Kettle Nook

The Best Herbal Teas for Bloating

Six caffeine-free teas for a full, gassy stomach, from 12 to about 47 cents a cup, with what the people who drink them say about the taste.

By Nora Pell · Updated Oct 6, 202619 teas compared

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You ate a little too well, your waistband is pressing, and you want something warm that will help. Make the Traditional Medicinals fennel. It's one ingredient, fennel seed, and it tastes sweet and herbal with a clear note of anise. It also has clear backing: the European Medicines Agency, which reviews herbal medicines for the EU, lists fennel tea as a traditional remedy for mild bloating and flatulence.

If anise isn't your thing, Gas Relief is a softer, minty blend built around caraway, chamomile and lemon balm, and Twinings peppermint is the cheapest good habit here, at about 12 cents a cup. Just leave the peppermint alone if you're prone to heartburn.

Our picks

Best overallTraditional Medicinals FennelCheck price on Amazon
Best blendTraditional Medicinals Gas ReliefOut of stock: see options
Best valueTwinings Pure PeppermintCheck price on Amazon
Before bedTraditional Medicinals ChamomileCheck price on Amazon

At a glance

TeaBest forWhat's in itSteepPer cupAbout
1. Traditional Medicinals FennelBloating after mealsFennel only10 to 15 min, coveredAbout 44 cents$14
2. Traditional Medicinals Gas ReliefA mild, minty blendCaraway, chamomile, lemon balm, peppermint, coriander10 to 15 min, coveredAbout 47 cents$8
3. Twinings Pure PeppermintA cheap after-dinner habitPeppermint onlyTo tasteAbout 12 cents$12
4. Traditional Medicinals GingerA warming cupGinger only10 to 15 min, coveredAbout 37 cents$6
5. Yogi Stomach EaseSpice and licorice loversLicorice, cardamom, fennel, coriander, peppermint, ginger7 minAbout 28 cents$18
6. Traditional Medicinals ChamomileNo mint, no fennel familyChamomile only10 to 15 min, coveredAbout 37 cents$6

The teas for bloating, ranked

1 · Best overall
Traditional Medicinals Fennel

Traditional Medicinals Fennel

Nothing but fennel seed, sweet and herbal with a clear anise taste. Europe's medicines regulator lists fennel tea as a traditional remedy for bloating and flatulence.

$13.98as of 1:02 PM ET
Check price on Amazon
Buy it if
Your bloating shows up after meals and you like the taste of anise, licorice candy or fennel in Italian sausage.
Skip it if
You're allergic to celery, carrots, dill, coriander or mugwort pollen, or you can't stand anything that tastes of licorice.

One seed, and a sweet anise cup

Organic fennel fruit is all that's in the bag (the "seeds" in your spice jar are, botanically, the fruit). Traditional Medicinals describes the taste as sweet and herbal with a distinct note of anise, and credits a compound called anethole for that licorice-like flavor. Its directions: 8 ounces of just-boiled water, a lid on the cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Give it the full time.

What the evidence says

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) accepts fennel tea as a traditional herbal medicine for "mild, spasmodic gastro-intestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence." The word "traditional" matters: the listing rests on long-standing use, not on clinical trials. Ginger, caraway, lemon balm and chamomile have listings that name bloating too; what fennel adds is that it's the only thing in the bag. The agency's own recipe is 1.5 grams of seed in a cup of boiling water, steeped 15 minutes, three times a day, and not for children under 4.

The link is to a two-box pack, 32 bags, at about 44 cents a cup.

What owners report

Ask owners about the taste and you hear anise and licorice, for better or worse: some love the soft licorice smell, and one reviewer who usually avoids licorice gave up on it. One owner buys it for a husband with a sensitive stomach, who now drinks it every day instead of coffee. Another, a mother who already loved licorice tea, recommends it by the six-box lot. The most common habit is a cup right after dinner, especially after eating more than planned, and one owner likes it iced on a hot day.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • If you dislike licorice, this will taste like licorice to you.
  • The EMA lists allergies to the whole carrot family (anise, caraway, celery, coriander, dill) and to mugwort pollen as reasons not to drink it.
  • At two cups a day, one owner points out, a 16-bag box goes fast.
Single ingredientCaffeine-freeSkip it with a carrot-family allergyTwo boxes, 32 bags
2
Traditional Medicinals Gas Relief
Best blend

Traditional Medicinals Gas Relief

Caraway, coriander, chamomile, lemon balm and peppermint, aromatic and gently minty. Four of the five herbs have a European traditional-use listing for digestive complaints.

