Best Tea for Diarrhea and Upset Stomach: 7 Teas Ranked by What the Trials Show
The best teas for diarrhea are chamomile, black tea and peppermint, with ginger a close fourth if nausea and cramping come with it. Chamomile is the only one with a double-blind trial showing a bout ending sooner (as a chamomile-and-pectin preparation in children), black tea's tannins have a small randomised trial and a long history of tightening a loose gut, and peppermint oil has meta-analysis support for diarrhoea-predominant IBS. Every tea on this page does something more important than its herb, though: it replaces fluid. Mild, weak, lightly salted or honeyed tea is a perfectly good part of rehydration, which is the one treatment for acute diarrhea that is proven to save lives.
Most short bouts of diarrhea are viral or food-related and settle in one to three days whatever you drink. The job of tea during that time is to keep you hydrated, calm cramps and nausea, and avoid making things worse, which coffee, strong caffeinated tea, sugary drinks and laxative 'detox' blends all can. If you have an ongoing pattern, such as diarrhea alternating with constipation, urgency after meals or symptoms tied to stress, you are probably looking at irritable bowel syndrome, and the ranking below shifts toward peppermint and fennel.
See a clinician instead of relying on tea if diarrhea lasts more than 2 days in an adult (24 hours in a young child), if there is blood or black tarry stool, fever over 38.5°C, severe abdominal pain, signs of dehydration (dizziness, very dark urine, no urine for 8 hours, confusion), or if you have recently taken antibiotics, travelled abroad, or are pregnant, elderly or immunocompromised. Babies under 6 months with diarrhea should be seen the same day.
Quick answer
- Chamomile — a chamomile-pectin preparation ended diarrhea sooner than placebo in 79 children; calming and antispasmodic
- Black tea — tannins tighten the gut lining; a small RCT shortened viral diarrhea in children, and it is a gentle rehydration drink
- Peppermint — meta-analyses show it relieves IBS pain and urgency; best for cramping, loose, stress-linked stools
- Ginger — strongest evidence for nausea; blocks E. coli enterotoxin in animal work
- Raspberry leaf — tannin-rich traditional astringent; no trials
- Fennel — eases gas and cramp; useful in IBS-type diarrhea with bloating
The 7 best teas for diarrhea
Ranked by the strength of human evidence. Strong = multiple trials or a meta-analysis. Moderate = a few small trials. Preliminary = early, traditional or animal data.
Chamomile is the only tea here with placebo-controlled trials in actual diarrhea: a double-blind study of 79 children (aged 6 months to 6 years) given a chamomile extract with apple pectin for 3 days found 85% were diarrhea-free by the end compared with 58% on placebo, and a later 255-child trial of the same preparation repeated the result. The pectin probably contributes, so chamomile alone may do less. What chamomile adds on its own is antispasmodic and mild anti-inflammatory activity, which is why it is also the kindest tea for a cramping, gurgling gut in adults.
- Key evidence
- de la Motte 1997 (79 children, double-blind) and Becker 2006 (255 children), chamomile-pectin vs placebo
- How to brew it
- 2 teaspoons dried flowers or 1 bag per cup, water at 90 to 95°C, steeped 8 to 10 minutes covered; drink lukewarm, several small cups through the day
- Best for
- Crampy diarrhea in adults and children, and anyone who needs a gentle fluid they can keep sipping
- Cautions
- Ragweed-family allergy can cross-react. May add to sedatives and, in large daily amounts, to warfarin. Not for infants under 6 months without medical advice; children's dosing needs a clinician.
Black tea is the traditional astringent for a loose gut, and the pharmacology is sound: its tannins bind proteins in the gut lining, reducing secretion and giving stool more form. A randomised trial in 60 children with acute non-bacterial diarrhea in Iran found that black tea tablets added to standard rehydration improved stool frequency and consistency within 24 hours. That is one small study, so the tier is honest. Its other virtue is practical: weak, warm, lightly sweetened black tea with a pinch of salt is close to an oral rehydration drink people will actually keep drinking.
- Key evidence
- Doustfatemeh 2017, 60-child RCT, black tea plus rehydration vs rehydration alone
- How to brew it
- 1 bag or 1 teaspoon leaf per cup, boiling water, 3 to 4 minutes for tannins without bitterness; add a teaspoon of sugar and a small pinch of salt, skip the milk
- Best for
- Adults who need fluid and a little binding; the morning cup when you cannot face anything else
- Cautions
- Caffeine stimulates the colon, so keep it to 2 to 3 weak cups and avoid it entirely if your gut responds badly to coffee. Tannins cut iron absorption; take iron tablets 2 hours apart.
