Best Tea for Nausea: 7 Teas That Actually Help, From Ginger to Peppermint
The best tea for nausea is ginger, by a wide margin: it is the only tea with meta-analyses behind it, for morning sickness, post-operative nausea, motion sickness and chemotherapy. Peppermint comes second, mostly on aromatherapy trials, and lemon-ginger third, where the lemon aroma adds a small, tested effect of its own. Chamomile, spearmint, fennel and cinnamon round out the list on smaller trials and tradition.
Tea suits nausea for reasons beyond the plant. Warm liquid in small sips is easier to keep down than cold water, the act of sipping slows breathing, and the aroma rising from a cup is a dose of its own, which is why peppermint and lemon earn places despite thin oral evidence. Brew it weaker than usual, let it cool to warm, and sip rather than drink.
See a clinician rather than relying on tea if nausea comes with severe abdominal pain, a stiff neck, severe headache, chest pain, confusion, blood in vomit, vomiting for more than 24 hours or inability to keep fluids down, signs of dehydration, or if it follows a head injury. In pregnancy, vomiting that causes weight loss or stops you keeping fluids down may be hyperemesis gravidarum, which has effective treatments and should not be managed with ginger alone.
Quick answer
- Ginger tea — meta-analysis evidence for pregnancy, surgery, motion and chemotherapy nausea
- Peppermint tea — menthol aroma and gut relaxation; low-certainty trials for post-operative nausea
- Lemon-ginger tea — ginger plus lemon aroma, which reduced pregnancy nausea in a 100-woman trial
- Chamomile tea — gentle; one small trial in chemotherapy nausea, otherwise tradition
- Spearmint tea — milder, lower-menthol mint; small trial in chemotherapy nausea
- Fennel tea — settles the stomach when nausea comes with bloating; tradition and mechanism
The 7 best teas for nausea
Ranked by the strength of human evidence. Strong = multiple trials or a meta-analysis. Moderate = a few small trials. Preliminary = early, traditional or animal data.
Ginger's gingerols and shogaols block serotonin 5-HT3 receptors in the gut and speed gastric emptying, the same pathways some anti-nausea drugs use. A 2014 meta-analysis of 12 trials in 1,278 pregnant women found ginger (usually 1 g a day for 4 days or more) improved nausea significantly versus placebo without raising the risk of miscarriage or harm. A 2006 meta-analysis found 1 g before surgery cut post-operative nausea and vomiting, a 2012 trial of 576 chemotherapy patients found 0.5 to 1 g daily reduced acute nausea, and a 1988 open-sea trial found 1 g reduced seasickness vomiting.
- Key evidence
- Viljoen et al. 2014 meta-analysis, Nutrition Journal: ginger for pregnancy nausea; Chaiyakunapruk 2006 meta-analysis for post-operative nausea.
- How to brew it
- 4 to 6 thin slices (about 5 g) fresh root per 240 ml water, simmer 10 minutes or steep covered 15 minutes; or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger per cup. Sip warm, in small amounts, before nausea peaks.
- Best for
- Morning sickness, motion sickness, post-operative and chemotherapy nausea, and the queasy stomach after a heavy meal
- Cautions
- Ginger has a mild antiplatelet effect; keep under 4 g a day with warfarin or other blood thinners and stop a week before surgery. It can cause heartburn at high doses. In pregnancy, up to 1 g dried ginger a day (about 4 cups of this tea) is the amount the trials used and is considered safe; tell your midwife if you take it with other blood-thinning supplements.
Peppermint's evidence for nausea is mostly through the nose. A 2018 Cochrane review of aromatherapy for post-operative nausea found low-certainty evidence that peppermint and other aromas reduced the need for rescue anti-nausea drugs, and several small hospital trials found inhaled peppermint oil lowered nausea scores within minutes. Menthol also relaxes stomach muscle, which helps when nausea comes with cramping. The tea delivers both: the aroma from the cup and a gentle dose by mouth.
- Key evidence
- Hines et al. 2018 Cochrane review: aromatherapy (including peppermint) for post-operative nausea and vomiting.
- How to brew it
- 1 teaspoon dried leaf (or 1 teabag) per 240 ml water at 95 C, covered, steep 5 minutes; keep it weaker than usual and breathe the steam before sipping.