Usually about $8Out of stock: see options
Buy it if
You want a gentle, minty blend rather than one strong flavor, and you'll let it steep the full 10 to 15 minutes.
Skip it if
You're allergic to the carrot family or to ragweed and daisies: caraway and coriander belong to the first, chamomile to the second.
Read the full write-up

Five old digestive herbs in one bag

Gas Relief is caraway, coriander, chamomile, lemon balm and peppermint. Traditional Medicinals calls the taste aromatic and minty, with subtle spice, and that's the caraway and coriander talking under the mint. If fennel's anise is too much for you, this is the box I'd reach for.

Four of the five herbs have traditional-use listings with the EMA: caraway and lemon balm for bloating and flatulence, chamomile for minor stomach complaints such as bloating, peppermint for indigestion and flatulence. Steep it covered, like the fennel, and the maker says up to four cups a day.

It was out of stock on Amazon when I wrote this, which is the only reason it sits second; the button shows where it stands today. At the maker's price, about $7.50 a box of 16, it's the most expensive cup here, at about 47 cents.

What owners report

The people who drink it treat it like a routine more than a remedy: one makes a cup any time the bloating starts, another calls it the go-to tea after eating, and one finds the peppermint mild enough not to cause heartburn. Several say they can't find it in stores. Of the two lukewarm reviews, one liked the taste but went back to plain peppermint.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • Two plant families in one bag means two sets of allergy warnings.
  • It's the priciest cup on this page.
  • It can be hard to find: several owners can't get it in stores, and it was out of stock on Amazon when I checked.
Five herbsCaffeine-freeUp to 4 cups a day, per the maker16 bags
3
Twinings Pure Peppermint
Best value

Twinings Pure Peppermint

Plain peppermint with a fresh mint taste, at about 12 cents a cup in the 100-bag box. Skip it if you get heartburn.

$11.67as of 1:02 PM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if
You want an after-dinner cup every night for very little money, and you don't get heartburn.
Skip it if
You have acid reflux: the EMA says to avoid peppermint tea, because it can make heartburn worse. It also advises caution with gallstones.
Read the full write-up

The cheapest good habit

Twinings Pure Peppermint is exactly what it says: peppermint leaves and nothing else, no caffeine, each bag sealed in its own wrapper. The 100-bag box works out to about 12 cents a cup, a third of the price of the single-herb boxes from Traditional Medicinals. That's why it's my pick for a cup every night after dinner rather than only on bad days.

Twinings promises a fresh mint taste and an uplifting smell. One tea drinker describes the peppermint smell rising the second the bag hits the water and the cup darkening right away; leave the bag in and it gets strong fast, so pull it early if you want it softer.

Why I'm careful with the claims

Peppermint is the herb most people reach for first, but the study everyone quotes is about something else. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), the federal agency that studies herbal remedies, cites a 2022 review of 10 studies with 1,030 people: peppermint oil, in coated capsules, eased irritable bowel symptoms and belly pain better than a placebo. For the tea, it says very little research exists, and that the tea appears to be safe. In Europe, peppermint leaf tea is listed as a traditional remedy for indigestion and flatulence. So it's a fine after-dinner habit; just don't expect a capsule's results from a mug.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • It can make heartburn worse, per the EMA, so it's the wrong tea for anyone with reflux.
  • The capsule research doesn't carry over to the tea.
  • A hundred bags is a big box if you only drink one now and then; the 20-bag box costs about 21 cents a cup.
Single ingredient100 bags, each sealedCaffeine-freeNot with acid reflux
4
Traditional Medicinals Ginger
A warming cup

Traditional Medicinals Ginger

Only ginger root, spicy and warming. The maker suggests a cup before or after a meal.

$5.88as of 1:02 PM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if
You like heat in a mug and want a single, warming herb with no mint.
Skip it if
You get heartburn easily, or you're buying for a teenager: the EMA's bloating listing is for adults only.
Read the full write-up

Spicy root, nothing else

Ginger root is the whole recipe here. Traditional Medicinals calls it pleasantly spicy and warming, and suggests one or two cups a day, before or after a meal, steeped covered for 10 to 15 minutes. What you get is the bite of fresh ginger in a mug.

