Quick answer
Quick answer
Of the four herbs people name, peppermint has the most research for gut symptoms, but nearly all of it tested peppermint oil, often in enteric-coated capsules: a 2006 review found clinical trials of peppermint tea absent.1,2 Ginger's trials were mostly for nausea and used supplements.4 Fennel and chamomile, like peppermint leaf, rest on traditional use: at least 30 years of safe use, but not trial evidence.7,10
Which tea has the most research for bloating?
No source we checked ranks teas for bloating. Of the four, peppermint has the most gut research, but almost all of it tested peppermint oil rather than the leaf you brew. Ginger has trial data, mostly for nausea and mostly from supplements. Fennel and chamomile rest on long traditional use. The table sets out, for each herb, what was actually tested, what the source concluded, and the caution it gives.1,4,7,10
| Tea | What was tested (form, dose, people) | What the source says | Caution the source gives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peppermint | Mostly peppermint oil, often in enteric-coated capsules, in people with a digestive condition this page does not cover; very little on peppermint leaf; no clinical trials of peppermint tea, as of a 2006 review 1,2 | Peppermint leaf can be used for "relief of digestion-related problems such as indigestion and flatulence," on traditional use, in adults and children over 4 3 | Can worsen reflux and heartburn; caution with gallstones or other bile problems 3. The tea appears safe; long-term safety of large amounts of leaf is unknown 1 |
| Ginger | Mostly dietary supplements rather than foods, for several types of nausea; 1,500 mg a day in divided doses for nausea in a review of trials 4,5 | Traditional use for "mild, spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence," not based on clinical studies 6 | Heartburn, diarrhea, belly discomfort, and irritation of the mouth and throat 4; not for under-18s for these uses, for lack of data, nor in pregnancy or breastfeeding 6 |
| Fennel | No fact sheet in NIH's herb list; sweet fennel fruit assessed in Europe as herbal tea, tablets or capsules, with "limited experimental studies" 13,7 | Traditional use for mild, spasmodic digestive complaints including bloating and flatulence 7 | Allergic reactions affecting the skin or breathing; not for children under 4; to be taken for no more than 1 to 2 weeks 7 |
| Chamomile | Studies not enough to rate its clinical usefulness; human studies limited; clinical studies too weak for Europe's agency to use as evidence 8,9,10 | Traditional use for "minor gastro-intestinal (stomach and gut) complaints such as bloating and minor spasms" 10 | Allergic reactions, more likely with ragweed, chrysanthemum, marigold or daisy allergy; reported interactions with warfarin and some drugs the liver processes 8 |
Sources 1 to 10 and 13, linked below. "What the source says" is Europe's medicines agency's conclusion for each herb as a medicine; it is not a finding from a trial of the tea.
Does peppermint tea help bloating?
No trial has tested it. A 2006 review found that "clinical trials of peppermint tea are absent," and NCCIH, part of the National Institutes of Health, says that very little research has been done on peppermint leaf. The peppermint research that does exist mostly tested the oil, in enteric-coated capsules, in people with a digestive condition this page does not cover.2,1
"Very little research has been done on peppermint leaf. There is not enough evidence to definitely determine whether peppermint leaf is useful for any health condition."
Europe's medicines agency, which assesses herbal medicines, still accepts peppermint leaf preparations for indigestion and flatulence. It does so on "traditional use," which it explains this way: "although there is insufficient evidence from clinical trials, the effectiveness of these herbal medicines is plausible" and they have been used safely for at least 30 years. In its assessment it weighed laboratory tests suggesting the leaf relaxed the gut.3
Reviews of herbal remedies point the same way. A 2023 Cochrane review, summarized in 2024 for family physicians, pooled 41 trials of 27 herbal products in 4,477 adults with a diagnosed digestive condition; "Studies of most herbal products found no difference when compared with placebo." Peppermint appeared in it as peppermint oil combined with caraway oil, not as tea.11 A 2025 European expert consensus on bloating found the evidence too thin to recommend herbal medicines, peppermint oil among them, for bloating diagnosed as a digestive condition; 95% of the experts agreed, and they rated the evidence very low.12
Does ginger tea help bloating?
No trial we found tested ginger tea for bloating. NCCIH says ginger has been studied for several types of nausea and vomiting, and that most of those studies tested dietary supplements rather than foods. A 2019 review of ginger trials found that 1,500 mg a day, split into smaller doses, helped with nausea, and that other digestive uses had too few studies to show clear results.4,5
Europe's medicines agency draws the line clearly. It accepts one ginger powder for nausea and vomiting in motion sickness on clinical studies, and lists ginger for "mild, spasmodic gastrointestinal complaints including bloating and flatulence" on traditional use alone, which it says "is exclusively based upon long-standing medicinal use and not based on results from clinical studies."6 The two agencies read the motion sickness studies differently: NCCIH says most of them have not shown ginger to be helpful.4
Ginger has side effects of its own, NCCIH notes, from heartburn and diarrhea to belly discomfort and an irritated mouth or throat.4
What about fennel and chamomile tea?
