Relieve IBS Bloating, Gas, Spasms
Immediate Bloating Support

Heather's Tummy Tea Fennel is unique because it is formulated to contain a high volatile oil content and whole seed size for ideal bloating support. Both factors are integral to the quality and potency of fennel when brewed as tea. Heather's Tummy Tea is harvested and packaged to be as fresh as possible, and it is processed for minimal volatile oil dissipation. It is the volatile oils in fennel that make it so effective for the dietary management of IBS symptoms, particularly bloating and gas.

Fennel's primary volatile oils are anethole, fenchone, and estragole. Anethole is known to have a relaxing effect on the intestine, and fennel also has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Fennel is a carminative; it helps relax the gut, regulates contractions of the small intestine, and aids bloating and gas.

Heather's Tummy Tea is packed in very generous quantities because it is meant to be used daily as a medical food for IBS; brew a delicious cup of tea several times a day, every day, as part of your dietary management of IBS symptoms.

Heather's Tummy Tea is sourced and specially produced for IBS-specific purposes and results, in several ways:

* Extremely high volatile oil levels. Why does this matter? Because the volatile oil is the component within the tea that yields the medicinal benefits. The higher the volatile oil level, the greater the medicinal value.

* Whole fennel seed size. Other teabag brands use "teabag cut" herbs, which are very finely milled. This is so the tea will flow through teabag machines. But, the more finely you cut an herb, the more volatile oil is released and dissipated, and the weaker the final cup of brewed tea will be. (We actually customized our own teabag machines so that we could run whole seed fennel through our machines.)

* Special jumbo-size teabags, which give an average of two to three times more tea per bag as other brands.

* USDA certified organic. This means, among other things, that our herbs are guaranteed free of: pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, GMO (genetically modified organisms), preservatives, additives, irradiation, and there is no animal testing.

Organic materials and processing are significantly more expensive. But, our tea prices are actually significantly less expensive than non-organic brands.

In addition, a comprehensive review of 97 published studies (published as the "State of Science Review" by The Organic Center) comparing the nutritional quality of organic and conventional foods has shown that organic plants contain higher levels of 8 of 11 nutrients studied, including significantly greater concentrations of the health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants. This review concluded that organically grown plants are 25% more nutrient dense, on average, than conventionally grown plants.

* Packed in very generous quantities, as this tea is meant to be used daily for IBS symptoms. We offer 45 Fennel Tummy Teabags per canister. This is 3-4 times more teabags per container than other brands, which means you will have enough tea on hand to use it regularly, which is how it works best for IBS.

The end result? Fennel Tummy Tea is exponentially stronger and more effective, and a better value, than other brands.

Fennel Tummy Tea is the only brand of medicinal strength fennel tea for IBS we're aware of, and one sip is all it takes to tell the difference.

Fennel's documented use goes back to ancient China, and the plant is mentioned in virtually every European work on herbal medicines from ancient times to modern day. The mild licorice-flavored seeds (though unrelated to the actual licorice plant) are native to the Mediterranean, were known to the ancient Greeks, and were spread throughout Europe by Imperial Rome. In the 1st century A.D. Pliny attributed 22 healing properties to fennel. According to Chaucer, the 14th century English poet, fennel was one of the nine holy herbs of the Anglo-Saxons.

The United States once listed fennel as an official drug to be used for digestive problems, and today the herb is still used daily as an after-dinner digestive aid from India to Italy to Spain. Fennel is classified as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA - there are no limitations on its use as a daily digestive aid. Fennel is so safe it's even used to treat infants with colic.

Brew Heather's Tummy Tea with boiling water, but do not actually boil the teabags or loose tea in water as this can destroy its volatile oils, and thus its effectiveness. Fennel tea (like all of Heather's Tummy Teas) is naturally caffeine-free, as it does not contain any actual tea leaves (tea is a specific plant, even though other herbal drinks are commonly called "teas"). The stronger you brew this tea the more effective it will be. Lightly crushing the seeds before brewing them with hot water will increase their strength. The teabags are unbleached and organic-suitable.

Fennel tea can be sweetened with a little honey or plain sugar if you wish but it's also delicious plain. It can be chilled into iced tea, but remember that ice-cold beverages on an empty stomach can trigger GI spasms, whereas the heat in hot teas is in and of itself a muscle relaxant. The stronger the fennel tea, the more pronounced its beneficial effects on your digestion, so don't be afraid to make a dark brew!

"What does it mean that Heather's Tummy Tea Fennel is certified organic?"
Heather's Tummy Tea Fennel is certified organic and therefore uses:

* no pesticides
* no fertilizer
* no herbicides
* no GMO (genetically modified organisms)
* no preservatives
* no additives
* no irradiation
* no animal testing

Organic certification guarantees that our fennel is harvested with:

* good ecology - enriched soil, less soil erosion
* harvested through farming which respects the environment
* traceability of each batch demonstrated from the fields to the customer
* organic certified farming/harvesting
* organic certified manufacturing and packaging
* USDA organic certified
* organic certified by Quality Assurance International

"Certified organic" refers to agricultural products that have been grown and processed according to strict uniform standards, verified annually by independent state or private organizations. These organizations' certifying seals are your guarantee that Heather's Tummy Tea Fennel has been third-party certified organic.

Heather's Tummy Tea Fennel is certified organic right from the fields. After harvest, the fennel is assigned its organic identification, which follows the fennel through the entire packing and shipping process. This organic traceability is carried directly through to our customers by our certifying agency, Quality Assurance International. Heather's Tummy Tea Fennel is also USDA organic certified.