What To Drink After a Meal To Help Digestion
Have you ever eaten a delicious meal only to be hit with dreaded indigestion? Whether it shows up in the form of nausea, stomach discomfort, or bloating, one thing’s for sure — you’d do anything to feel better.
Well, you’re in luck — there are a few natural remedies you can try to help soothe your stomach after you’re done eating. Here are our top favorite drinks to help calm digestive upset and some more tips on how to support healthy digestion.
What Drinks Can Support Digestion After a Meal?
While the food you eat plays the main role when it comes to supporting digestion, there are a few other tricks you can try to ease discomfort. Here are a few drinks you can drink after a meal to help aid digestion.
Water
One of the first and most important things you can drink after a meal is water. You’ll notice that water is also a part of every other suggestion on our list — that’s how important it is!
When digested food enters the small and large intestines, your body pulls water into the digestive tract. This helps keep food soft and easy to move through the digestive system and also helps improve nutrient absorption.
After eating, try drinking a glass or two of warm water to give your body a little extra hydration. You can even flavor it with lemon juice if you need an extra incentive to drink it.
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is one of the most popular natural remedies for digestive problems. This is because ginger contains gingerol, a compound that actually speeds up the rate at which food moves through the gastrointestinal tract. By making sure food doesn’t sit as long, ginger tea can help reduce heartburn and nausea.
You can make ginger tea by brewing a pre-made tea bag or by steeping some sliced ginger root in hot water. This tea is slightly spicy and tangy, and it pairs well with a bit of lemon juice and a drizzle of honey.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea helps relax the muscles in the digestive system, increasing the speed of digestion and helping food move through the digestive system. This relaxation can also help gas exit the digestive system, which can help relieve pain after eating.
Note: peppermint tea can aggravate symptoms in people with GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), as it can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, leading to acid reflux.
Kombucha
Kombucha is a type of fermented tea that contains tons of beneficial bacteria. These bacteria can replenish your natural gut bacteria, filling your digestive tract with good bacteria to help support digestion.
Your good gut bacteria help break down food and produce digestive enzymes, as well as contribute to immune health and mental well-being. Normally, this bacteria exists in a delicately balanced state. However, it’s easy to upset this balance, which can lead to digestive issues and indigestion.
When you’re choosing kombucha, it pays to be picky. Many commercial brands of kombucha add extra sugar to the mix, which can actually harm the good gut bacteria. Also, remember that kombucha is traditionally made with black tea, which is caffeinated — so it might not be the best nightcap.
Fennel Tea
Fennel tea contains compounds that can help relax stomach muscles and speed up digestion. Because of this, it can help address stomach cramps and heartburn after eating. It can even help you feel less full, which could be especially helpful after Thanksgiving dinner.
As a bonus, fennel can also encourage respiratory wellness, which can really come in handy during flu and cold season. You can either make fennel tea by steeping a tea bag or pouring hot water over fresh fennel.
Prune Juice
Prune juice has a rich history as a folk remedy for constipation. And, while folk remedies are technically based on stories and personal experiences, many of them have been proven to be true through modern research.
For instance, a new study has shown that prune juice can help encourage regular bowel movements. This could be because of its high fiber content or its high levels of polyphenols, a compound that can support digestive health.
Rooibos
Rooibos is an African plant that has been used for centuries to address cramping and indigestion after eating. This plant is brewed like herbal tea and has a sweet, earthy taste.
Rooibos is still an important part of African folk medicine today, and we have now found that it contains high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that can support gut health.
Mushroom Coffee
Our mushroom coffee is made using lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms, which are full of fiber to support healthy digestion. Our formula also features grass-fed collagen protein, which can support the inner lining of the intestines, encouraging a smooth digestive process.
To round out the formula, our Mushroom Coffee+ contains coffee extract for taste and feelings of energy and L-theanine to encourage feelings of relaxation. When you combine these health benefits, this functional coffee is worth its weight in gold.
How Else Can You Support Digestion?
There’s more to supporting digestion than just drinking water and taking supplements. Encouraging gut health involves making targeted lifestyle choices to keep your body running in tip-top shape. You could also try upping your fiber intake by drinking green juice or smoothies.
Getting exercise is another great way to help your body digest food, as movement can help keep food cruising through your digestive tract. Managing stress is also important for both your overall health and digestion since stress can kill off good gut bacteria.
If you’re not sure where to start, you can always try scheduling a visit with a registered dietitian (RDN). They can help you come up with a diet plan that meets all of your needs while addressing any food intolerances that could be causing your indigestion.
The Bottom Line
Indigestion is no fun, especially when you’re trying to enjoy some quality time with the people you love after a good meal. Luckily, you can try brewing up some ginger tea, kombucha, or mushroom coffee to help keep things moving.
At Everyday Dose, functional mushrooms are our passion. All of our functional blends include a proprietary mixture of nootropics to help encourage focus and mental clarity so that you can feel the zen wherever you go. To learn more about the benefits of mushroom coffee, check out our blog today.
Sources:
Ginger Benefits | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Peppermint Information | Mount Sinai - New York
Prune juice for constipation? A new study says yes | Harvard Health
The health benefits of rooibos tea in humans (aspalathus linearis)-a scoping review | PMC
