An upset stomach, also calleddyspepsia, can cause a lot of woes, interrupting sleep and making it impossible to work. Most discount and grocery stores have a large portion of an aisle dedicated to this ailment, filled to the brim with chalky chewables, acid reducing tablets, and other medications dedicated to easing tummy troubles. An old remedy, warm herbal tea, has been a tried and true curative for years, offering a delicious, greener, and safer alternative to medications and commercial remedies. Here is a sampling of tea recipes sure to tame even the angriest stomach.
To use the recipes as stated, it is recommended that a metal tea steeper is used. The following mixes should be created and then kept in a baggie for later use. Water used to steep the teas should be boiling hot and the leaves dried out completely before use. It is highly not recommended to ever use soft fresh leaves for tea, as some varieties like raspberry can be poisonous in large quantities if drunk fresh.
Mint: To create mint tea, a blend of mint leaves or those of a single variety are equally recommended. Spearmint, peppermint, and wintergreen all make teas perfect to calm an upset stomach. When mixed, the variety gives a whole and very palatable flavor. Single varieties have their own merit, and one may develop a personal preference for one that is more easily drunk than the others based on flavor. Strength of the brew is a matter of taste, but as a rule of thumb, the stronger the brew, the better the strength.
Cinnamon: Common cinnamon today is usually a blend of cinnamon and a similar bark that is slightly less concentrated in oils. When cinnamon is blended with green tea, it creates a great way to calm an upset stomach. The best method of mixing the two is to take a stick of cinnamon bark and let it rest in the cup of green tea. Green tea’s diuretic properties also contribute to easing and relieving stomach issues. Strong tannins can condition the stomach and ease even sharp pains. The best way to release the cinnamon’s curative powers is to add a drop of honey, which is a well-known Ayurvedic curative.
Oolong: An oolong tea mixed with a tiny bit of raspberry leaf creates a definite calming affect on the stomach. When slightly cooled to room temperature and allowed to be brewed strong, the affect on an upset stomach is quick and affective. It is not recommended to add sugar when at all possible, as sweet tea can cause stomach cramping when drunk too quickly. If one must add honey or sugar, sip slowly but drink the tea thoroughly.
Chamomile: Chamomile tea is well known for encouraging drowsiness for an otherwise insomniac individual. When a touch of ginger is added, Chamomile tea becomes a stomach cure all. The soothing sensation of ginger in a soothing warm cup of tea offers hope to those with an upset stomach. Though often drunk only at night, chamomile is fast becoming an all-day relaxant, good for anything from stress to jitters. When served with fresh gingerbread, the healing powers of chamomile and ginger are multiplied. Easing down with a cup of tea helps relax the body which can also in turn relax the stomach even more.
A salty baking soda tea may seem like an odd concoction, but it is one my grandmother has always offered her grandchildren to calm an upset stomach. Basically this tea is a mixture of warm water, one teaspoon of baking soda, and a single hard peppermint candy dropped into the cup. It sounds horrible, and to a child drinking the cloudy liquid, it often was, but the following sensation of a soothed belly ache was enough to have us humbly requesting the potion whenever we had eaten the wrong thing.
Though the various teas and beverages may seem to stem from old wives tales likened to herbalists concoctions or folk remedies, the truth is undeniable that many work, and for individuals who have trouble using antacids or medications, homemade solutions are usually best. Sipping tea is a warm, nostalgic pastime that has changed nations, drawn businessmen closer, given ladies a reason to gather, and been an inspiration for an entire culture. How fantastic that it yet today offers so many individuals a cure for such a common ailment!
