Ginger Tea for Upset Stomach: Nausea, Digestion and Bloating

Ginger tea is a reasonable first thing to try for an upset stomach when the main problem is nausea. Overviews of the trials support ginger for nausea in pregnancy, after surgery and as an add-on during chemotherapy^[1]. The evidence for indigestion, bloating and gas is much thinner, and most studies tested supplements rather than tea, with nausea trials using about 1 to 1.5 g a day^[2][3].

Below: what ginger does and does not do for nausea, indigestion and bloating, the doses tested, how to make a cup, and who should avoid ginger.

Does ginger tea help an upset stomach?

Yes for queasiness, less clearly for the rest. "Upset stomach" covers several symptoms, and ginger's evidence differs for each one. If you want ginger tea for stomach ache from cramping or bloating, expect less. Most trials tested ginger supplements rather than foods or tea^[3], so the table summarizes trials of ginger powder, capsules or extract.

The overall picture matches a review of 109 ginger trials: results for nausea in pregnancy and digestive function were consistent, but only 39.4% of the trials were rated high quality^[13].

How does ginger work in the stomach?

Ginger's active compounds, the gingerols and shogaols, appear to act on several nausea pathways at once. Lab and clinical studies link them to blocking serotonin 5-HT3 and substance P receptors, calming inflammation, and changing stomach emptying and gut motility^[14].

The stomach-emptying effect is the best measured. In a crossover trial of 24 healthy volunteers, 1,200 mg of ginger cut the time for half a test meal to leave the stomach from 26.7 to 13.1 minutes^[15]. Ginger also increased contractions in the lower stomach, one measure of gut motility^[15].

The finding is not universal. An older trial of 16 volunteers given 1 g of ginger found no change in emptying, using a different measurement method^[16]. And faster emptying did not, by itself, change how people felt in either motility trial^[15][10].

Ginger for nausea: the strongest evidence

Nausea is ginger's most-studied use: in an overview of 27 systematic reviews, 12 assessed ginger as a remedy for nausea and vomiting^[17]. Another overview of 15 meta-analyses concluded that ginger is a safe botanical option for nausea and vomiting, while rating the quality of those meta-analyses critically low to low^[1].

Morning sickness

Ginger for morning sickness has the most consistent support. A meta-analysis of 12 trials in 1,278 pregnant women found ginger improved nausea compared with placebo, but did not significantly reduce vomiting episodes^[4]. It found no increased risk of miscarriage, heartburn or drowsiness.

A second meta-analysis of 13 trials reached the same split: ginger beat placebo for nausea, not for vomiting, and performed about the same as vitamin B6^[5]. ACOG lists ginger capsules, ginger candies, ginger ale made with real ginger, and tea made from fresh-grated ginger as options to try^[18]. NCCIH advises talking with your provider before using ginger supplements in pregnancy^[3].

After surgery and during chemotherapy

In a meta-analysis of 10 trials with 918 surgical patients, ginger lowered the severity of postoperative nausea^[6]. Its effects on how often nausea occurred, and on the need for rescue anti-nausea drugs, did not reach statistical significance.

For chemotherapy, a 2024 meta-analysis of 22 capsule trials found ginger added to standard anti-nausea drugs reduced severe acute nausea (risk ratio 0.19)^[7]. It was studied as an add-on, not a replacement. NCCIH still calls its benefit in both settings uncertain^[3].

Motion sickness

Ginger for motion sickness is the weakest of the nausea uses. In a lab trial of 13 people prone to motion sickness, 1,000 to 2,000 mg of ginger reduced nausea and delayed its onset^[8]. In another trial of 28 volunteers in a rotating chair, ginger gave no protection, while the drug scopolamine did^[9]. NCCIH notes that most motion-sickness studies have not found ginger helpful^[3].

Is ginger good for digestion and indigestion?

Ginger speeds stomach emptying, but that has not reliably translated into fewer indigestion symptoms. In 11 people with functional dyspepsia (chronic indigestion with no visible cause), 1.2 g of ginger shortened half-emptying time from 16.1 to 12.3 minutes. Fullness, discomfort and gut hormone levels did not change^[10].

A larger trial in 126 people with functional dyspepsia tested ginger combined with artichoke extract for four weeks. The combination eased nausea, upper-abdominal fullness, pain and bloating more than placebo^[19]. Because two extracts were tested together, the result cannot be credited to ginger alone, and the extract maker's staff were among the authors.

In healthy young adults, 1.2 g of ginger daily for 14 days improved an indigestion score compared with placebo, but not bowel function or other gut symptoms^[20].

If your "upset stomach" is mainly burning behind the breastbone, that is a reflux question. Our GERD guide covers what helps acid reflux.

Can ginger help with stomach bloating and gas?

Possibly, but the evidence is limited and mixed. The best trial ran 12 weeks in 52 adults with multiple sclerosis, a group in which gut symptoms are common. Ginger at 500 mg three times a day with meals reduced bloating severity, along with constipation and nausea, compared with placebo^[11]. The drop in bloating frequency was not statistically significant.