- Best for
- Nausea with a crampy stomach, and people who find ginger too fiery
- Cautions
- Menthol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter and can worsen nausea that comes with reflux or heartburn. Keep peppermint oil away from infants and small children; the tea is fine for most adults, including in pregnancy at normal amounts.
Lemon adds something ginger does not: a tested aroma effect. In a 2014 double-blind trial, 100 pregnant women with nausea were randomized to inhale lemon essential oil or a placebo at the onset of nausea for 4 days, and the lemon group had significantly lower nausea and vomiting scores on days 2 and 4. Many women also report that sour tastes cut through the metallic nausea of early pregnancy. Add the lemon to a properly made ginger tea and you get both effects in one cup.
- Key evidence
- Yavari Kia et al. 2014, Iran Red Crescent Med J: lemon inhalation aromatherapy vs placebo in 100 women with pregnancy nausea.
- How to brew it
- Make ginger tea as above, then add the juice of half a lemon and a strip of zest after steeping (heat destroys the aroma); drink warm, holding the cup close.
- Best for
- Morning sickness, especially with a metallic taste in the mouth
- Cautions
- All ginger cautions apply. Lemon is acidic and can worsen reflux and erode tooth enamel with frequent sipping; rinse with water afterwards and avoid brushing for 30 minutes.
Chamomile is a traditional nausea remedy, and it has one real trial: a 2016 Iranian study in 65 women on chemotherapy for breast cancer found 500 mg of chamomile extract twice daily for 5 days reduced vomiting frequency about as much as ginger. Its apigenin and bisabolol relax stomach smooth muscle in tissue studies and have mild anti-anxiety effects, which matters because anticipatory and anxiety-driven nausea is common. Chamomile alone has not been tested in pregnancy nausea, so for morning sickness ginger remains the first choice.
- Key evidence
- Sanaati et al. 2016, Asian Pac J Cancer Prev: chamomile vs ginger for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
- How to brew it
- 1 tablespoon dried flowers (or 1 to 2 teabags) per 240 ml water at 90 C, covered, steep 5 minutes; sip warm, weaker than usual.
- Best for
- Nausea with anxiety, a nervous stomach, or when ginger and mint are too strong
- Cautions
- Ragweed-family allergy applies; chamomile adds to sedatives, and its coumarins may slightly increase bleeding with warfarin. Data in pregnancy are limited, so keep to an occasional cup rather than a daily routine.
Spearmint contains carvone rather than menthol, which makes it gentler on the stomach and less likely to worsen reflux than peppermint, while keeping the mint aroma. A small 2013 randomized trial in 50 chemotherapy patients found that spearmint and peppermint essential oil capsules each reduced the frequency and intensity of vomiting in the first 24 hours compared with placebo. That is one small trial, so the grade is preliminary, but it makes spearmint a reasonable choice for people who like mint and cannot tolerate peppermint.
- Key evidence
- Tayarani-Najaran et al. 2013, ecancermedicalscience: spearmint and peppermint oils for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
- How to brew it
- 1 tablespoon dried leaf (or 1 teabag) per 240 ml water at 95 C, covered, steep 5 to 7 minutes; sip warm.
- Best for
- Mint lovers with reflux, and pregnancy nausea where peppermint feels too strong
- Cautions
- Spearmint is gentler than peppermint but can still loosen the lower esophageal sphincter in some people. Large daily amounts (several cups for weeks) lowered free testosterone in a small PCOS trial, which is irrelevant for short-term nausea use but worth knowing.
Fennel is on the list for nausea that comes with a bloated, gassy stomach, which is often the real cause of queasiness after eating. Anethole relaxes intestinal smooth muscle, and fennel has trial evidence for cramping and gas in infant colic (65 versus 24 percent colic-free on placebo in a 2003 trial of 125 infants) and in IBS. There are no trials of fennel for nausea itself, so this is a secondary pick for a specific pattern, not a general anti-nausea tea.
- Key evidence
- Alexandrovich et al. 2003 infant colic RCT; Badgujar et al. 2014 review of fennel pharmacology, Biomed Res Int.
- How to brew it
- 1 teaspoon crushed seeds per 240 ml water just off the boil, covered, steep 10 minutes; sip after meals.
- Best for
- Nausea with bloating and gas after eating
- Cautions
- Fennel has estrogenic activity in lab studies, so keep to occasional cups in pregnancy and with hormone-sensitive conditions. Cross-reactions with carrot, celery and mugwort allergy are possible.
