Ginger Tea for Nausea

Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine — used for digestive complaints for thousands of years

Evidence: Strong — multiple meta-analyses; effective versus placebo for pregnancy nausea and nausea generally

Illustration: Fresh ginger root (Zingiber officinale)

Illustration: Fresh ginger slices

What it is and what it is used for

Fresh ginger root (Zingiber officinale) steeped in hot water, sipped for nausea — morning sickness, motion sickness, and post-meal queasiness. A 2014 meta-analysis of 12 RCTs (1,278 pregnant women) found ginger significantly improved nausea versus placebo, and a 2025 umbrella review of 18 systematic reviews confirmed the effect. Benefit is clearer for nausea than for vomiting.

Safety and disclaimers

Recipe

Ingredients:

Preparation:

  1. Steep the ginger in hot water for 5–10 minutes.
  2. Strain, add lemon and honey if desired, and sip slowly.

Dosage / directions: Repeat as needed. Trials showing benefit generally used under 1,500 mg/day of ginger.

Folk history

Ginger traveled the ancient spice routes from Southeast Asia to Rome, where Pliny the Elder wrote of it, and into the Chinese pharmacopoeia two thousand years ago as the remedy for 'rebellious stomach qi.' Sailors carried it against seasickness; Victorian mothers brewed it for children's stomach aches. It may be the most universally agreed-upon stomach remedy in human history.

Scientific references