Peppermint oil has the best evidence of any herb for irritable bowel syndrome, the commonest cause of recurrent diarrhea: a 2019 meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials (835 patients) found it more than twice as likely as placebo to improve global symptoms and abdominal pain. The trials used enteric-coated oil capsules, which deliver far more menthol to the bowel than tea, so a cup of peppermint is the mild version of the treatment. Menthol relaxes gut smooth muscle, which eases the cramping and urgency that come with loose stools, but it does not slow the diarrhea itself.
- Key evidence
- Alammar 2019 meta-analysis, 12 RCTs, 835 IBS patients (enteric-coated peppermint oil)
- How to brew it
- 1 tablespoon dried leaf or 1 bag per cup, water just off the boil, steeped 7 to 10 minutes with the cup covered to keep the oils in
- Best for
- IBS-type diarrhea with cramps, urgency and bloating
- Cautions
- Relaxes the oesophageal sphincter and can worsen heartburn and reflux. Avoid strong peppermint in infants and young children. May interact with cyclosporine.
Ginger's claim is mainly for the nausea and vomiting that come with gastroenteritis, where it has dozens of randomised trials across pregnancy, chemotherapy and post-operative nausea. For diarrhea itself the evidence is animal: a Taiwanese study found ginger extract and its compound zingerone blocked the heat-labile enterotoxin of E. coli, the bacterium behind most traveller's diarrhea, in mice. That has never been tested in people. Ginger also speeds stomach emptying, which helps if you feel full and sick but is not what you want if the problem is purely a racing bowel.
- Key evidence
- Chen 2007, ginger blocks E. coli enterotoxin-induced diarrhea in mice; multiple human RCTs for nausea
- How to brew it
- 3 to 4 thin slices of fresh ginger (about 3 g) per cup, water just off the boil, 10 minutes; add a spoon of honey and sip slowly
- Best for
- Stomach bugs where nausea and vomiting are the bigger problem
- Cautions
- Over 4 g a day may increase bleeding risk with anticoagulants. Strong ginger can cause heartburn. Fine in pregnancy at culinary doses.
Raspberry leaf is rich in ellagitannins, the same family of astringent compounds that give black tea its binding effect, and it has been used for diarrhea in European and Native American herbal traditions for centuries. There are no clinical trials of raspberry leaf for diarrhea; its modern research is almost all about pregnancy and labour, where results are mixed. It is caffeine-free, pleasant and mild, which makes it a reasonable swap for people who want an astringent cup without black tea's caffeine, as long as expectations stay modest.
- Key evidence
- Traditional use only; tannin content is documented, no diarrhea trials
- How to brew it
- 1 to 2 teaspoons dried leaf per cup, boiling water, steeped 10 minutes for full tannin extraction
- Best for
- A caffeine-free astringent tea for mild, watery stools
- Cautions
- Traditionally avoided in early pregnancy because of possible uterine effects; discuss with a midwife. Tannins reduce iron absorption.
Fennel is a carminative that relaxes gut spasm and moves trapped gas, which matters when diarrhea comes with cramping and bloating. A randomised trial of fennel seed oil in 125 colicky infants cut colic by around two-thirds, and a 121-patient placebo-controlled trial of fennel oil with curcumin improved IBS symptoms and quality of life over 30 days. It does not firm the stool, and its mild muscle-relaxing effect means it is not the tea for pure watery diarrhea without cramp; think of it as a gentler, reflux-safe alternative to peppermint.
- Key evidence
- Portincasa 2016, 121 IBS patients, fennel oil plus curcumin vs placebo
- How to brew it
- 1 teaspoon crushed seeds per cup, water just off the boil, steeped 10 minutes covered
- Best for
- Crampy, gassy diarrhea in people who get heartburn from peppermint
- Cautions
- Mildly oestrogenic in concentrated form; avoid high doses in pregnancy and hormone-sensitive conditions. Rare cross-allergy with celery and carrot.
