Constipation: Can Tea Help?

by Eric Bakker N.D.

Before using a team or anything to treat constipation, you need to find out why your bowels aren’t working well. Even before I talk to my clients about how to manage their constipation, we talk about why they aren’t moving their bowels regularly. There’s a reason for that, and it needs fixing. Once you know the cause, you can work on reversing it.

Certain teas can help manage constipation while you’re addressing the underlying cause. One of the drinks I regularly recommend for constipation is prune tea. To make prune tea, you take three or four soft prunes, preferably organic, and pop them into eight ounces of boiling water. Let the prunes stand for four to five minutes, stirring the water every so often. Drink the tea once it has cooled down.

Most people can tolerate prune tea. If you’ve got a Candida yeast or bacterial problem, the natural sugar content of prune tea may cause you some problems. If you drink one prune tea daily, your constipation will likely get noticeably better.

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Another excellent tea for gut health is peppermint tea. Peppermint tea is good for SIBO, parasite problems, or a yeast infection in the gut. Peppermint tea helps digestion because it relaxes the intestines. Many people get constipation due to tension and stress, even if they have a very good diet. Peppermint tea is especially helpful if you’ve got any gas, bloating, or abdominal discomfort. Other teas that can help with constipation include slippery elm and aloe vera.

Your local health food store is a good source of teas for improving bowel function. One drink I particularly like for constipation is called Alpine tea. I don’t tend to recommend herbs like cascara or Senna for constipation. Many people experienced cramping pain and nausea when those herbs to manage their bowels. I would use Senna or cascara as a last resort. I’m much more likely to recommend prune or peppermint tea to my clients.

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About Eric Bakker N.D.

Eric Bakker ND has completed almost ten years of study and has almost almost 25 years of clinical experience in natural and integrative forms of medicine, and has pursued continuous post-graduate study in Australia, America, India as well as in New Zealand.

Eric is the past Vice President of the NZ Natural Medicine Association and is currently on their editorial advisory board.