An upset stomach can have many causes. A minor virus or case of food poisoning, stress, and anxiety, or an overly greasy plate of food can all cause that typical rumbling and nausea that people associate with stomach troubles.
Many people immediately run for those expensive over-the-counter stomach remedies that are often ineffective and hard to get down. Thankfully, there are more effective and natural alternatives for a fraction of the price, and you don’t have to go any further than your pantry or your local grocery.
Here at Beautifullyalive.com, we’ll look at ten of the most readily available and effective natural remedies for an upset stomach.
How we Reviewed
The following home remedies were reviewed based on the following factors: effectiveness, affordability, taste, accessibility, and ease of use as a home remedy.
Natural Remedies For An Upset Stomach
Ginger
Features
Ginger is a natural root that is full of compounds that fight inflammation, reduce stomach acid, and stimulate the digestive reflex. To effectively treat an upset stomach, you’ll need fresh ginger root.
Accordingly, you can simply chew on thin slices of ginger, or use it to make tea by grating it and steeping it in boiling water.
However, ginger is highly spicy, and someone sensitive to spicy food may not find it an effective remedy.
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Apple Cider Vinegar
Features
Apple cider vinegar is one of the best home remedies for an upset stomach.
It has a high pectin concentration that immediately soothes an irritated stomach and relieves nausea while its acidic nature helps stimulate normal digestion.
It is highly acidic, so most people prefer not to drink it straight.
An ideal way to drink apple cider vinegar is to add a teaspoon to a class of water, with a little honey for sweetness, and drink it with every mean until your symptoms vanish.
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Chamomile Tea
Features
Chamomile tea is an herbal tea known for its ability to help people sleep.
It’s also effective for soothing an upset stomach.
The herbs in the tea ease tension throughout the body and reduce stomach inflammation, relieving the pain.
You can brew chamomile tea using a packaged chamomile tea bag, or steep loose dried chamomile in boiling water. Either will produce a soothing cup of tea
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Yogurt
Features
Yogurt is an effective remedy for an upset stomach if you know the right yogurt to look for.
You want one that contains live bacteria cultures like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.
These cultures introduce good bacteria to your stomach and intestines, which helps repair the damage caused by indigestion and diarrhea.
Yogurt can be eaten plain from the container, or supplemented with fruit like banana or apple to make it tastier.
Non-dairy yogurts are available for people with allergies and often contain the same bacteria.
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Mint
Features
Mint is a naturally healthy and aromatic herb that has been used for centuries to treat indigestion and nausea.
Naturally occurring antibacterial and antispasmodic compounds in the herb help to calm an upset stomach in no time while introducing antioxidants that stimulate digestion and the production of bile to return the stomach to normal function.
Fresh mint is too intense to eat alone, so it is best used either blenderized into mint juice and blended with honey and lime in equal components, or made into tea.
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Bananas
Features
Bananas are often called a superfood for treating digestive problems.
Easily digestible and a natural sponge for excess acid, they’re helpful for easing indigestion and stopping diarrhea.
Rich in pectin, they begin the process of solidifying stools while their high potassium content replaces electrolytes lost due to diarrhea.
Moreover, ripe bananas can be blended into smoothies as well as eaten with cereal. While firmer bananas can be eaten straight out of the peel.
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Club Soda
Features
Introducing sugar to an upset stomach can often cause more problems, so soda isn’t recommended.
However, the carbonation in plain club soda can help to settle your stomach immediately.
Moreover, a drink of carbonated water has two benefits – it keeps you hydrated and quickly settles your stomach.
Also, adding lemon or lime juice can make it more palatable.
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Baking Soda
Features
Baking soda is a natural alternative to over-the-counter antacids and is effective for settling heartburn and stomach pain.
Additionally, it’s the main ingredient in most commercial antacids and can be bought for a fraction of the cost.
Simply mix a teaspoon into warm water and drink, repeating several times a day until your stomach pain is gone.
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Lemon
Features
Lemon has a pleasing sour taste and a nice smell, and it’s also an excellent home remedy for an upset stomach.
Additionally, the acid in lemon juice works as a stimulant for the stomach to produce more acid, aiding digestion.
The easiest way to drink lemon juice is to mix several teaspoons with hot water to make a lemon tea. Also, honey or mint can be added for additional flavor.
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Cinnamon
Features
The popular spice cinnamon is used to add flavor to many desserts, but it also boosts your digestive power and cuts down on bloating and gas.
Accordingly, this makes it an ideal choice for relieving stomach pain. Ground cinnamon can be added to food like oatmeal, but for the best effect, we recommend making tea with whole cinnamon sticks.
You simply pour boiling water over one or two sticks and let sit for ten minutes. Also, honey can be added to alleviate cinnamon’s spicy kick.
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Natural Remedies For An Upset Stomach FAQ’s
How do I know what is causing an upset stomach? Should I know before trying one of these remedies?
These remedies are designed to soothe an upset stomach. They are not cures for any underlying illness or ailment. You can try any of them to see if you feel better. If it works, it’s likely the issue was nothing to worry about.
How do these remedies work?
These are all natural substances that can settle down the stomach and reduce the discomfort of an upset stomach. Several have probiotics or other helpful components that will improve overall digestive health.
Are these natural remedies good for my health overall?
Yes! Unlike the over-the-counter medicines, these substances are natural foodstuffs that are already part of a healthy diet. You can eat them without concern.
I don’t have the product I’ve chosen at home. Is it easy to find?
Most of these products will be readily available at your local grocery store. A few more are rare and can be found at specialty grocers or health food stores, like Whole Foods.
Are these natural remedies for an upset stomach affordable for a person on a budget?
With few exceptions, these are all items that can be regularly purchased for a few dollars, and many in large amounts can be used multiple times.
Overall Price Range Of This Product
These home remedies are all products that can be easily found at your local grocery store or specialty health food store. The majority cost only dollars a package, with some like bananas or club soda costing less than a dollar. The highest-cost item, Apple Cider Vinegar, is on average only $3.49 a bottle. All ten are easily affordable for anyone on a budget.
The Verdict
Finally, any of these home remedies for an upset stomach will provide some level of relief. Which is ideal for you depends on which symptoms you are most interested in alleviating.
If you’re looking for immediate relief, club soda or baking soda will quickly settle your stomach and allow you to go on with your day.
Additionally, if you’re looking to provide long-term relief for persistent digestive issues such as indigestion and diarrhea, you may want the healing capabilities of bananas and the powerful probiotic boost of yogurt.
Many of these can be combined to taste. You can easily add cinnamon, lemon, or mint to one of the drinks, or bananas to yogurt.
Moreover, you can try each of these to see how it works for you, but based on our research, no single item provides as much relief and help for an upset stomach as the humble banana.