Teas to Aid in Good Digestion

Basic Tea-making Instructions:

Place all the herbs in a tea ball or tea bag. (This tea bag can be as simple as a patch of muslin gathered up and tied above the bundle of dried leaves, roots or flowers).

Tea for One;
If you are only making enough for one serving you can place it in your favourite drinking cup or mug. Pour boiling water from a kettle over the herbs. Steep for 10 minutes, remove the herbs and enjoy.

Tea for Two or Three;
If you want to make enough tea to share with a few others, you can place the tea ball or tea bag in a teapot. Pour the boiling water over it. (Sometimes I put a teaspoon of honey into the pot at this point). Wait to steep the tea about ten minutes, remove the herbs and then pour, and enjoy with friends.

Tea for More;
If you will be sharing your tea with a few more people, I suggest you stuff the tea ball with a bit more herbs, or make a larger tea bag. Place this in a glass or ceramic pitcher, perhaps 1 litre or 1 quart size. Again, pour over the hot, boiling water, and add the honey if you think people will prefer some sweetner - or, allow them to add it to their individual cups when you have poured it.

Iced Tea;
The same instructions as above, except that I use a larger pitcher, and once the tea has steeped, I add a tray or two of ice cubes. If the tea still seems a bit warm, or it will be a while before I serve it, I set it in the fridge to cool still more. My favourite is to do this with mint from my garden. Guests always say this iced mint tea is very refreshing on a hot day.

Dressings for Tea;
Naturally, individuals have their favourite additions with which they like to dress up their teas. So if they insist, I let them add sugar, any other artificial sweetner, or milk or cream to their taste. I try not to let my own tastes interfer with theirs.

Want to see the benefits of each herb, or what it is helpful to do for you? Check my list of herbal tea benefits

Now for a number of variations. Try the one with the combination of herbs that you can get.

After Dinner Carminative Tea

1 cup water
1 tablespoon fennel seeds

Just boil the fennel seeds in water, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Enjoy this calming tea. Fennel is a wonderful herb for digestion and can help your body increase its ability to digest a big meal or a meal with lots of fat.

(Carminative means it takes care of bowel gas/flatulence. Fennel is the basis for licorice, if you like that flavour you will love this tea).

Happy Tummy Tea

Put a smile on your face with this soothing and yummy tea.

1 part catnip
1 part spearmint and lemongrass leaves
1 part calendula flowers
1 part skullcap
1 part rosemary and sage leaves
1 part fennel seeds

Nausea Tea

½ teaspoon dried Ginger root
½ teaspoon Clove blossoms
1 teaspoon Chamomile flowers

Pour 1 cup boiling water over herbs. Steep 10 minutes, strain and let cool before you drink it.

Nervous Stomach Tea

2 teaspoon Angelica root
2 teaspoon Lemon Balm leaves
½ tsp Fennel seed

Bring Angelica root to a simmer in 4 cups water. Turn off heat, add lemon balm and lemon; steep 10 minutes and strain.

Tummy Tea

A wonderful tea blend to enjoy after a big meal or hectic day.

1 cup dried peppermint (or other)
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried sage

Crush ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Steep 1 heaping teaspoon in a cup of boiling water for 1 minute. Sweeten with honey.

Upset Stomach Tea

8 oz Peppermint leaves
8 oz Lemon Balm leaves
8 oz Fennel seeds

Use 1 teaspoon of mixture per 1 cup boiling water. Steep 10 minutes; strain.

Stomach Ache Tea

(nausea)

Must be done in a pot on the stove:

I pod of Star Anise per cup
Chamomile (bag or tea ball)

Fever buster Tea

Catnip
White Oak bark
Chamomile

Mix 1 tablespoon of each type of herb. (You can substitute any other fragrant herb for the camomile, it is merely for taste). Add honey to sweeten the tea.

This is to be ingested as hot as the person can take it.

Constipation Tea

1/2 teaspoon Cascara Sagrada
1 teaspoon Chamomile

Take in one dose before bedtime. One coffee cup full should do it.

Cramp Tea

1 teaspoon Cramp Bark
1 teaspoon Red Raspeberry Leaves
1 teaspoon Dong Quai

This makes enough for two cups. The tea is only good for six hours.

Detox Tea

1 Teaspoon Pau D'Arco (Taheebo)
1 Teaspoon Cascara Sagrada
1 Teaspoon Echinacea

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Place herbs into the water, cover tightly and let steep for five minutes. I cup two times a day should help. If bowels are loose, dilute combination in 2 to 2 1/2 cups water.

Tea For Digestive Problems

1 oz. chamomile
2/3 oz. peppermint
1 oz. caraway seeds
2/3 oz. angelica

Use 1 teaspoon of the mixture per cup of hot water. Steep the mixture 10 minutes and strain.

This tea soothes the gastrointestinal tract and stimulates digestive activity, making it useful for stomach aches or a too-full feeling.

Heartburn Tea

1 tablespoon Chamomile
1 tablespoon Peppermint
2 pods Star Anise

Boil pods for 5 minutes and steep the chamomile and peppermint in the Anise tea. Drink one cup every hour for two hours before bedtime.

Plantain - thank God - it's so handy! - A review of the things I've learned about plantain and the many ways to use it as a healing remedy.

Calendula, Marigold - My discoveries and experiences with calendula and how to make an ointment from this herb.

Mint - the Refreshing and Soothing Herb - Mint is one of my most favourite herbs, especially for a refreshing tea that soothes away gas and pain and rattled nerves.

Comfrey - to Close up Your Wounds - Comfrey is the plant that can knit or close up your wounds and put you back together. Comfrey has an excellent effect on inward bruises and pains. A poultice of the fresh leaves is excellent for gangrenous sours, gangrene, mortifications, and moist ulcers.

Herbal Teas - Simple instructions for how to prepare herbal teas, and for different quanties, with links to many old recipes.

Specific Benefits of the Herbs in the Herbal Teas - A quick summary page of herbal benefits to check when deciding which herbal tea blend to make, and want to know what each herb may do for you.

Odd Cure for Bad Breath - Bad breath can be prevented, perhaps even cured by drinking tea, plus a few other odd cures.

Teas for Colds and Flu Remedies - Recipes for infusions or herbal teas for colds and flu remedies.

Teas to Aid in Good Digestion - Recipes for herbal teas that will help to digest one's food better.

Herbal Teas for Energy and Memory - Recipes for herbal teas for energy and memory to give new vitality and improve your memory skills.

Teas for Relaxing, to Give You Rest - Recipes for herbal teas for relaxing, infusions that will make it easier for you to rest.

Herbal Teas that Heal - Recipes for herbal teas that are able to heal or improve symptoms of more specific health problems.

Teas That Heal - Brewing Recipes - More teas that heal - brewing recipes that have a similar brewing method..