Herbal Remedies for Bloating, Belching, and Flatulence

Bloating (and belching and flatulence, the body’s natural ways of relieving it) can have its cause in a bad eating habit (eating too quickly and to many fatty or gassy foods), it can be a symptom of a gastrointestinal or metabolic disease (such as a gastrointestinal infection, irritable bowel syndrome, or lactose intolerance), or it can be simply related to smoking, stress and anxiety. Usually, these symptoms resolve on their own, but you can quicken the process by using some of the following herbs. Consult your doctor if bloating, belching, and flatulence are accompanied by diarrhea, persistent or severe abdominal pain, chest pain, unintended weight loss, bloody stools, or changes in the colour or frequency of stools.

Individual herbs (composition, preparation and administration)

• Anise, caraway, coriander, fennel – anethole, anisic aldehyde; carvone, dihydrocarvone, limonene, dihydrocarveol; coriandrol, cymol, pinene, terpinene, phellandrene, dipentene, petroselinic acid; anethole, limonene, alpha pinene, estragole, quercetin, flavonoid glucuronides.
  • Infusion: Add ½ teaspoon of dried plant in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink throughout the day.
• Yarrow – azulene, proazulene, tannins, alpha pinene, borneol, caryophyllene, salycilic acid, formic acid, acetic acid, isovaleric acid, aconitic acid
  • Infusion: Add 2 tablespoons of dried plant in 500 ml of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink throughout the day.
• Lemon balm – citral, citronellol, citronellal, geraniol, linaloll, caffeic acid, oleanolic acid, ursolic acid, stachyose
  • Infusion: Add 1 teaspoon of dried plant in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day.
• Sage – thuyone, thuyol, alpha pinene, beta pinene, linalil acetate, camphor, borneol, bornyl acetate, cineol, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, picrosalvin, fumaric acid, nicotinic acid, caffeic acid, sesquiterpenes
  • Infusion: Add 1 teaspoon of dried plant in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day.
• Basil – estragole, linalool
  • Infusion: Add 1 teaspoon of dried plant in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 2 cups a day.
• Marjoram – terpinene, terpineol, carvacrol, ursolic acid, beta-sitosterine, tannins
  • Infusion: Add 1 teaspoon of dried plant in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day.
• Calamus – asarone, asaric aldehyde, alpha pinene, calomel, camphene, camphor, eugenol, choline
  • Decoction: Add 1 teaspoon of dried plant in 250 ml of water and boil for 5-10 minutes. Drink throughout the day.
  • Macerate: Add 1 teaspoon of dried plant in 250 ml of water and let it macerate for 12 hours. Drink throughout the day.

Tea blends

Blend 1: Mix valerian, motherwort, caraway, and fennel in equal quantities. Add 1 tablespoon of this mixture in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink 3 cups a day.

Blend 2: Mix 30 g of buckthorn, 20 g of fennel, 20 g of caraway, 10 g of yarrow, 10 g of peppermint, and 10 g of coriander. Add 1 tablespoon of this mixture in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 2 cups a day, after a meal.

Blend 3: Mix 30 g of coriander, 20 g of yarrow, 20 g of peppermint, 10 g of St. John’s wort, 10 g of agrimony, and 10 g of silverweed. Add 1 tablespoon of this mixture in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day.

Blend 4: Mix caraway, fennel, peppermint, yarrow, and centaury in equal quantities. Add 1 tablespoon of this mixture in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink ½ cup, 3 times a day, before a meal.

Blend 5: Mix fennel, lemon balm, peppermint and chamomile or yarrow in equal quantities. Add a teaspoon of this mixture in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 5-10 minutes. Drink 2 cups a day.