried loose herbs, which are less chemically treated/processed and usually more potent. 

(Commercially-made tea in bags is lovely for enjoyment and ritual, but I’ve noticed they may not always offer the same degree of health benefits compared to traditional preparations.  But you do you!)

Other considerations

You may also want to be mindful of the types of milk/milk alternatives and sugars/sweeteners you’re putting in your tea, particularly if you have any kind of food intolerances.

For example, if you have a sucrose intolerance or a fructose intolerance, you may want to opt for no sweetener, or a non-nutritive natural sweetener like stevia or monk fruit extract.

If you have a lactose intolerance and/or other types of FODMAP intolerances, you may want to stick to a low FODMAP milk/milk alternative.

And lastly, if you notice you’re getting diarrhea from oat milk, you may want to consult with your treatment team about ruling out a starch intolerance.

These just a few examples of how to think holistically and read between the lines when it comes to what you’re putting in your body and how it could potentially impact you from a digestive health standpoint!

Feel free to check out the resources below if you’d like to learn more.

Related articles

If you’d like to learn more about how you can support gut health naturally with herbs, make sure to also check out the following recipes, resources and articles:

Recap and key takeaways

Here’s a quick recap of takeaways from this article for you to refer back to:

  • Anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric, ginger, green tea, matcha, and rooibos tea can potentially make great allies for keeping gut inflammation at bay.
  • Antimicrobial herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano may make nice additions to an herbal tea infusion to help keep microbial overgrowth at bay in cases of dysbiosis or candida overgrowth.
  • Carminative herbs such as ginger, peppermint, and fennel may help provide some natural relief from symptoms of gas and bloating.
  • Mucilaginous or “demulcent” herbs such as marshmallow root and licorice root in tea preparations may help with constipation or inflammation in the gut because they support a healthier mucous membrane.
  • Laxative teas should be used only occasionally, as needed, and should not replace foundational interventions for constipation like increasing fiber, fluids and staying active. (Rule out methane SIBO if your symptoms aren’t responding to those interventions!)
  • Low FODMAP teas are generally the safest to try from a symptom management standpoint, especially early on in your gut-healing journey.
  • Soothing nervine herbal tea like chamomile flower petal infusions can help to calm a nervous stomach.
  • Vulnerary (wound-healing) herbal teas such as plantain, calendula and violet are helpful for strengthening and toning the lining of the gut, especially in cases of leaky gut.

Tea is a nice complementary addition to a holistic treatment plan for IBS, but should not replace foundational interventions like diet modification, lifestyle changes, and possibly medical interventions.

The best type and combination of herbal tea for YOUR digestion will depend on what’s going on in your body (specifically your gut!).

Lastly, stay mindful about how you’re brewing your tea and what else you’re putting in it.

Next steps

Do you live in the U.S.? Are you looking for 1-1 support from an expert in all things herbs, tea, and gut health? If so, I’d love to help!

Apply HERE to work with me 1-1

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If you found this article helpful and informative, please feel free to share it with your holistic-minded family & friends!

XX – Jenna

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