My patients are always asking me about ways to “beat the bloat”. Common suspects such as weight gain, introducing high-fiber foods too quickly, eating too fast, or chewing gum might contribute to bloating. Other possible culprits might be food intolerances/allergies, drinking carbonated beverages, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, eating ultra-processed fatty foods, or even mental stressors. Other than making recommendations in regards to their dietary intake, I share these soothing teas to help ease bloating. Here are just a few types of teas I recommend:

Fennel tea

Light, refreshing fennel might be one of my favorite debloating ingredients. Fennel itself has over 87 different phytochemical compounds that may have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. It is also rich in vitamin C which your body needs for immune health and tissue repair. Every part of the fennel may have some form of bloat relief; the seeds contain a compound that relaxes the GI tract while the bulb can be sliced to make an instant and delicious PowerFood. 

Dandelion tea

Nothing beats brewing up the King of the Yard, dandelion tea! The stubborn lawn weed you might find in your neighbor’s grass could be a great way to help shed some extra water! Dandelion is an age-old traditional remedy to help with constipation, fluid retention, and digestive health. Recent findings suggest the plant shows promise as a natural diuretic in humans. Keep this in mind next time you weed whack your lawn. Feel free to use fresh dandelion or you can pick up dandelion tea at your local health foods store. 

Ginger tea

This taste-bud dazzling root not only makes soups and sauces sensational, it stands above all other anti-inflammatory foods with excellent antioxidant properties. It soothes the digestive system and relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract, which can relieve bloating, and contains an enzyme that absorbs proteins, thus reducing protein-induced puffiness and gas. Emerging research shows ginger may be a promising aid against breast cancer. For those of you watching your waistlines, drinking ginger beverages may aid digestion and help you feel full.

Matcha tea

It’s lean, it’s green, it’s a cancer-fighting machine – it’s MATCHA! Green tea is rich in EGCG, an antioxidant that may have anti-cancer properties. Studies show that for optimal effects you need to drink up to 10 cups of green tea/day–who has time for that? Matcha is a SUPER concentrated, potent source of EGCG…137x greater concentration of EGCG compared to a normal green tea bag! The increased metabolic effects may also assist with weight loss. In the bloating arena, studies point to a number of ways that green tea supports gastrointestinal health, including better food absorption and gas reduction. Really can’t match that matcha!