The holiday season is upon us! It’s a time for togetherness, joy, reflection, and celebration, and, of course, feasting. At any time of year, food means more than sustenance. Shared meals are multi-sensory experiences that convey warmth and tenderness, evoke memories, honor and create traditions. The heady aromas, sensational flavors, and varied textures combined deserve to be mindfully savored. When it comes time to clear the table, however, consider offering your body some extra soothing digestive support.

What is Digestif?

Originating from the French word “digérer”, meaning “to digest”, a digestif is traditionally a spirit-based cocktail drunk after dinner. The tradition is rooted in medieval times. Monks are known to have distilled concoctions infused with herbs, roots, and spices for medicinal purposes. These potent concoctions evolved over time into the elixirs that are enjoyed today for both their tantalizing tastes and purported digestive benefits.

Why Tea is the Perfect Digestif

While fortified wines, liqueurs, and aged liqueurs are all considered digestifs, there is no significant evidence to support their role in aiding digestion. Tea, on the other hand, is known to help relax the digestive muscles, stimulate production of digestive enzymes, and reduce issues such as bloating and nausea.* Teas like Peppermint, Ginger, and Chamomile each have unique properties that make them particularly effective. Queen of Herbs Tulsi, the adaptogen at the base of the majority of our teas, has been used for more than 5,000 years to uplift the spirit, relieve stress, and support healthy immune function. 

All our ORGANIC INDIA Teas are made with organic, regeneratively grown herbs and no artificial ingredients, ensuring your after-dinner ritual offers top-quality nourishment. To optimize digestive benefits, we recommend a long steep of approximately ten minutes. Truly, our ORGANIC INDIA Teas serve as nurturing evening beverages all on their own. They are also easily elevated even more with the addition of herbs and spices that serve as captivating garnish will enhancing flavor and potency. Check out these three ORGANIC INDIA Teas with suggested addends, and experiment with your own variations!

3 Tea Digestifs

Tulsi Peppermint Digestif

With active compound menthol working to relax gut muscles, Peppermint is one of the best-known herbs for easing digestive stress. Beautifully minty with a bright botanical breeze of Holy Basil, our Tulsi Peppermint tea offers invigorating, soothing flavor.

Try it with:

• Fresh mint leaves
• Thinly sliced fennel: In many cultures, fennel is chewed after meals to help freshen breath and aid digestion. 
• Thin slice of lime: The citric acid in limes and lemons helps stimulate the production of digestive juices.

Purely Chamomile

Comforting Chamomile is widely renowned for its calming effects which may also soothe the digestive system. Our ORGANIC INDIA Purely Chamomile tea is a mellow floral favorite, made from Single Origin flowers for the utmost in authenticity.

Try steeping it with: 

• Cinnamon and Cloves: These aromatic, warm spices pair wonderfully with chamomile, enhancing the overall comfort. Both have also been used to aid indigestion, gas, and bloating. Let your cup of Purely Chamomile tea brew with one Cinnamon Stick and a few whole cloves; remove these along with the tea bag when ready to enjoy.
• A thin slice of lemon
  

Tulsi Lemon Ginger

Piquant, anti-inflammatory Ginger is known for numerous health benefits, including helping to aid in digestion and reduce nausea. Our Tulsi Lemon Ginger tea is a subtly sweet, delicately tart infusion that will awaken the spirit as it soothes the gut.

Try it with:

• Lemon slices, thinly sliced ginger root: Deepen the natural zesty brightness even more.

Looking for something to cleanse and detox, too? Try this Green Apple Detox Shot with Triphala.