Teapigs Fennel & Liquorice: An IBS Friendly Digestive

Teapigs Fennel and Liquorice (currently unavailable) is one of the strongest UK digestive blends, fennel for bloating, liquorice for gut soothing, in temple bag form. Excellent for IBS related discomfort and post meal bloating. Naturally sweet from the liquorice; no added sugar required. Reflux friendly (unlike peppermint). Worth keeping for anyone with frequent digestive issues.

The blend

Teapigs Fennel and Liquorice contains:

• Fennel seeds (the carminative active).
• Liquorice root.

That's it, pure two herb blend. The temple bag shows visible fennel seeds and liquorice pieces.

How it tastes

• Aroma: Strong aniseed (from fennel) with sweet undertones (from liquorice).
• First sip: Sweet up front (liquorice does most of the work).
• Mid cup: Aniseed fennel character emerges.
• Finish: Long warming sweetness; throat soothing.
• Without sugar: Naturally sweet, most drinkers don't add anything.

Curator Rating: 4.9/5.

How to brew

1. 1 temple bag in a mug.
2. 200ml just boiled water.
3. Cover the cup. Steep 5-7 minutes.
4. Drink unsweetened, the liquorice provides natural sweetness.

Why it works for IBS

Fennel

Solid evidence for anti bloating effect. Carminative, relaxes intestinal muscles, reduces gas, eases post meal discomfort. More on fennel.

Liquorice

Gut soothing properties. Glycyrrhizin (the active compound) supports mucosal lining. Useful for general gastric comfort.

The combination

Together: fennel reduces bloating; liquorice soothes; both are non stimulating to the gut (unlike senna or other harsh laxatives).

The reflux advantage

Many digestive blends contain peppermint, which can WORSEN reflux by relaxing the lower oesophageal sphincter. Teapigs Fennel and Liquorice contains no peppermint, making it reflux friendly.

For people with both IBS and reflux, this is one of the few mainstream digestive blends that's safe.

The liquorice consideration

Liquorice tea contains glycyrrhizin, which can:

• Raise blood pressure with sustained heavy use.
• Lower potassium with chronic high consumption.
• Interact with some medications (diuretics, blood pressure medications).

For most adults, 1-2 cups daily is fine. Avoid heavy long term use (multiple cups daily for months) and check with GP if you have hypertension or take diuretics.

Compared to other digestive blends

vs Pukka After Dinner

Pukka After Dinner is fennel + cardamom + ginger + aniseed + liquorice, fuller blend. Teapigs Fennel and Liquorice is purer fennel liquorice.

vs Pukka Three Mint

Pukka Three Mint is peppermint based, better for cooling and breath. Teapigs Fennel and Liquorice is reflux friendly.

vs plain peppermint tea

Peppermint is excellent for IBS but worsens reflux. Fennel liquorice is the reflux friendly alternative.

vs Heath & Heather Fennel

Heath & Heather is pure fennel; Teapigs adds liquorice for sweetness and gut soothing.

Use cases

Post meal bloating

Drink within 30 minutes of finishing eating. Real reduction in post meal discomfort.

IBS related discomfort

Daily 1-2 cups during flare. Useful adjunct to NHS prescribed treatment.

Reflux + IBS

The reflux friendly digestive option. Avoids peppermint's downside.

Post curry / spicy meal

Helpful after heavy or spicy meals.

Sore throat

Liquorice is genuinely soothing. Hot fennel liquorice tea + honey is excellent for early stage sore throat.

Sweet craving without sugar

The natural sweetness from liquorice satisfies sweet cravings without sugar. Useful for sugar managing drinkers.

Caffeine

0mg, caffeine free.

Vegan

Yes, plant based.

Pregnancy

Liquorice tea isn't recommended during pregnancy (high doses linked to preterm birth in some research). Pregnant women should choose alternative digestive blends, Pukka Mother Kind or pure fennel without liquorice.

Who it's for

• IBS sufferers (especially those with reflux).
• Bloating prone diners.
• Sore throat sufferers.
• Sweet craving managers.
• Post meal digestive routine drinkers.

Who should skip it

• Pregnant women.
• People with high blood pressure (long term).
• People taking diuretics.
• People who dislike aniseed flavour.

Pricing

Premium tier, typically 30-40p per bag.

Buying

Available at Waitrose, Whole Foods, online specialty retailers. Use /buy/teapigs fennel liquorice/.

Pack sizes

• 15-bag (trial)
• 50-bag (regular)

Storage

Airtight tin or original packaging. Use within 12-18 months.

FAQ

Best for IBS? Yes, fennel reduces bloating, liquorice soothes.

Reflux friendly? Yes, no peppermint.

Pregnancy? No, liquorice not recommended in pregnancy.

How sweet? Naturally sweet from liquorice. No sugar needed.

Caffeine? 0mg.

Curator's note: Teapigs Fennel and Liquorice is one of the most effective UK digestive blends, particularly for the reflux plus IBS combination. Naturally sweet, calorie zero, soothing. Worth keeping for digestive routine. Lee, Teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

What you need to know: Teapigs Fennel and Liquorice

What to buy now

Buy Teapigs Fennel and Liquorice as the everyday IBS cup. Compare with straight fennel tea for the cleaner monoculture variant, straight liquorice tea for the sweet root, and Pukka After Dinner for the multi-herb digestive blend.

Round it off with the herbal & fruit infusions and Teapigs range.

Reference noted

• PubMed: Tea polyphenols and gut microbiota
• NHS: IBS

Digestive tea reading

For ingredient context see the fennel tea guide and the liquorice tea piece. For digestive context see the herbal tea and bloating guide. For brand context see the Teapigs deep dive.

Part of the Tea for Digestion pillar at teas.co.uk.

More from the tea wiki

• Green tea
• Black tea
• Oolong tea
• White tea
• Herbal tea
• Caffeine in tea
• How to make tea properly
• Loose leaf vs teabag

Download as PDF