The EMA lists ginger as a traditional remedy for mild, spasmodic stomach complaints including bloating and flatulence, for adults. It also lists the side effects as common: upset stomach, burping, indigestion, heartburn and nausea, in somewhere between 1 and 10 people out of 100. NCCIH's research on ginger is mostly about nausea, not bloating.

What owners report

Some owners want more heat: a ginger fan found it not gingery enough back in 2015, and one buyer wrote last November that the recipe had changed and the ginger was barely there anymore. In 2021, another got a batch of bags that weren't sealed properly.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • Heartburn is on the EMA's list of common side effects.
  • The heat level seems to have dropped recently, according to one owner.
Single ingredientCaffeine-free1 to 2 cups a day, per the maker16 bags
5
Yogi Stomach Ease
Spice and licorice lovers

Yogi Stomach Ease

Fennel, peppermint, ginger, coriander and cardamom, sweetened by licorice root. Earthy and sweet, with licorice up front.

$17.84as of 1:02 PM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if
You like chai-style spice and the taste of licorice, and you want fennel, peppermint and ginger in one cup.
Skip it if
You have high blood pressure or heart or kidney trouble, because licorice comes first on the list, or you're pregnant or nursing, where Yogi asks you to check with your doctor first.
Read the full write-up

Licorice, fennel and warm spice

Licorice root leads the ingredient list, followed by cardamom, fennel, coriander, peppermint and ginger, plus toasted brown rice and black pepper. Yogi calls the result earthy, sweet and refreshing. For brewing, the directions are boiling water and 7 minutes, with a second bag if you like it stronger.

The people who drink it describe it as heavy on licorice and fennel, smooth, with an almost numbing feel on the tongue. One drinker who loves licorice found it surprisingly tasty; another found it a bit too strong on licorice, and a third was put off by the peppermint.

The licorice is the reason it isn't higher. NCCIH says even small amounts of glycyrrhizin, the compound in licorice root, have been linked to serious effects in people with high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease. My guide to teas for a sore throat goes into licorice in more detail.

The four-box pack works out to 64 bags, about 28 cents a cup.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • Licorice leads the list.
  • Caramel and brown rice flavors are part of the recipe, if you'd rather drink herbs only.
  • The link is a four-box pack, about $18, so you buy 64 bags up front.
Licorice is the first ingredientCaffeine-freePregnancy warning from Yogi64 bags in four boxes
6
Traditional Medicinals Chamomile
Before bed

Traditional Medicinals Chamomile

Just chamomile flowers, floral with a honey note. The quiet cup for an evening when your stomach feels tight and mint is the last thing you want.

$5.88as of 1:02 PM ETCheck price on Amazon
Buy it if
Mint gives you heartburn and fennel isn't for you, and you want a quiet cup in the evening.
Skip it if
Ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies set off your allergies, or you take warfarin: NCCIH flags both.
Read the full write-up

The cup for the evening

The box holds chamomile flowers and nothing more. The Amazon listing describes it as fragrant and floral with notes of honey. It has no mint and nothing from the carrot family, so it's the one to try if those rule out the others.

The EMA lists chamomile tea as a traditional remedy for minor stomach complaints "such as bloating and minor spasms." NCCIH is cooler on it: it says studies haven't produced enough reliable evidence to rate chamomile's clinical usefulness, though it's likely safe in tea. So think of it as the gentlest cup here, not the strongest.

What owners report

Owners talk about the smell first: one says it's the scent of the chamomile flowers they used to find on the ground as a child, another that it doesn't taste perfumed like some brands. One drinks it as a nightcap. A couple of them blend it: one steeps it with peppermint, another drinks it in the morning alongside fennel and ginger. One complaint, from 2018, was a box that came out weak and watery.

Flaws but not dealbreakers
  • NCCIH says the evidence isn't enough to rate its clinical usefulness.
  • Allergic reactions are possible, NCCIH notes.
Single ingredientCaffeine-freeSkip it with a ragweed allergy16 bags

Who this is for

Anyone who feels full, tight and gassy after meals and wants a warm, caffeine-free cup to help with it. Some gas is normal: the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says bloating and burping are common during and after meals, and that people pass gas 8 to 14 times a day on average, with up to 25 considered normal. Gas becomes a problem, NIDDK says, when it happens often, bothers you, or gets in the way of your day. When it comes with other symptoms, tea isn't the answer; the last question at the bottom of this page lists the ones that call for a doctor.