In IBS, the result was negative. A pilot trial of 45 people found 57.1% responded to placebo, 46.7% to 1 g of ginger, and 33.3% to 2 g, so ginger did no better than placebo^[12].

For gas, a small study in 14 healthy men found 1 g of ginger in water made the valve at the bottom of the esophagus relax more during swallowing^[21]. The authors suggested this could help gas escape upward, but they did not measure gas or symptoms.

Bloating has many possible triggers, from swallowed air to constipation. Our main page on bloating causes and relief explains how to work out which applies. For how ginger compares with peppermint and fennel, see our tea for bloating guide, and for sharp gas pain, our trapped gas pain guide.

What does ginger do to gut bacteria?

Ginger shifts a few groups of gut bacteria in people, but it does not appear to reshape the gut microbiome as a whole. Two of three human trials found no change in overall diversity^[20][22]; the third, using fresh juice, found more species^[23].

• Healthy young adults: 1.2 g of ginger powder daily for 14 days raised Actinobacteria and Parabacteroides and lowered Blautia, with no change in overall diversity^[20].
• Adults with past colon polyps: six weeks of ginger lowered Akkermansia, Bacteroides and Ruminococcus, with no change in overall diversity^[22].
• Healthy adults drinking fresh ginger juice: a crossover study of 123 people found more bacterial species, lower Ruminococcus groups and a trend toward more Faecalibacterium, with different changes in men and women^[23].

In the healthy-adult trial, the bacterial shifts came without changes in bowel function or most gut symptoms^[20]. The shifted groups also differed between studies, so ginger's microbiome effect is not yet a reason to use it for gut symptoms.

How much ginger per day did studies use?

For nausea, a review of clinical trials found a divided daily dose of about 1,500 mg beneficial, and pregnancy trials commonly used 1 g a day^[2]. In pregnancy trials, doses under 1,500 mg a day appeared to work at least as well as higher ones for nausea^[4].

A cup of tea is not a measured dose. Its ginger content depends on how much root or powder you use, and NCCIH notes that most nausea studies tested supplements rather than foods^[3]. Ginger supplements are also not approved by the FDA before sale^[3].

How to make ginger tea for an upset stomach

ACOG's suggestion for morning sickness is tea made from fresh-grated ginger^[18]. A simple way to make it:

1. Peel and finely grate a small piece of fresh ginger root.
2. Pour hot, just-boiled water over it and cover the cup.
3. Let it steep for several minutes; longer steeping gives a stronger, spicier cup.
4. Strain, and sip slowly once it is cool enough to drink.

We found no trial of a specific tea recipe, and NCCIH notes most studies used supplements^[3], so adjust the strength to what your stomach tolerates. With a stomach bug, ginger tea may help the queasiness, but it is not a treatment for the infection; our guide to stomach flu vs. food poisoning covers what to watch for.

Who should avoid ginger?

Ginger has been used safely in many studies when taken by mouth^[3]. Known side effects include:

• abdominal discomfort
• heartburn
• diarrhea
• mouth and throat irritation^[3]

In trials, side effects were generally no more common with ginger than with the comparison group^[2]. In the 12-week MS trial, 7.7% of the ginger group reported a minor side effect compared with 11.5% on placebo^[11].

Take extra care in these situations:

• You take prescription medicines. NCCIH advises checking with your provider before using ginger with any medicine^[3]. Older reports raised bleeding concerns, but a small crossover study found 1.2 g of ginger three times a day did not change platelet function or a dose of warfarin^[2]. An overview of reviews called the platelet evidence inconclusive^[17], so ask before combining ginger supplements with blood thinners.
• You are pregnant. Ginger supplements may be safe in pregnancy, but NCCIH advises consulting your provider first^[3].
• You are breastfeeding. Little is known about ginger's safety while breastfeeding^[3].
• Ginger gives you heartburn. Heartburn is a listed side effect^[3], so ginger may not suit everyone with reflux.

Can you drink too much ginger tea?

There is no established upper limit for ginger tea, but more ginger was not more helpful in the trials we read. In the IBS trial, the response rate fell from 46.7% at 1 g to 33.3% at 2 g a day^[12]. If ginger tea leaves you with heartburn, stomach discomfort or loose stools, those are known side effects^[3], and cutting back is the sensible step.

When to see a doctor

Ginger is a home measure for a mild, short-lived upset stomach. Seek medical care promptly instead of relying on ginger if symptoms are severe: NIDDK advises seeing a doctor right away if indigestion comes with^[24]:

• pain in your chest, jaw, neck or arm, or shortness of breath
• difficulty or pain when swallowing
• frequent vomiting or bloody vomit
• severe, constant abdominal pain or long-lasting bloating or swelling
• weight loss without trying, yellowing of the eyes or skin, or black, tarlike stools

Also see a doctor if indigestion does not get better^[24]. In pregnancy, ACOG advises calling your ob-gyn if you cannot keep liquids down, pass little dark urine, feel dizzy when standing or have a racing heartbeat^[18].

This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. The doses described are those used in the studies cited, mostly capsules rather than tea, and are not a recommendation. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before using ginger supplements, particularly if you are pregnant, immunocompromised, taking prescription medication, or managing a diagnosed condition.