Chamomile

Chamomile is a well-known herb, popular for its calming properties, and traditionally used as a herbal remedy for stomach aches, excessive gas, irritable bowel syndrome, gastrointestinal spasms, irritation of the gut, and even insomnia. Containing active flavonoids and essential oils, chamomile has also been demonstrated in research to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.

Due to its ability to alleviate gastrointestinal symptoms, chamomile is commonly used as a digestive relaxant. Research indicates that taking chamomile can help to settle the stomach by reducing nausea and vomiting. Furthermore, chamomile has also demonstrated positive effects for those with IBS. Clinical research shows that the consumption of chamomile is associated with a significant improvement in multiple IBS indicators, including bloating, abdominal pain and stool consistency. In fact, these significant changes were still present 4 weeks following the intervention, illustrating that chamomile can be used for long-term symptom relief for IBS.

Chamomile is also commonly used for its carminative properties in helping to relieve stress and anxiety. This is important for gut health, considering the gut and brain are connected through the enteric nervous system. Stress and anxiety therefore can affect signals given to and received via the gut-brain axis and plays a role in how gastrointestinal symptoms may be perceived or exacerbated by stress. Research in those experiencing anxiety shows that chamomile may have anxiolytic effects, with chamomile being associated with a clinically meaningful reduction in anxiety scores with both short term and long-term use. This demonstrates the role that chamomile may play in alleviating stress-related gut issues and helping support overall gut health.