Green tea catechins, especially EGCG, inhibit a range of diarrhea-causing bacteria and rotavirus in laboratory studies and have some antispasmodic action, and green tea has a long history as the drink of choice for upset stomachs across East Asia. There is no human trial in acute diarrhea, and the caffeine (lower than black tea but still present) nudges the colon along. Brewed weak and cool, it is a reasonable rehydration drink with a plausible antimicrobial bonus; brewed strong, it is more likely to upset the stomach than settle it.
- Key evidence
- In vitro antibacterial and antiviral activity of catechins; no clinical diarrhea trials
- How to brew it
- 1 teaspoon leaf per cup, water at 70 to 75°C, 1 to 2 minutes only; drink lukewarm, and keep to 2 to 3 cups
- Best for
- People who dislike herbal teas and want a lighter alternative to black tea
- Cautions
- Caffeine can worsen urgency. Tannins reduce iron absorption. Avoid on an empty stomach, which can cause nausea.
How to choose
- Acute stomach bug (sudden, watery, maybe vomiting): fluid is the treatment. Weak black tea or chamomile with a little sugar and a pinch of salt, alternated with oral rehydration solution, little and often.
- Nausea is the worst part: ginger, sipped slowly, with honey. Add chamomile for cramp.
- Recurring loose stools with cramps, urgency and bloating (IBS pattern): peppermint first; fennel if peppermint gives you heartburn.
- Diarrhea in a child: chamomile is the only tea with paediatric trials, but oral rehydration solution comes first and babies under 6 months need a clinician, not tea.
- You need a caffeine-free astringent: raspberry leaf, or chamomile. Caffeine speeds the bowel, so black and green tea are for small amounts only.
- If any tea makes cramping or frequency worse, stop it; the point is comfort and fluid, and plain water with oral rehydration salts is never wrong.
What to skip
Coffee, strong black tea, matcha and energy drinks
Caffeine stimulates colonic motility within minutes (coffee does so even decaffeinated), and tannic, concentrated brews irritate an inflamed gut. One weak cup of black tea is fine; a strong mug of coffee is a reliable way to make a bad day worse.
'Detox', slimming or 'cleanse' teas
Nearly all contain senna, cascara or other stimulant laxatives. They cause diarrhea; they do not treat it. Check the ingredients of any blend before drinking it when your gut is loose.
Sweet iced tea, fruit juice and flat cola
High sugar loads pull water into the bowel and worsen osmotic diarrhea, which is why rehydration solutions are only lightly sweet. Flat cola in particular has too much sugar and too little salt to rehydrate, despite the folklore.
Milky tea during a stomach bug
Gut infection temporarily strips the lactase enzyme from the intestinal lining, so milk can prolong diarrhea for a week or two afterwards. Take tea black or with a splash at most until stools are formed again.
Safety and when to see a clinician
- Dehydration, not the diarrhea itself, is what causes harm. Tea is a vehicle for fluid; oral rehydration solution (the WHO low-osmolarity formula, sold in sachets) is the proven treatment and should be the main drink for anyone with frequent watery stools.
- Do not use loperamide or binding teas when there is blood in the stool or high fever: slowing an invasive infection can make it worse. See a clinician.
- Chamomile, black tea and raspberry leaf all contain tannins that cut iron absorption; take iron and thyroid tablets at least 2 hours apart from them.
- Peppermint can worsen reflux and is not for young children; ginger above 4 g a day and large amounts of chamomile may add to blood thinners.
- In pregnancy, chamomile and culinary-dose ginger are generally considered fine; avoid raspberry leaf in the first trimester and concentrated fennel. Persistent diarrhea in pregnancy needs a clinician.
- See a clinician if diarrhea lasts over 2 days (over 24 hours in a child under 5), if there is blood, black stool, fever above 38.5°C, severe pain, or signs of dehydration such as dizziness, dark or absent urine, or confusion, and after any recent course of antibiotics or foreign travel.
What matters as much as the tea
- Oral rehydration solution: 1 litre of water with 6 level teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt if you cannot get sachets, sipped after every loose stool. This is the single intervention with Strong evidence.
- Eat as soon as you can face it: bland starchy food (rice, toast, potatoes, bananas) shortens recovery compared with fasting. The old 'starve it out' advice has been dropped.
