Peppermint tea is one of the most effective drinks for gas relief, backed by solid evidence that its active compound relaxes the intestinal muscles responsible for trapping gas. But it’s not your only option. Several herbal teas, warm seed-based drinks, and even plain warm water can help move gas through your digestive tract and ease that uncomfortable, bloated feeling. Just as important: knowing which drinks make gas worse.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint works because the menthol in the leaves directly relaxes the smooth muscle lining your intestines. It does this by blocking calcium channels in the muscle cells, which prevents them from contracting and cramping. When those muscles relax, trapped gas can move through more easily instead of sitting in pockets that cause pressure and pain. This is why peppermint tea often brings noticeable relief within 15 to 30 minutes of drinking it.
For the strongest effect, use loose-leaf peppermint or a tea bag with real peppermint leaves (not just peppermint flavoring). Steep it in water just under boiling, around 190 to 200°F, for five to seven minutes. Cover your cup while it steeps so the aromatic oils don’t escape with the steam. Those oils are what contain the menthol you’re after.
Ginger Tea
Ginger tackles gas from a different angle: it speeds up how quickly your stomach empties into the small intestine. In a controlled study of healthy volunteers, ginger cut the stomach’s half-emptying time roughly in half, from about 27 minutes down to 13 minutes, while also increasing the strength and frequency of stomach contractions. When food moves through faster, it has less time to ferment and produce gas in the first place.
Fresh ginger works better than powdered for tea. Slice a one-inch piece of fresh ginger root, add it to boiling water, and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Roots and barks need hotter water and longer steeping times than leaves to release their active compounds. You can add a squeeze of lemon for flavor, but skip adding sugar, which can feed the gut bacteria that produce gas.
Fennel Seed Water
Fennel has been used as a digestive remedy for centuries, and the science supports it. The key compound in fennel seeds, called anethole, has both antispasmodic and carminative (gas-expelling) properties. Like peppermint, it relaxes intestinal smooth muscle, but it also has anti-inflammatory effects that can calm an irritated gut lining.
To make fennel water, lightly crush about a teaspoon of fennel seeds to break them open, then steep them in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Crushing the seeds first is important because it exposes more surface area and releases more of the volatile oils. Some people keep a jar of fennel water in the fridge and sip it throughout the day, which works well for chronic or recurring gas.
Anise Tea
Anise is closely related to fennel and contains some of the same active compounds. It has a long history in traditional medicine for flatulence, intestinal colic, and indigestion. A clinical trial published in Frontiers in Pharmacology found that anise powder significantly reduced abdominal pain compared to placebo, with participants about 45% more likely to report improvement. The same study showed strong anti-inflammatory effects in the gut, which may explain why it helps with the cramping that often accompanies gas.
Anise tea is made the same way as fennel: crush the seeds, steep in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes, and strain. The licorice-like flavor is stronger than fennel, so you may want to start with half a teaspoon per cup.
Warm Water
Sometimes the simplest option works. Warm or hot water on its own can help relax your digestive tract and encourage gas to pass. It won’t have the targeted muscle-relaxing effects of peppermint or ginger, but it’s always available and has zero chance of making things worse. Sipping warm water after a meal is a low-effort habit that many people find surprisingly effective for preventing that post-meal bloated feeling.
Probiotic Drinks: Helpful but With a Catch
Fermented drinks like kefir and kombucha contain beneficial bacteria that can improve digestion and reduce gas over time by rebalancing your gut flora. The key phrase there is “over time.” These are not quick fixes for gas you’re experiencing right now. In fact, they often make gas temporarily worse when you first start drinking them, because the new bacteria produce their own gas as they establish themselves in your gut.
Kombucha carries an additional risk: it’s carbonated from the fermentation process, and that carbonation introduces gas directly into your digestive system. People with sensitive stomachs or irritable bowel syndrome may find kombucha worsens bloating rather than helping it. If you want to try probiotic drinks for long-term digestive health, start with small amounts (four to six ounces) and see how your body responds before increasing.
Drinks That Make Gas Worse
What you avoid can matter as much as what you drink. Carbonated beverages, including sparkling water, soda, and beer, push carbon dioxide directly into your digestive tract. Some of that gas comes back up as burps, but the rest travels through your intestines and adds to bloating and flatulence.
Diet sodas and sugar-free drinks are a double problem. They combine carbonation with artificial sweeteners like sorbitol, a sugar alcohol that your body can’t fully absorb. Undigested sorbitol travels to your large intestine where bacteria ferment it, producing gas. Research shows that as little as 10 grams of sorbitol (roughly the amount in two to three sticks of sugar-free gum or a couple glasses of diet drink) causes noticeable gas and bloating in most people, while 20 grams can trigger cramps and diarrhea.
Fruit juices high in fructose, particularly apple and pear juice, can also cause gas. Like sorbitol, excess fructose that isn’t absorbed in the small intestine gets fermented by bacteria in the colon. Milk and dairy-based drinks are another common trigger if you have any degree of lactose intolerance, which affects a significant portion of adults.
How to Get the Most From Herbal Teas
A few simple techniques make a real difference in how much gas-relieving benefit you get from herbal drinks:
- Cover while steeping. The volatile oils that provide the digestive benefit are the same ones that create the aroma. If you leave your cup uncovered, those oils escape with the steam.
- Match temperature to plant part. Leaves and flowers (peppermint, chamomile) need water just under boiling, around 190 to 200°F, for 3 to 7 minutes. Seeds (fennel, anise) need full boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes. Roots (ginger) need a rolling boil and 10 to 15 minutes.
- Crush seeds before steeping. Whole seeds release their oils slowly. A quick press with the back of a spoon cracks them open and dramatically improves extraction.
- Drink warm, not scalding. Very hot liquids can cause you to swallow air as you sip carefully, which adds gas. Let your tea cool to a comfortable drinking temperature first.
What About Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is widely recommended online for gas and bloating, but the clinical evidence doesn’t support it. The only relevant study, a small pilot trial, actually found that apple cider vinegar slowed gastric emptying rather than speeding it up. Slower emptying means food sits in your stomach longer, which can increase fermentation and gas rather than reduce it. The study’s authors themselves noted that this effect could be a disadvantage for people already prone to bloating. Until larger trials show otherwise, apple cider vinegar is not a reliable choice for gas relief.