Cinnamon is a traditional warming remedy for a queasy stomach and has one relevant human data point: in a 2015 randomized trial of 76 women with painful periods, 420 mg of cinnamon three times a day for the first 3 days of bleeding reduced nausea and vomiting scores as well as pain compared with placebo. Its cinnamaldehyde relaxes gut smooth muscle and has antimicrobial effects in lab studies, but there are no trials in pregnancy, motion or post-operative nausea, so this is a comfort tea with a plausible mechanism.
- Key evidence
- Jaafarpour et al. 2015, Iran Red Crescent Med J: cinnamon vs placebo in primary dysmenorrhea, with nausea and vomiting as secondary outcomes.
- How to brew it
- 1 cinnamon stick (Ceylon if possible) broken into 240 ml water, simmer 10 minutes; or 1/2 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon steeped 10 minutes and strained through a fine sieve.
- Best for
- Period-related nausea and a cold, queasy stomach
- Cautions
- Cassia cinnamon (the common supermarket kind) is high in coumarin, which can stress the liver at more than about 1 teaspoon a day over weeks; Ceylon cinnamon has almost none. Cinnamon may lower blood sugar alongside diabetes drugs, and large amounts are not advised in pregnancy.
How to choose
- Morning sickness: ginger first, up to 4 small cups a day, started before you get out of bed; add lemon if you have a metallic taste. If you are losing weight or cannot keep fluids down, that is hyperemesis and needs a clinician.
- Motion sickness: a cup of ginger tea 30 to 60 minutes before travelling, then ginger chews or candied ginger on the journey.
- Nausea after surgery or chemotherapy: ask your care team first, since some protocols restrict ginger around bleeding risk; if cleared, ginger or peppermint, with the aroma as part of the dose.
- Nausea with heartburn or reflux: skip peppermint and spearmint; use ginger, chamomile or cinnamon.
- Nausea with cramping or bloating after eating: peppermint or fennel.
- Nausea with anxiety or dread (before events, treatments or travel): chamomile, sipped slowly with slow breathing; the ritual is part of the effect.
What to skip
Ginger ale
Most commercial ginger ale contains little or no real ginger, and the sugar and carbonation can worsen nausea and bloating. Flat, real ginger tea or ginger chews are what the trials used.
Strong black tea or coffee on a nauseated stomach
Caffeine and tannins increase stomach acid and can trigger vomiting on an empty stomach. If you want black tea, make it weak, with a little sugar, in small sips.
Raspberry leaf tea for morning sickness
Raspberry leaf has no evidence for nausea, and because it is traditionally used to tone the uterus it is generally advised against in the first trimester, which is exactly when morning sickness is worst.
'Nausea relief' blends with licorice or senna
Licorice raises blood pressure and is avoided in pregnancy, and senna is a laxative that will worsen cramping and dehydration; neither has any anti-nausea evidence.
Safety and when to see a clinician
- Ginger is the best-studied tea for pregnancy nausea and is considered safe at up to about 1 g dried a day; higher amounts have not been tested, and women with a history of bleeding problems or on blood thinners should check with their midwife.
- Peppermint and spearmint can worsen reflux-related nausea; chamomile, fennel and lemon balm have limited pregnancy data and should be occasional cups rather than daily habits in pregnancy.
- Ginger, chamomile and cinnamon each have mild effects on clotting or blood sugar; with warfarin, other blood thinners or diabetes medication, keep to one or two cups a day and tell your clinician. Stop ginger a week before surgery unless your anaesthetist says otherwise.
- Cassia cinnamon in large daily amounts carries a coumarin liver-stress risk; use Ceylon cinnamon for regular drinking.
- Children: diluted ginger or chamomile tea is fine for older children; infants and toddlers with vomiting need oral rehydration solution and medical advice, not herbal tea.
- See a clinician urgently for nausea with severe abdominal pain, chest pain, severe headache or stiff neck, confusion, blood in vomit, vomiting beyond 24 hours, inability to keep fluids down, dehydration, or after a head injury; in pregnancy, see one for weight loss, dark urine or vomiting several times a day (hyperemesis gravidarum).
What matters as much as the tea
- Eat small and often: an empty stomach makes nausea worse, especially in pregnancy; dry crackers before getting up and a snack every 2 to 3 hours beat three big meals.
- Cold, bland, low-smell food: nausea is often triggered by cooking smells and fat; cold food (yoghurt, fruit, crackers, cold rice) is tolerated better than hot.
