5 Drinks for Improving Digestion

They say that a healthy gut is the key to a healthy you! If there’s one thing that we all know and need to understand about the human body is this: The human body has a leader that controls and impacts all its important functions, right from the immune system, digestion, mental health, metabolism to even one’s skin health, among other things. Needless to say, that leader is the gut.

Your gut comprises a number of microorganisms that play an instrumental role in facilitating the body’s overall function and wellbeing. That’s known as the gut microbiome or gut flora. Any imbalance of unhealthy and healthy microbes in the gut could create havoc in your body, resulting in weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a weakened immune system, and other disorders. The best way to maintain gut health is by altering your diet. There are many herbal drinks and probiotics that play an instrumental role in improving your digestion and gut health. In this article, we shall discuss 5 such prominent drinks in great detail. So, what are you waiting for? Let us get started.

Drinks That Benefit Digestion

Proper digestion is vital for your body to function to its optimal level. There are many drinks that aid your digestion process and make sure that the food you eat gets processed properly in the gut to provide proper nourishment to your body. Herbal teas are the perfect kind of drinks to soothe common digestive complaints. Let’s look at some of these drinks in detail so as to be better prepared the next time our digestive system is under attack.

Water

This needs no introduction or explanation. Water is essential for good health. In fact it is essential for the very act of survival. It plays a critical role in the entire digestive process, right from the time you put food in your mouth to the time you pass it out of your body as stool.Water is a major component of your saliva, which helps to moisten the morsel you eat so that it becomes easy to chew and swallow. It also plays a vital role in helping the enzymes break down the food you eat, thereby allowing the body to absorb all the nutrients from it.

 Not having sufficient water will lead the large intestine in your body to soak up water from the food waste, which will cause your stool to harden, making it difficult to pass. Lack of enough water in the system will hinder proper digestion and lead to acidity and heartburn as well. That is why water may be the most basic but the most important drink used to improve digestion.

Ginger Tea

Ginger root is known throughout the world for its ability to ease gastrointestinal problems. A 2019 research published in the Food Science and Nutrition indicates that ginger contains compounds known as gingerols and shogaols that may prevent flatulence, cramping, nausea bloating, and indigestion, among other gut health issues. Additionally, it reduces the pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter. Ginger is also known for its anti-inflammatory properties, which help to reduce any swelling or pain in the gut. People can drink ginger tea made from the fresh root, powder, or tea bags. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women and individuals who are undergoing chemotherapy must consult a medical practitioner before consuming it.

Chamomile Tea

This is another beverage that helps improve digestion. It is known for its anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, which means that it can help reduce spasms in your body, including your stomach and intestines. That is why many prefer to have this to reduce abdominal gas and alleviate stomach pain and cramps caused due to it. Many people also like to have it to ease symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome as research suggests that it helps to calm down the muscles in your gut and speed up the time between your meal and bowel movement.

While there is no particular dosage or measurement of how much chamomile tea you should drink daily, it is best to err on the side of caution and have between one to three cups a day. A soothing and calming cup of chamomile tea daily will definitely improve your digestive health among other things, but it must be noted here that we don’t know the long-term effects of drinking this tea. That is why, if you are taking it daily, it is best to take a break after 2 months. Chamomile tea is known for its distinct earthy, floral flavour, which though acquired, will appeal to you over a period of time. Usually the tea has a slight sweet flavour so you don’t need to add any additives. However, should you still want to, you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice or honey to enhance the flavour.

Peppermint Tea

In the list of herbal teas that improve digestion and gut health, peppermint tea definitely finds a place. The natural compound known as menthol that’s found in peppermint leaves is known to relax the digestive system. This tea is also known for its anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, and thus helps to prevent spasms and inflammation in the gut. It may also help in relieving symptoms of nausea, gas, bloating or indigestion. Peppermint tea is usually safe for people of all age groups, however, they need to be consumed in moderation as per the dosage recommended by your doctor. Usually 1-2 cups of this tea is sufficient every day. Too much of it can trigger or worsen symptoms of heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Consult your medical practitioner if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or are allergic to peppermint.

Probiotic + Prebiotic

Probiotics play a vital role in maintaining good gut health. They are available either in fermented foods and drinks or dietary supplements. Probiotics are live microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria that thrive in the gut and are known for their many health benefits, the primary one being improving your gut health. Buttermilk, kombucha, and other fermented drinks are perfect examples of probiotics. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are carbs or fiber (such as chicory root, bananas, artichoke, leeks, asparagus and the like) that cannot be digested by your gut but serve as food for the healthy bacteria or probiotics in your gut. Needless to say, a combination of both is what works best for you and your gut. That is where Wellbeing Nutrition’s Probiotic + Prebiotic comes into the picture.

A tube containing 15 effervescent tablets, Probiotic + Prebiotic will not only support your digestive health and neutralize toxins but also improve your metabolism, ease acidity and heartburn and help prevent other gut-related issues. With 36 billion (CFU) active live cultures per serving your gut microbiome will thrive and be healthy, ridding it of all digestive problems. Just put a tablet in a glass of water, watch it fizz and gulp down the green apple-flavoured delicious drink!

References:

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• Popkin BM, D'Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010;68(8):439-458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908954/)
• Nikkhah Bodagh M, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2018;7(1):96-108. Published 2018 Nov 5. doi:10.1002/fsn3.807. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6341159/)
• Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Mol Med Rep. 2010;3(6):895-901. doi:10.3892/mmr.2010.377. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/)
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