Drinking a laxative tea such as senna, rhubarb or frangula tea is a great natural way to combat constipation and improve intestinal transit. These teas can sometimes be taken to loosen the intestines when you cannot have a bowel movement after 3 days or when the stools are very dry and fragmented.
Laxative teas contain substances such as sennosides or mucilages, which help relieve constipation symptoms, facilitate the elimination of feces and are easy to prepare at home.
Despite this, these teas should not be used for more than 1 to 2 weeks, especially rhubarb, cascara and senna tea, which can cause intestinal irritation and, therefore, should be used for a maximum of 3 days. . If constipation does not improve within 1 week, you should consult a general practitioner or gastroenterologist so that the most appropriate treatment can be given.
1. Chá de sene
Senna tea helps to increase bowel movements, relieving constipation, but without causing an increase in gas, as it has sennosides, mucilages and flavonoids in its composition that have a milder laxative effect. This tea can be made with dried leaves of Alexandrian Sennaalso known as Alexandria senna or Cassia angustifolia.
Ingredients
- 0.5 to 2g of dried senna leaves;
- 250 mL of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Add the dried senna leaves to a cup of boiling water. Let it rest for 5 minutes, strain and then drink.
Another good option is to prepare a solution with 2 mL of senna fluid extract or 8 mL of senna syrup in 250 mL of water and drink it.
These preparations can be taken 2 to 3 times a day and generally have a laxative effect within 6 hours of ingestion.
Senna should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under 12 years of age and in cases of chronic constipation, intestinal problems such as obstruction and narrowing of the intestine, absence of bowel movements, inflammatory bowel diseases, abdominal pain, hemorrhoids , appendicitis, during the menstrual period, urinary infection or liver, kidney or heart failure.
Psyllium, scientifically called Plantago ovatais a medicinal plant that absorbs water in the intestine and makes bowel movements much easier, this is because the seed of this plant has a thick gel rich in soluble fibers that help in the formation of feces and regularization of the intestine, maintaining general digestive health .
Ingredients
- 3 g of psyllium seed;
- 100 mL of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Place the psyllium seeds in a cup of boiling water. Let it rest, strain and drink up to 3 times a day.
Psyllium should not be used during pregnancy, breastfeeding and by children under 12 years of age.
3. Chascara sagrada tea
The sacred shell, known scientifically as Rhamnus purshianais a medicinal plant that has cascarosides that act by causing irritation in the intestine, which leads to increased intestinal motility and, thus, favors the elimination of feces.
Ingredients
- 0.5 g of cascara santo bark, equivalent to 1 teaspoon of bark;
- 150 mL of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Add the cascara santo bark to a cup of boiling water and leave for 15 minutes. Strain and drink immediately after preparation, before going to sleep, as the effect of this tea occurs within 8 to 12 hours after ingestion.
Another option is to make a solution with 10 drops of cascara sacred fluid extract in a glass of water and drink it up to 3 times a day.
Cascara santo should not be used during pregnancy, by breastfeeding women, as it can pass through the milk and cause poisoning in the baby, and by children under 10 years of age. Furthermore, you should not use the tea or fluid extract in cases of abdominal pain or cramping, anal or rectal fissure, hemorrhoids, intestinal obstruction, appendicitis, intestinal inflammation, dehydration, nausea or vomiting.
4. Prune tea
Prunes are rich in soluble fibers such as pectin and insoluble fibers such as cellulose and hemicellulose that act by absorbing water from the digestive tract, forming a gel that helps regulate the intestine, promoting good intestinal functioning. In addition, dried plums also contain sorbitol, which is a natural laxative that acts to facilitate the elimination of feces. Discover other fruits that help loosen the intestines.
Ingredients
- 3 pitted dried plums;
- 250 mL of water.
Preparation mode
Add the dried plums to a container with 250 mL of water. Boil for 5 to 7 minutes, let it cool and drink this tea divided throughout the day.
Another option is to soak 3 pitted dried plums in 1 glass of water overnight and take them on an empty stomach the next day.
5. Frangula tea
The frangula, known scientifically as Rhamnus breaksis a medicinal plant that contains glucofrangulin, a substance that has laxative properties, by increasing the hydration of feces and stimulating intestinal and digestive movements, increasing the production of bile, which improves the digestion of food and contributes to regulating the intestine .
Ingredients
- 5 to 10 g of frangula peel, equivalent to 1 tablespoon of the peel;
- 1 L of water.
Preparation mode
Place the frangula peel and water in a container and boil for 15 minutes. Let it rest for 2 hours, strain and drink 1 to 2 cups of tea before bed, as the laxative effect usually occurs 10 to 12 hours after drinking the tea.
This tea should not be consumed during pregnancy and in cases of colitis or ulcers.
6. Rhubarb tea
Rhubarb is rich in sennosides and rhein, which have a powerful laxative action and can be used to treat constipation. This plant has a more powerful laxative effect than senna, cascara and frângula and, therefore, should be used with care. Check out other health benefits of rhubarb.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons of rhubarb stem;
- 500 mL of water.
Preparation mode
Add the rhubarb stem and water to a container and boil for 10 minutes. Leave to cool, strain and drink 1 cup before bed.
This tea should not be used by pregnant women, children under 10 years of age or in cases of abdominal pain, intestinal obstruction, nausea, vomiting, Crohn’s disease, colitis or irritable bowel syndrome. Furthermore, consumption of this tea should be avoided by people using medications such as digoxin, diuretics, corticosteroids or anticoagulants.
Care when using laxative teas
Laxative teas should not be used for more than 1 to 2 weeks as they can cause loss of fluids and minerals and harm health, especially rhubarb, senna and cascara sacred teas, as they are strong laxatives, should not be used for more than 3 days. Furthermore, laxative teas should not be used frequently or excessively and, therefore, it is important to take these teas with the guidance of a doctor or a professional experienced in medicinal plants.
These teas can help relieve constipation, but if symptoms do not improve within 1 week, you should consult a general practitioner or gastroenterologist to begin the most appropriate treatment.
