Goal · Nausea
Food and nausea: ginger, small meals and what else helps
Ginger is the one food with real trial support for nausea. Small, frequent, bland meals and sipping fluids are the practical basics.
By the editors of Alimentotherapy Last reviewed 3 min read Not medical advice
The short answer
Ginger is the food with the strongest evidence for nausea: trials support it in early pregnancy and before surgery, though a Cochrane review rates the evidence for every pregnancy option, ginger included, as low quality Viljoen 2014; Matthews 2015. Alongside it, small frequent meals, bland foods and sipping clear fluids are the standard self-care advice MedlinePlus.
Foods and herbs for nausea, graded
Every claim from our remedy pages that relates to nausea, strongest evidence first. Each row links to the full page and its sources.
| Food or herb | Grade | What the research found |
|---|---|---|
| GingerNausea in early pregnancy | Moderate | A meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials (1,278 women) found ginger improved nausea compared with placebo, though it did not significantly reduce vomiting. Trial quality was low to moderate. |
| GingerNausea and vomiting after surgery | Moderate | Pooling five trials (363 patients), a fixed dose of at least 1 g of ginger before surgery lowered the relative risk of post-operative nausea and vomiting by about a third versus placebo. |
| GingerChemotherapy-related nausea (alongside standard anti-nausea drugs) | Limited | In one large trial (576 analysed patients) 0.5 to 1 g a day reduced acute nausea on day one of chemotherapy when added to standard anti-nausea medicine. Other trials disagree. |
| PeppermintNausea during chemotherapy (inhaled oil) | Limited | NCCIH reports a 2024 review in which 4 small studies (290 participants) found inhaled peppermint oil reduced nausea and vomiting in people having chemotherapy. |
How to eat when you feel sick
MedlinePlus advice for morning sickness works for most everyday nausea: avoid large meals and have a small snack as often as every one to two hours, eat before you get too hungry, choose bland foods such as crackers, dry toast and broth, avoid high-fat foods, and drink between meals rather than with them so your stomach does not get too full MedlinePlus. Keeping a few crackers by the bed to eat before getting up is an old trick that the same page recommends.
When you are vomiting, small amounts of clear liquid taken often are easier to keep down than large drinksMedlinePlus. A cup of warm broth counts.
In the kitchen
Many ginger ales and ginger sweets contain flavoring rather than ginger. MedlinePlus suggests checking the label for real ginger MedlinePlus. Fresh ginger steeped in hot water is a simple alternative.
Ginger, in brief
A meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials in 1,278 pregnant women found ginger improved nausea compared with placebo, though not vomiting Viljoen 2014, and a meta-analysis of five surgical trials found at least 1 g before surgery lowered the risk of post-operative nausea and vomiting Chaiyakunapruk 2006. Doses, safety and the blood-thinner question are on the ginger page. Peppermint is often suggested too; check its grade in the table.
Beyond food: wrist acupressure and vitamin B6
Pressure on the P6 point on the inner wrist, often with an elastic band, is widely sold for travel and morning sickness. A Cochrane review of 59 trials found P6 stimulation reduced nausea and vomiting after surgery compared with sham treatment, but rated the evidence low quality because the trials varied widelyLee 2015. It is cheap and harmless to try.
For pregnancy, MedlinePlus notes that vitamin B6 (100 mg or less a day) has been shown to ease morning sickness and that many providers suggest it first, and that an FDA-approved combination of doxylamine and B6 exists MedlinePlus. Do not take any medicine or supplement for morning sickness without talking with your provider.
When to see a clinician, not the pantry
- Blood or dark, coffee-ground material in vomit, or vomiting you think is from poisoning: call 911 or go to an emergency room.
- Vomiting for more than 24 hours, or unable to keep fluids down for 12 hours or more.
- Signs of dehydration: no urine for 8 hours or dark yellow urine, dry mouth, increased thirst, sunken eyes.
- Headache with a stiff neck, or severe belly pain.
- In pregnancy: vomiting that will not stop, or losing more than 2 pounds (1 kg) in a week.
Common questions
What is the best food for nausea?
Ginger has the most trial evidence: it eased nausea in early pregnancy in a 12-trial meta-analysis, and at least 1 gram before surgery lowered post-operative nausea in another. Beyond that, small frequent bland meals and sipping clear fluids are the standard advice.
Do acupressure wristbands work for nausea?
Possibly. A Cochrane review of 59 trials found pressure on the P6 wrist point reduced nausea and vomiting after surgery compared with sham treatment, but the evidence was rated low quality. The bands are cheap and harmless to try.
When is vomiting an emergency?
Get emergency care for blood or coffee-ground material in vomit or suspected poisoning. Contact a provider promptly for vomiting lasting more than 24 hours, being unable to keep fluids down for 12 hours, no urine for 8 hours, a stiff neck with headache, or severe belly pain.
Sources
Primary research and government sources, each checked on the date this page was reviewed.
- PubMedViljoen E, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting. Nutr J. 2014. PMID 24642205.
- CochraneMatthews A, et al. Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015. PMID 26348534.
- PubMedChaiyakunapruk N, et al. The efficacy of ginger for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006. PMID 16389016.
- CochraneLee A, et al. Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point PC6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015. PMID 26522652.
- MedlinePlusMedlinePlus. Morning sickness.
- MedlinePlusMedlinePlus. Nausea and vomiting - adults.
Keep reading
- RemedyGingerThe best-studied kitchen remedy for nausea. Trials support it for pregnancy and after surgery; the evidence for joint and period pain is thinner.
- RemedyPeppermintEnteric-coated peppermint oil capsules have consistent trial support for abdominal pain in people with IBS. Peppermint tea is pleasant but untested, and peppermint can make heartburn worse.
- GoalFood and digestive comfort: bloating, gas and sensitive gutsFor a sensitive gut, enteric-coated peppermint oil and a short, dietitian-guided low FODMAP trial have the strongest evidence. Most bloating comes from what and how fast we eat.
- RemedyBone brothA warm, savory, traditional food that is easy to drink when you are unwell. The popular claims about gut lining, joints and skin have not been tested in people.