If you're after an everyday tea rather than an after-dinner one, my guide to the best tea brands covers the boxes worth keeping in the cupboard.

How to choose

If you get heartburn

The EMA says people with acid reflux should avoid peppermint tea, and lists heartburn among ginger's common side effects. That leaves the Traditional Medicinals fennel and the Traditional Medicinals chamomile as the safer bets.

If you have plant allergies

Fennel, caraway and coriander belong to the carrot family; chamomile belongs to the ragweed and daisy family. The EMA flags carrot-family allergies for fennel, and NCCIH flags ragweed-family allergies for chamomile. Gas Relief contains both families, so it's the one to read twice.

If licorice isn't your flavor

Fennel tastes like anise, and Stomach Ease contains real licorice root. Gas Relief, peppermint, ginger and chamomile have none of it.

If it's every night

For a cup after every dinner, the 100-bag peppermint box is about 12 cents a cup. For the occasional heavy meal, the 32 bags of fennel or a 16-bag box of Gas Relief last a long while.

What I'd skip

Detox teas sold for a flat tummy

The detox tea that shows up near the top of Google for this search contains senna leaf, and its own listing says it "acts as a natural laxative." That makes it a laxative, not a digestive tea, and nothing in the EMA, NCCIH, NIDDK or Mayo Clinic pages I used recommends a detox for bloating.

Traditional Medicinals Smooth Move

A good tea for its own job, which is constipation: it's senna, and the listing says it works within 6 to 12 hours. It shows up in bloating searches, but it's a laxative, so keep it for when that's actually the problem.

Traditional Medicinals Belly Comfort Peppermint

Peppermint with green tea. The listing calls it caffeine-free and, a few lines down, says each bag has about 9 mg of caffeine from the green tea. Plain peppermint does the same job without the question.

How I picked

Caffeine-freeBuilt on herbs the EMA lists for bloating, flatulence or indigestionFull ingredient list published by the makerNo laxatives, no detox claimsSold on Amazon

Nineteen teas sold for bloating and gas made the comparison. For each one I started with the maker's ingredient list, directions and warnings. The health claims rest on the European Medicines Agency's herbal monographs, NCCIH, NIDDK and Mayo Clinic. The owner stories come from reviews posted on Traditional Medicinals' site for its four teas, and from Steepster tasting notes for Twinings and Yogi. Prices are Amazon's on the day of writing, worked out per bag, except Gas Relief, which uses the maker's price.

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Common questions

Which herbal tea is best for bloating?

Fennel is my pick: one herb, and the European Medicines Agency lists fennel tea as a traditional remedy for mild bloating and flatulence. Ginger, chamomile, caraway and lemon balm have listings that name bloating too, and peppermint one for indigestion and flatulence. All of them rest on long use rather than clinical trials.

What should I drink if I feel bloated and gassy?

A warm, caffeine-free herbal tea after the meal, such as fennel, Gas Relief or peppermint, sipped slowly. Skip fizzy drinks and straws: NIDDK lists both among the ways you swallow extra air.

How fast does tea work for bloating?

No study gives a time for the teas on this page. Steeping alone takes a while: 10 to 15 minutes, covered, for the Traditional Medicinals boxes, 7 for Yogi. Several fennel owners drink a cup right after the meal that caused the trouble.

Can herbal tea cause bloating?

It can upset some stomachs. The EMA lists upset stomach, burping and heartburn as common side effects of ginger, and says peppermint can make heartburn worse. If a tea makes you feel worse, try a different herb.

When is bloating a reason to see a doctor?

Mayo Clinic says to see a doctor if gas pain won't go away or comes with blood in your stool, changes in your bowel habits, weight loss, constipation or diarrhea, or repeated nausea or vomiting, and to get care right away for long-lasting stomach pain or chest pain.

The verdict

Fennel after dinner, given its full steep

One herb, a European traditional-use listing that names bloating and flatulence, and a sweet, gentle anise taste. Let it steep the full 10 to 15 minutes, right after the meal.

Check price on Amazon$13.98 as of 1:02 PM ET

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