‘Which teas are safe for IBS?’ This is a question you may want to be asking your dietitian.
You know that staying hydrated is important for your IBS control. But, you may feel frustrated in having to drink just water – it is bland and fairly boring.
This conundrum may leave you a little frustrated and actually unable to stick to the increased fluid intake that you need.
So tea can be a good option – it has more flavour than water, is warming and has little or no caffeine in it.
But don’t be fooled! Some tea can worsen symptoms. Now I must be clear in this post, no tea will ‘help sooth’ your symptoms but they do provide a handy hydration tool when used wisely.
This post will guide you on what teas and in what amount you can drink safely with IBS.
Table of Contents
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is a safe tea for IBS.
Ginger contains no FODMAPs or caffeine so it can be a nice way to hydrate! You can use either fresh ginger with hot water or a ginger tea bag.
Some people claim that ginger helps settle their stomach, but there is no scientific proof to back up these claims.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is a safe tea for IBS.
You can drink peppermint tea in the safe knowledge that it contains no caffeine or FODMAPs. Some people claim that peppermint tea helps their IBS symptoms, but there is no scientific proof for this.
Peppermint oil capsules have been proven to help IBS symptoms, but these would be much stronger than drinking the tea alone (1, 2).
If you have acid reflux, please avoid peppermint tea as it can flare symptoms.
Green Tea
Green tea is safe for IBS in moderation.
Green tea is safe for IBS is low FODMAP but it contains caffeine. You likely have not realised this and it is often where people go wrong.
You do not need to avoid green tea, just be mindful of the quantity. Find your own caffeine tolerance.
1 cup of green tea contains around 35mg of caffeine (3). For general health you should not exceed 400mg / day or 200mg if you are pregnant / breastfeeding (4).
Teas To Avoid With IBS
There are several teas which you must avoid if you have IBS. This is due to their FODMAP content.
Please note, the following list is just some examples;
- Fennel tea
- Strong chai tea
- Chamomile tea
- Oolong tea
Is Kombucha Tea Good For IBS?
Kombucha tea is a fermented tea which claims to provide good gut bacteria.
While kombucha tea does contain some bacteria – it is unclear whether this is actually a probiotic or not. There is absolutely no proof that drinking kombucha will impact the bacteria in your gut.
You must also be careful because just 1 mug of Kombucha tea (around 250mls) is considered high FODMAP by Monash (5). This is due to the high content of fructans in the tea.
Bottom Line
Tea is a really useful way to get enough fluid in each day. You just need to be careful and avoid teas which contain FODMAPs as well as drinking too much caffeine.
What Is Your Favourite Tea? Comment Below ⬇️
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Kirsten Jackson is a UK registered Consultant Gastroenterology Dietitian and founder of The Food Treatment Clinic. She has undergone many qualifications to get where she is today, including a UK BSc Honours Degree in Dietetics and Post-Graduate Certificate in Advanced Dietetics. In addition to this, she has FODMAP Training from Kings College London University. Kirsten set up The Food Treatment Clinic in 2015 after first experiencing digestive problems herself. She felt that the NHS was unable to provide the support individuals needed and went on to specialise in this area before opening a bespoke IBS service. Kirsten also participates in charity work as an Expert Advisor for the IBS Network. In addition, she can be seen in publications such as Cosmopolitan and The Telegraph discussing IBS as an Official Media Spokesperson to the IBS Network.
I only drink rooibos tea these days. Is this ok as far as you know?
Yes this is fine! 🙂
I have ibs colitis i stay bloated stomach pain and gas. no medicine i got from my gasterolgis has helped i take high blood pressure medicine is their any teas that i can drink that is safe and will help desperate
Hi Nelsie – sorry to hear this. There are no teas which would make colitis worse so do not worry. I wish you all the luck in this!
I am 15 and I have been dealing with GI problems for the last 6 years and we haven’t figured out what it is but I recently found out about ibs and all of its symptoms fit perfectly with the symptoms I am having so I need to talk to my doctor as soon as possible but because of corona I have to wait a while so is there anything you recommend me trying. ( I am fructose intolerant, have severe anxiety, have had surgery to remove ovarian cyst and I am on oral contraceptives)
I would recommend working with a dietitian as this sounds complex. I would suggest a paediatric dietitian due to your age.
It’s your anxiety that’s causing your ibs and maybe even depression. After suffering for years I have come to this painful and hard to admit reality. Seek psychological help asap imo
Yes it can be an element and psychological treatments have been proven to help.
Hello I have ibs and drink black tea is that ok
Yes in moderation due to caffeine 🙂
Why do you say chamomile not recommended?
It is high FODMAP
Hi have you ever heard of Vive Biotics and is safe to use
Hi Diana. With any probiotics it is all about trial and error. What works for someone may not work for another person as you will need to have a specific probiotic for your symptoms. For example, someone with diarrhoea predominant IBS may need different probiotics to someone with constipation predominant IBS.