What Drink Helps with Itchy Skin? A Guide to Soothing Beverages

October 6, 2025 •

3 min read

According to a 2017 survey of eczema participants, certain food triggers can cause flare-ups, highlighting the link between diet and skin health. While topical treatments are common, addressing itchy skin from the inside out with the right drinks is a powerful and proactive strategy for relief.

Quick Summary

This guide explores beverages that can help soothe irritated and itchy skin. It covers hydrating and anti-inflammatory options, nutrient-rich smoothies, and beverages that support gut health to manage discomfort and promote healthier skin from within.

Key Points

Prioritize Water: Adequate daily water intake is fundamental for maintaining skin moisture and its protective barrier function.
Sip on Anti-inflammatory Teas: Green tea, chamomile, and turmeric tea contain powerful antioxidants and compounds that can calm skin irritation.
Blend Soothing Smoothies: Incorporate ingredients like cucumber, aloe vera, and berries into smoothies for extra hydration and antioxidant power.
Support Your Gut: Probiotic-rich drinks like kombucha or amino acid-rich bone broth can improve gut health, which is linked to reduced skin inflammation.
Avoid Triggering Drinks: Limit or avoid alcohol, high-sugar beverages, and potential allergens like cow's milk and soy, as they can promote inflammation.
Choose Hydrating Alternatives: For a flavorful alternative, coconut water provides hydrating electrolytes and anti-inflammatory benefits.

The Foundational Role of Hydration

Proper hydration is the cornerstone of healthy skin and often the first line of defense against itchiness. The skin's outermost layer, the stratum corneum, relies on adequate moisture to maintain its protective barrier function. When dehydrated, the skin can become dry, tight, and more susceptible to irritation and inflammation.

Water: Simply drinking enough water throughout the day is essential for maintaining skin moisture levels and flushing out toxins that may contribute to skin irritation.
Coconut Water: This natural electrolyte-rich drink offers significant hydration and contains cytokinins, which possess anti-inflammatory properties that can promote cell regeneration and healing.

Anti-Inflammatory Teas for Internal Soothing

Herbal teas are a natural way to deliver anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants to your body, which can calm skin irritation.

Green Tea: Rich in polyphenols and a powerful antioxidant called EGCG, green tea can reduce inflammation and protect against skin damage.
Chamomile Tea: Known for its calming properties, chamomile contains bisabolol and chamazulene, which have anti-inflammatory effects that soothe irritated skin.
Nettle Tea: Historically used as a natural antihistamine, nettle tea can help calm skin inflammation and itching from within.
Turmeric Tea: Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is a potent anti-inflammatory agent that can reduce chronic inflammation associated with skin conditions. Pairing it with a pinch of black pepper enhances its absorption.

Soothing Smoothies and Fresh Juices

Smoothies and fresh juices are excellent vehicles for delivering concentrated nutrients, antioxidants, and hydrating ingredients that support skin health.

Recipes for Soothing Skin

Cucumber & Aloe Vera Refresher: Blend 1/2 peeled cucumber, 1/2 cup aloe vera juice, 1/2 cup coconut water, 1 green apple, and a handful of mint leaves. This provides maximum hydration and cooling effects.
Turmeric & Pineapple Glow Smoothie: Combine 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks, 1 banana, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 cup coconut milk, and a tablespoon of chia seeds for a powerful anti-inflammatory and hydrating boost.
Berry Blast Smoothie: Mix 1/2 cup each of blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries with Greek yogurt and almond milk. Berries are packed with antioxidants that protect skin from damage.

The Gut-Skin Connection and Beneficial Beverages

A healthy gut microbiome is linked to a well-functioning immune system, which can reduce inflammatory skin conditions.

Bone Broth: This traditional beverage provides difficult-to-get amino acids like glycine and proline, as well as collagen, which support gut, skin, and joint health. Chicken soup, made with bone broth, has been shown to reduce inflammation.
Kombucha: This fermented tea is rich in probiotics, which can help balance gut flora and decrease inflammation in the body.

Drinks to Limit or Avoid for Sensitive Skin

Just as some drinks can help, others may worsen irritation and inflammation.

Alcohol: Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to dehydration and inflammation, which may aggravate skin conditions like eczema and rosacea.
High-Sugar Drinks: Sodas and other sugary beverages can cause spikes in insulin, which promotes inflammation and can worsen skin issues.
Triggering Juices: For those with sensitivities, juices from citrus fruits or nightshades like tomatoes may cause dermatitis flare-ups.

Beverage Comparison for Itchy Skin


Beverage	Primary Benefit	Anti-inflammatory	Soothing Effect	Key Nutrients	Potential Downside
Water	Hydration	Mild	Yes	None	None
Green Tea	Antioxidants	High (EGCG)	Yes	Polyphenols	Caffeine (choose decaf)
Chamomile Tea	Calming	Yes	High	Flavonoids	Rare allergic reaction
Turmeric Tea	Anti-inflammation	High (Curcumin)	Mild	Antioxidants	Needs black pepper for absorption
Coconut Water	Hydration & Electrolytes	Yes	Yes	Cytokinins	Can be high in sugar if flavored
Oat Milk	Soothing	Yes (beta-glucans)	High	Beta-glucans	Can be processed with sugar
Bone Broth	Gut Health	Yes	Yes	Collagen, Amino Acids	Taste preference
Berry Smoothie	Antioxidants	Yes	Yes	Vitamins A, C, E	High sugar if not controlled

Conclusion: A Holistic Hydration Approach

While a single drink is not a cure-all, adopting a mindful hydration strategy can significantly help manage itchy skin. By prioritizing simple water intake and incorporating targeted, nutrient-rich beverages like anti-inflammatory teas and soothing smoothies, you can fortify your skin's barrier and reduce irritation from within. Always remember that what you put into your body has a direct impact on your skin's health. For persistent or severe itchy skin, consulting a healthcare professional is recommended for a comprehensive treatment plan.

Mayo Clinic also emphasizes the importance of staying hydrated and using gentle, hydrating products for managing itchy skin conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, dehydration can cause itchy skin. When your skin lacks enough water, its protective barrier can become compromised, leading to dryness, tightness, and increased susceptibility to irritation and itching.

While several teas are beneficial, green tea is particularly effective due to its high concentration of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory polyphenols. Chamomile and nettle teas are also good choices for their calming and anti-inflammatory properties.

For some individuals, especially those with an intolerance or allergy, dairy products like cow's milk can trigger inflammatory responses, leading to itchy skin and conditions like eczema. It's advisable to test if you have a sensitivity.

Anti-inflammatory drinks work by reducing systemic inflammation in the body. Since many causes of itchy skin, such as eczema, are linked to inflammation, consuming beverages rich in anti-inflammatory compounds can help calm the skin from within.

Smoothies are generally preferred over juices because they include the whole fruit or vegetable, retaining the beneficial fiber. This fiber is important for gut health, which has a strong connection to skin health and managing inflammation.

Yes, aloe vera juice can help soothe itchy skin by providing hydration and reducing inflammation from the inside. It can be easily incorporated into hydrating smoothies.

For sensitive or irritable skin, it is best to avoid or limit alcohol, high-sugar drinks like soda, and juices from potential allergens like citrus fruits, as these can promote inflammation and worsen symptoms.