Both rest on traditional use. Europe's medicines agency lists sweet fennel fruit, which it says is taken as herbal tea, tablets or capsules, for mild, spasmodic digestive complaints including bloating and flatulence, and chamomile flower for minor stomach and gut complaints such as bloating. In both cases it relies on long use, not trial results. NIH's herb list has no fennel entry, and NCCIH says chamomile studies cannot yet rate its usefulness.7,10,13,8
For fennel, the agency says "The long-standing use over more than 30 years and limited experimental studies make the traditional use in the above-mentioned indications plausible," and that its preparations should be taken for no more than 1 to 2 weeks.7 For chamomile, it looked at several clinical studies and set them aside: "the data were insufficient to be used as evidence," mainly because the herb was not compared with anything else in those studies.10 A 2006 review of chamomile tea likewise found human studies limited.9
NCCIH says chamomile is likely safe when used orally in amounts commonly found in teas and other foods.8 Its cautions, and fennel's, are in the next section.
Who should be careful with herbal tea for bloating?
People with reflux or heartburn, people with plant allergies, anyone on regular medicines, children, and anyone pregnant or breastfeeding. NCCIH gives the same advice on each herb page used here: if you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider first, because some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways. The details below come from the agency pages and reviews on this page.1,4,8
- Reflux or heartburn.Europe's medicines agency lists worsening of reflux and heartburn among peppermint leaf's side effects, and the 2006 review notes that caution has been urged for peppermint oil in people with reflux, hiatal hernia or kidney stones.3,2
- Plant allergies.Chamomile allergy is more likely in people allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies, NCCIH says, and allergic reactions are the most common side effect of sweet fennel fruit, per the European agency.8,7
- Medicines.Interactions between chamomile and warfarin, a blood thinner, and some drugs processed by the liver have been reported, NCCIH says. For ginger, the European agency found no interactions described in the literature when it assessed it.8,6
- Children.Europe's agency limits peppermint leaf and fennel to adults and children over 4, and does not recommend its ginger medicines for under-18s for these uses.3,7,6
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding.Ask your clinician first. The European agency advises against its ginger medicines then, and NCCIH says little is known about medicinal amounts of peppermint or chamomile in pregnancy.6,1,8
When is bloating a reason to see a doctor instead?
When it lasts, keeps coming back, or comes with other symptoms. Europe's medicines agency says to see a doctor if digestive symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks while using peppermint leaf or ginger, or more than a week with chamomile. NIDDK's list is the same for any gas symptom: talk with a doctor when it bothers you, changes suddenly, or comes with belly pain, constipation or diarrhea.3,6,10,14
Where Physician's Choice fits
This page names no Physician's Choice product: the sources on it assessed herbs and herbal medicines, not any supplement the company makes. Over-the-counter options for bloating, and what each one is labeled for, are set out in over-the-counter bloating relief: what each option does.
The answer, in short
We found no trial of any tea for bloating. Of the four herbs, peppermint has the most gut research, but it tested oil capsules, not tea; ginger was tested mostly for nausea, as a supplement; fennel and chamomile rest on traditional use. NCCIH says peppermint tea appears safe and chamomile in tea amounts is likely safe, but bloating that lasts more than two weeks, or comes with other symptoms, needs a doctor.
Page history
| Date | Step | What we did |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 12 to Oct 12, 2026 | Shopper words | Read 1,145 public Reddit posts from 250 communities; 433 were tagged as bloating posts, and 3 of all 1,145 mentioned tea. None is quoted here. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | The question | "Tea for bloating", with the teas people name: peppermint, ginger, fennel and chamomile. Search and AI answers to it rank teas; this page sets out what each herb was actually tested in, and in what form. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Sources | Opened 14 sources: three NCCIH herb pages, four European Medicines Agency herbal assessments, three PubMed records, a 2024 Cochrane summary, a 2025 European consensus, the MedlinePlus herb list and NIDDK. Quotes are copied from each page. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Products | No product is named on this page, and no label fact is used. |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Published | Published by the Physician's Choice editorial team. Each later recheck gets a dated row. |
Questions about tea and bloating
What tea is best for bloating?
