Herbal Teas for Intestinal Gas

Intestinal gas is usually not a serious medical issue - it often happens when we eat certain foods that our digestive enzymes are not able to break down completely. But serious or not, intestinal gas can be painful. It may cause you to feel bloat or discomfort in the abdominal area. It can be treated with medication, but if you prefer the natural route, try herbal teas for some relief.

Carminatives

• Carminatives are substances that soothe the digestive tract and minimize the formation of gas. Allspice, cloves, caraway, dill, fennel, peppermint, thyme and sage are all natural carminatives that contain high concentrations of the gas-relieving compounds camphor and menthol. Additionally, many plants in the mint and carrot families are good carminatives: basil, chamomile, cinnamon, garlic, lemon, nutmeg, onion and oregano. Asafedita, ginger and cumin are also frequently used as carminatives.

Making Teas

• Many carminatives can be steeped in hot water to make soothing teas. Here are some formulas you can try to see which suits your taste and best treats your discomfort.

  Dissolve one or two small pieces of asafetida in a half cup of water.

  Add a tablespoon of powdered ginger to a cup of boiled water.

  Combine a teaspoon of powdered allspice and a cup of boiled water.

  For seeds such as caraway, dill, fennel, and cumin, just mix a tablespoon of seeds with boiling water, and add sugar to taste.

  And although not strictly an herbal tea, garlic soup is known as one of the best herbal remedies to treat intestinal gas: grind a couple of garlic cloves with a little cumin, black pepper, and coriander seeds. Mix with about six ounces of water and bring the mixture to a boil. This will make two doses.