Tea for Diarrhea: 9 Options That May Help

Tea for diarrhea may help ease loose stools, intestinal cramping, gas, and other digestive discomfort. Options such as chamomile, peppermint, anise, black tea, fennel, and Surinam cherry leaf tea contain plant compounds with anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, or astringent properties.

These teas should be used as supportive home remedies rather than proven treatments for diarrhea. Evidence varies between herbs, and some options, such as chamomile and peppermint tea, have limited research specifically for treating diarrhea.

Tea for diarrhea may be useful for mild symptoms, but severe or frequent diarrhea can require medical evaluation. Diarrhea that occurs more than 3 times a day or comes with a high fever or blood in the stool should be assessed by a healthcare provider.

Some of the main tea options for diarrhea include:

1. Chamomile tea

Chamomile tea may help relieve digestive discomfort because it contains apigenin, quercetin, and patuletin, phenolic compounds with anti-inflammatory and calming properties. These effects may help reduce gastrointestinal irritation and ease intestinal cramping.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), chamomile alone has not been shown to help treat diarrhea, although it is considered likely safe when consumed in amounts commonly found in tea and other foods.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (4 g) dried chamomile flowers

• 1 cup (240 mL) water

How to prepare

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan, then turn off the heat. Add the dried chamomile flowers, cover, and let steep for about 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to 4 times a day.

2. Surinam cherry leaf tea

Surinam cherry leaf tea, also known as pitanga leaf tea, contains plant compounds with astringent and digestive properties that may help reduce diarrhea.

Surinam cherry leaves also contain polyphenols that may support intestinal flora and digestive function. However, evidence supporting Surinam cherry leaf tea as a treatment for diarrhea in humans is limited.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fresh Surinam cherry leaves

• 1 L (about 4¼ cups) water

How to prepare

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the Surinam cherry leaves, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to 3 cups of this tea per day.

3. Anise tea

Anise tea may help relieve discomfort associated with diarrhea because it contains anethole, estragole, eugenol, and linalool. These bioactive compounds may have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that help ease intestinal cramping.

Anise tea may also help reduce excess gas and the abdominal discomfort it can cause.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon dried anise seeds

• 1 cup (240 mL) water

How to prepare

Crush or lightly grind the anise seeds. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan or kettle, then turn off the heat. Add the anise seeds, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.

Strain and drink while warm. You can drink up to 3 cups of this tea per day for up to 2 consecutive weeks.

4. Marcela tea

Marcela tea, made from Achyrocline satureioides, contains compounds with anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antispasmodic properties. It may help relieve abdominal pain and intestinal cramping associated with diarrhea, although evidence from human studies is limited.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon (0.5 to 1.5 g) dried marcela flowers

• 1 cup (240 mL) water

How to prepare

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan or kettle. Turn off the heat, add the marcela flowers, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.

Strain and drink immediately. You can drink up to 3 cups per day for up to 15 consecutive days. Take a 5-day break before using it again.

5. Peppermint tea

Peppermint tea may help relieve digestive discomfort because peppermint has antispasmodic properties that can help reduce gas and intestinal cramping.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), most research on peppermint has focused on peppermint oil for irritable bowel syndrome, while very little research has evaluated peppermint leaf. For this reason, there is not enough evidence to confirm that peppermint tea treats diarrhea.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon peppermint leaves

• 1 cup (240 mL) water

How to prepare

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat and add the peppermint leaves. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes before serving. Drink no more than 3 cups per day.

6. Guava leaf tea

Guava leaves contain tannins and other plant compounds with astringent, antispasmodic, and antimicrobial activity. Guava leaf tea is traditionally used to help relieve diarrhea and abdominal discomfort, although more human studies are needed to confirm these effects.

Ingredients

• 10 young guava leaves or shoots

• 500 mL (about 2 cups) water

How to prepare

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the guava leaves, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink this tea 3 to 4 times a day.

7. Black tea

Black tea contains tannins, plant compounds with astringent properties that may help reduce intestinal secretions. This may help temporarily reduce loose stools and intestinal discomfort.

Black tea also contains caffeine, so drinking too much may cause restlessness, trouble sleeping, or a rapid heartbeat in some people.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 mL) water

• 1 black tea bag or 1 teaspoon dried black tea leaves

How to prepare

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the tea bag or black tea leaves, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.

Strain and drink while warm. Drink no more than 3 cups of black tea per day.

8. Cinnamon tea

Cinnamon contains coumarin, cinnamic acid, and other bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. Research suggests that cinnamon compounds may also influence intestinal bacteria, although there is not enough evidence to establish cinnamon tea as an effective treatment for diarrhea in humans.

Ingredients

• 1 g cinnamon stick

• 1 cup (240 mL) boiling water

How to prepare

Place the cinnamon stick and water in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and drink the tea. You can drink up to 3 cups of cinnamon tea per day.

9. Fennel tea

Fennel tea contains compounds with anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties that may help relieve digestive discomfort, intestinal cramping, and excess gas.

However, there is not enough clinical evidence to consider fennel tea an effective treatment for diarrhea or intestinal parasites.

Ingredients

• 150 mL (about ⅔ cup) water

• 1 teaspoon (5 to 7 g) fennel seeds or fresh fennel leaves

How to prepare

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the fennel seeds or leaves, cover, and let steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Allow it to cool slightly, strain, and drink up to 3 times a day.