No source we checked ranks teas for bloating. Peppermint, ginger, fennel and chamomile are the four people name. Peppermint has the most gut research, but nearly all of it tested peppermint oil; a 2006 review found no clinical trials of the tea. Europe's medicines agency accepts all four for mild digestive complaints such as bloating or gas on traditional use.
Does peppermint tea help with bloating?
No trial has tested it for bloating. A 2006 review found clinical trials of peppermint tea absent, and NCCIH says very little research has been done on peppermint leaf. Europe's medicines agency allows peppermint leaf for indigestion and flatulence on traditional use, and lists worsening reflux and heartburn among its side effects.
Is ginger tea good for bloating?
No trial we found tested ginger tea for bloating. NCCIH says most ginger studies tested supplements, mainly for nausea, and a 2019 review found about 1,500 mg a day, split up, helped with nausea. Europe's medicines agency lists ginger for mild bloating and flatulence on traditional use. Side effects include heartburn, diarrhea and mouth irritation.
Does fennel tea help with gas?
It rests on traditional use. Europe's medicines agency lists sweet fennel fruit, which it says is taken as herbal tea among other forms, for mild, spasmodic digestive complaints including bloating and flatulence, based on more than 30 years of use and limited experimental studies. It notes allergic reactions and does not recommend it for children under 4.
Who should not drink peppermint tea?
Europe's medicines agency lists worsening reflux and heartburn among the side effects of peppermint leaf, says people with gallstones or other bile problems should be cautious, and limits it to adults and children over 4. NCCIH says peppermint tea appears safe, though the long-term safety of large amounts is unknown. Ask your clinician if you take medicines.
More answers on this site
- How long does bloating last? What ends it, cause by cause, and when to see a doctorHow long each cause lasts, and what ends it.
- What is a FODMAP? The low-FODMAP diet and bloating, food by foodThe diet that tests foods one group at a time.
- Over-the-counter bloating relief: what each option doesWhat is on the pharmacy shelf.
- Why am I so gassy? The usual causes, food by foodWhat in each food makes gas.
- What causes bloating? Common causes and the clue for eachCauses beyond food.
- How to keep a food diary for bloating: what to log and how to read itFind your own trigger foods.
- What supplement helps with gas and bloating after eating?Supplements, food by food.
- Do digestive enzymes help with bloating? What studies tested, and what is still unknownWhat the enzyme trials measured.
- Digestive enzymes side effects: are they safe to take every day?Cautions, source by source.
Sources
- NCCIH: Peppermint oilLast updated May 2025. Opened Oct 16, 2026.
- McKay DL, Blumberg JB. A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of peppermint tea (Mentha piperita L.). Phytother Res. 2006;20(8):619-33PubMed 16767798. Abstract read Oct 16, 2026.
- European Medicines Agency: Peppermint leaf (Menthae piperitae folium)Summary for the public first published Aug 31, 2020. Opened Oct 16, 2026.
- NCCIH: GingerLast updated February 2025. Opened Oct 16, 2026.
- Nikkhah Bodagh M, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: a systematic review of clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2019;7(1):96-108PubMed 30680163. Abstract read Oct 16, 2026.
- European Medicines Agency: Ginger (Zingiberis rhizoma)Assessment report summary for the public, last updated Mar 12, 2026. Opened Oct 16, 2026.
- European Medicines Agency: Sweet fennel fruit (Foeniculi dulcis fructus)Assessment report summary for the public, Feb 16, 2010. Opened Oct 16, 2026.
- NCCIH: ChamomileLast updated November 2024. Opened Oct 16, 2026.
- McKay DL, Blumberg JB. A review of the bioactivity and potential health benefits of chamomile tea (Matricaria recutita L.). Phytother Res. 2006;20(7):519-30PubMed 16628544. Abstract read Oct 16, 2026.
- European Medicines Agency: Matricaria flower, or chamomile (Matricariae flos)Summary for the public, Apr 5, 2016. Opened Oct 16, 2026.
- Qiu J, Grana J. Herbal medicines for functional dyspepsia (Cochrane for Clinicians). Am Fam Physician. 2024;109(4):313-314Summary of a 2023 Cochrane review. Opened Oct 16, 2026.
- Melchior C, Hammer H, Bor S, et al. European consensus on functional bloating and abdominal distension, an ESNM/UEG recommendations for clinical management. United European Gastroenterol J. 2025;13(9):1613-51PMC12606050. Full text read Oct 16, 2026.
- MedlinePlus: Herbs and supplements, list of fact sheetsOpened Oct 16, 2026.
- NIDDK: Symptoms and causes of gas in the digestive tractLast reviewed June 2021. Opened Oct 16, 2026.