- Acupressure at P6 (Neiguan): pressing the point three finger-widths below the wrist crease has mixed but real trial support for post-operative and pregnancy nausea, and wristbands are cheap and harmless.
- Vitamin B6 for morning sickness: 10 to 25 mg three times a day is a first-line recommendation in obstetric guidelines and can be combined with ginger.
- Fresh air, fixed horizon and no screens for motion sickness: sit in the front, look at the horizon, and avoid reading; these reduce the sensory mismatch that causes it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tea for nausea?
Ginger tea. It is the only tea with meta-analysis-level evidence for nausea, in pregnancy, after surgery, during chemotherapy and in motion sickness. About 5 g of fresh root (4 to 6 slices) steeped 10 to 15 minutes gives a dose close to the 1 g dried ginger used in the trials. Peppermint is the runner-up, especially if cramping is part of the picture.
How much ginger tea can I drink for morning sickness?
Up to about 1 g of dried ginger a day, which is roughly 4 cups of tea made with 5 g fresh root each, spread through the day. That is the amount a 2014 meta-analysis of 12 trials found effective and safe in pregnancy. Start with a cup before getting out of bed and sip slowly.
Is peppermint tea good for nausea?
Yes, modestly. Most of the evidence is for inhaled peppermint aroma in post-operative nausea, graded low-certainty by a 2018 Cochrane review, plus menthol's muscle-relaxing effect on a crampy stomach. It works less well, and can backfire, if your nausea comes with heartburn or reflux.
Does chamomile tea help with nausea?
It can, though the evidence is one small chemotherapy trial and a lot of tradition. Chamomile relaxes stomach muscle and calms anxiety, so it suits nausea with a nervous or tense stomach. For morning sickness, ginger has far better evidence and should be your first choice.
What tea is safe for nausea in pregnancy?
Ginger is the best-studied and considered safe at up to 1 g dried a day. Peppermint and spearmint in normal amounts are fine. Keep chamomile, fennel and lemon balm to occasional cups, and avoid licorice, raspberry leaf in the first trimester, and any laxative or 'detox' blend.
How fast does ginger tea work for nausea?
Usually within 20 to 30 minutes when sipped warm and slowly, and it works better taken before nausea peaks than after. For motion sickness, drink it 30 to 60 minutes before travel. The effect lasts a few hours, so repeat small cups rather than one large one.
Should tea for nausea be hot or cold?
Warm, not hot. Very hot drinks can trigger gagging, and cold drinks are harder on a cramping stomach, though some people with pregnancy nausea prefer cold ginger tea with lemon. Make it weaker than usual, let it cool to warm, and sip rather than drink.
References
- Viljoen E, Visser J, Koen N, Musekiwa A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting. Nutrition Journal (2014)View source
- Matthews A, Haas DM, O'Mathúna DP, Dowswell T. Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2015)View source
- Chaiyakunapruk N, Kitikannakorn N, Nathisuwan S, et al.. The efficacy of ginger for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2006)
- Ryan JL, Heckler CE, Roscoe JA, et al.. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) reduces acute chemotherapy-induced nausea: a URCC CCOP study of 576 patients. Supportive Care in Cancer (2012)View source
- Grøntved A, Brask T, Kambskard J, Hentzer E. Ginger root against seasickness. A controlled trial on the open sea. Acta Oto-Laryngologica (1988)
- Ernst E, Pittler MH. Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. British Journal of Anaesthesia (2000)
- Hines S, Steels E, Chang A, Gibbons K. Aromatherapy for treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2018)View source
- Yavari Kia P, Safajou F, Shahnazi M, Nazemiyeh H. The effect of lemon inhalation aromatherapy on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy: a double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal (2014)
- Sanaati F, Najafi S, Kashaninia Z, Sadeghi M. The effect of ginger and chamomile on nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy in Iranian women with breast cancer. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention (2016)
- Tayarani-Najaran Z, Talasaz-Firoozi E, Nasiri R, et al.. Antiemetic activity of volatile oil from Mentha spicata and Mentha × piperita in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. ecancermedicalscience (2013)
- Ginger. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (2020)View source
- Feeling sick (nausea). NHS (2023)View source
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Ask about tea for nauseaThis guide is educational and is not medical advice. Herbal teas can interact with prescription medicines. Talk with a clinician or pharmacist before relying on any of them, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a chronic condition, or take medication.