Important: This is not medical advice
This page is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat or cure anything. Herbs are complementary support, not replacements for prescribed medicine.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any herb, tea or supplement, especially if you take medicine, are pregnant or nursing, have a health condition, or are planning surgery.
- Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.
- Get emergency care right away (call 911) for serious symptoms such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, confusion, or thoughts of harming yourself.
← Natural Healing: Herbs & Home Remedies (all 15 herbs)
Ginger
Zingiber officinale
- Traditional use
- Used for centuries in many cooking and folk-medicine traditions to settle an upset stomach and ease queasiness.
- How people take it
- Fresh root steeped as tea, added to food, chewed as candied ginger, or taken as capsules or powder.
- What the evidence shows
- NIH NCCIH reports that ginger may help with nausea and vomiting, including nausea in pregnancy, though pregnant women should check with their provider first. Evidence for other uses, such as pain or motion sickness, is mixed or limited.
- Cautions and interactions
- Can cause heartburn, gas or stomach upset, especially in larger amounts. It may affect blood clotting, so ask your doctor or pharmacist before using supplement-sized amounts if you take warfarin or other blood thinners, or before surgery.
More herbs
Where to read more
The information here was written for this site as a plain-language overview. For current, detailed and regularly reviewed information, check the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Mayo Clinic, which both have herb and supplement fact sheets. Your pharmacist can also check your medicines for interactions. Research changes over time, so these sources are always the better place to confirm the latest guidance.
Important: This is not medical advice
This page is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat or cure anything. Herbs are complementary support, not replacements for prescribed medicine.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any herb, tea or supplement, especially if you take medicine, are pregnant or nursing, have a health condition, or are planning surgery.
- Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.
- Get emergency care right away (call 911) for serious symptoms such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, confusion, or thoughts of harming yourself.