- A probiotic, especially Saccharomyces boulardii or Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, shortens infectious diarrhea by about a day in meta-analyses and reduces antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
- For recurring IBS-type diarrhea, a short, supervised low-FODMAP trial has better evidence than any tea; soluble fibre (psyllium) also helps form stool.
- Wash hands thoroughly and stay home for 48 hours after the last loose stool if it is a stomach bug; norovirus spreads easily.
Frequently asked questions
Does chamomile tea help with diarrhea?
It is the best-supported tea for the job. A chamomile-and-apple-pectin preparation ended diarrhea sooner than placebo in two double-blind trials of children, and chamomile on its own eases gut spasm. Drink it lukewarm in small, frequent cups; it doubles as gentle rehydration fluid.
Is black tea good for diarrhea?
Weak black tea is a reasonable choice: its tannins have a mild binding effect, one small randomised trial in children found it helped alongside rehydration, and with a little sugar and salt it is close to a rehydration drink. Keep it weak and limit it to 2 or 3 cups, because the caffeine can speed the bowel if you overdo it.
What tea is good for upset stomach and diarrhea together?
Ginger for the nausea and chamomile for the cramping, alternated through the day, is the combination most people do well on. If the upset stomach is mainly bloating and urgency rather than nausea, peppermint (or fennel if you get heartburn) is the better pick.
Does peppermint tea stop diarrhea?
It does not slow the bowel, but it relaxes the cramping and urgency that make loose stools miserable, and it has meta-analysis support in IBS. The trials used coated peppermint oil capsules, which are stronger than tea. Skip it if you have reflux, because menthol relaxes the valve at the top of the stomach too.
Should I drink tea or water for diarrhea?
Both, but the priority is fluid with the right salt and sugar balance: oral rehydration solution first, then weak tea or water between doses. Plain water alone does not replace lost sodium, which is why rehydration sachets exist. Avoid sugary drinks and anything strong in caffeine.
Can I give tea to a child with diarrhea?
Over the age of one, weak lukewarm chamomile is fine as part of their fluids and is the only tea with trials in children. Oral rehydration solution should be the main drink. Do not give tea to babies under 6 months, avoid peppermint and anything caffeinated in young children, and see a doctor if a child has diarrhea for more than 24 hours, has blood in the stool, or is not passing urine.
Is green tea good for diarrhea or does it make it worse?
Weak, cool green tea is fine and its catechins have laboratory antibacterial activity, but there are no human trials. Brewed strong, hot or on an empty stomach, its caffeine and tannins are more likely to cause nausea and urgency than to help. Two short-steeped cups at most.
References
- de la Motte S, Böse-O'Reilly S, Heinisch M, Harrison F. Double-blind comparison of an apple pectin-chamomile extract preparation with placebo in children with diarrhea. Arzneimittelforschung (1997)
- Becker B, Kuhn U, Hardewig-Budny B. Double-blind, randomized evaluation of clinical efficacy and tolerability of an apple pectin-chamomile extract in children with unspecific diarrhea. Arzneimittelforschung (2006)
- Doustfatemeh S, Imanieh MH, Mohagheghzade A, et al.. The Effect of Black Tea (Camellia sinensis) on Pediatric Patients with Acute Nonbacterial Diarrhea: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2017)
- Alammar N, Wang L, Saberi B, et al.. The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2019)
- Chen JC, Huang LJ, Wu SL, et al.. Ginger and its bioactive component inhibit enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin-induced diarrhea in mice. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2007)
- Portincasa P, Bonfrate L, Scribano ML, et al.. Curcumin and Fennel Essential Oil Improve Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases (2016)
- Hahn S, Kim Y, Garner P. Reduced osmolarity oral rehydration solution for treating dehydration due to diarrhoea in children: systematic review. BMJ (2001)
- Riddle MS, DuPont HL, Connor BA. ACG Clinical Guideline: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention of Acute Diarrheal Infections in Adults. American Journal of Gastroenterology (2016)
- Rao SS, Welcher K, Zimmerman B, Stumbo P. Is coffee a colonic stimulant?. European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (1998)
- Guo Q, Goldenberg JZ, Humphrey C, et al.. Probiotics for the prevention of pediatric antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2019)
- Diarrhoea and vomiting. NHSView source
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Ask about tea for diarrheaThis guide is educational and is not medical advice. Herbal teas can interact with prescription medicines. Talk with a clinician or pharmacist before relying on any of them, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a chronic condition, or take medication.