It’s not uncommon to get sick while trying different foods when traveling, or to overeat during the holidays. It can easily ruin a trip or gathering, leaving you feeling sick & run down. If you happen to be out of over the counter medication, you might want to try one of these stomach ache cures from around the world.
Blackberry Root Tea- Those in Mexico turn to blackberry root tea when they notice they are having stomach discomfort. It contains tannins, which constrict the blood vessels. It’s rich in Vitamin C, so it can also boost your immune system and help fight off colds.
Peppermint Tea- In England, many locals turn to peppermint tea when they are dealing with some sort of stomach discomfort. Peppermint tea is known in many parts of the world for its calming qualities.
Nutmeg- This spice is used to help stomach pain in Indonesia. It also has a lot of antibacterial properties and can help fight infections. Many add it to boiling water and then drink it.
White rice & lemon – In Italy they steam white rice and lemon and eat throughout the day to settle an upset stomach.
Nabat Sigar – In Iran when someone has a stomach ache, they often turn to Nabat Sugar which is a rock candy made with saffron. Drink it in a tea to ease cramps and calm bloating.
Lotus Seeds – In Vietnam, lotus seeds are used to help lower blood pressure, fight infection and inflammation and to calm the stomach from nausea and indigestion. They eat them roasted or in a tea.
Ajain – Also known as ajowan caraway or carom. In India, they take lemon juice, a pink of salt and a teaspoon of ajain and drink it warm.
Kaffir Lime – in Thailand, they boil kaffir lime leaves in water and drink the tea to help with stomach aches and migraines.
Ginger- In China, this stomach ache cure has been around for centuries. Fresh ginger is added to boiling water and then made into a tea with honey and lemon. In this photo we also added mint to tone down the flavor of the ginger a bit.
Fennel Seeds- In Greece, the locals use fennel seeds to get rid of stomach aches. They add a teaspoon of it to a cup of hot water. They then strain it to remove the seeds and sip the liquid. It’s best to sip the liquid slowly.
Cayenne Pepper- Not only is this spice used as an anti-inflammatory in French Guiana, but as a reliever for stomach pain as well. It can be added to whatever you want including food or liquids. Just be careful though, as it’s pretty spicy and shouldn’t be used by people who can’t handle food with a bit of kick to it.
Coriander Seeds- In Egypt the cure all for stomachs is coriander seeds. It stimulates the body to produce a digestive enzyme that helps food digest faster in the stomach. About a teaspoon of coriander seeds are grounded into a power and then added to a cup of boiling water to drink as a tea.
Devil’s Claw- Despite the name of this herb, it’s a very useful stomachache cure in South Africa. Some boil it and drink the liquid, while others eat small pieces of it. The herb is also commonly used to fight back or arthritis pain.
Jook – In Korea, jook is comparable to chicken noodle soup in the U.S. It is a rice porridge that is known to calm stomach acids. You can add ingredients such as shallots, soy sauce, ginger, garlic or other herbs to add some flavor. In China they refer to this dish as Congee. For me, the consistency looks too watery and unappealing especially for an upset stomach.
Other posts that may interest you include tips for avoiding jet lag, foods you should avoid when traveling abroad and hang over cures from around the world.
