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What are the Health Benefits of Ginger Tea?

Alex Tree
Alex Tree

Ginger tea has a plethora of scientifically proven health benefits. It is a remedy for nausea, diarrhea, and possibly anxiety. In folk medicine, this tea is widely used to treat or suppress a cough, congestion, or the common cold. It is also commonly used as an inflammation or arthritis remedy, but some studies suggest that ginger can actually treat these conditions. The herb is known to interact with medications, however, so caution is necessary when consuming ginger in any form.

An anti-nausea tea can be made from ginger root, and multiple studies have found the herb to be effective. Morning sickness, sea sickness, and nausea due to chemotherapy can sometimes be reduced or eliminated by drinking ginger tea. How the tea works to treat nausea and its effectiveness is still being explored.

Ginger tea is a remedy for nausea, diarrhea, and possibly anxiety.
Ginger tea is a remedy for nausea, diarrhea, and possibly anxiety.

At least one form of diarrhea can be treated with ginger. The amount needed to relieve the condition is likely more than most people use in one serving of tea, however. There are some ways of making the tea to include more ginger, such as using finely ground ginger and not removing it once the extract is released into the boiling water.

Anxiety, a reaction to stress, plagues millions of people for reasons big and small. At least one study proved ginger to be effective at reducing anxiety. Like some other uses of ginger tea, this health benefit is not fully understood and is still being explored. It is possible that the study was flawed in some way and that people who find anxiety relief by drinking this tea are experiencing a placebo effect.

Ginger tea might help treat nausea.
Ginger tea might help treat nausea.

There are many unproven claims involving ginger tea health benefits. Some cultures believe it is a cure for the common cold or any cough or congestion, while others believe it can cure an upset stomach. The latter claim is not far-fetched considering that it is a potential anxiety remedy, and a stomach ache is a symptom of anxiety. Its folk remedy role as a inflammation reducer might also have some merit, though this is not yet proved.

Ginger tea can be easily made using raw ginger root.
Ginger tea can be easily made using raw ginger root.

Lastly, ginger in any form is thought to be a natural blood thinner. It must be used with caution by people who are using prescription blood thinning medications. In addition, ginger tea can cause other side effects, like an unusual heart beat and a decrease in blood pressure.

Discussion Comments

bear78

My grandmother taught me to drink ginger tea for my stomach. When I suffered from stomach bacteria, I had a lot of acidity and acid reflux. I was getting treated with antibiotics but could not eat anything because of the acidity. My grandmother made me drink 2-3 cups of ginger tea everyday. It would calm my stomach enough to have some food. When I had a cold, she would make a cinnamon-ginger herbal tea with honey. She was such a fan of ginger, she used to make ginger bread and ginger cookies for Christmas. I always remember my grandmother when I smell ginger.

turquoise

I'm really impressed with the benefits of ginger tea. But ginger has such a strong scent and flavor, I can't just have it with hot water and sugar. I make a masala tea with dry or fresh ginger instead. I find that fresh ginger is easier to have, it's scent and flavor is less potent.

The ginger masala tea recipe I use needs loose orange pekoe black tea, dry or fresh ginger, other spices you want to use like cardamom, stick cinnamon and whole or 2% milk. I take 1/3 cup of water and 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of orange pekoe tea and boil in a saucer with ginger and other spices. Please put the spices according to your taste. I put either a thin slice of fresh ginger or a pinch of dry ginger, one small cinnamon stick and 2-3 cracked cardamom pods for one cup of tea. After it has boiled for about a minute and has a nice strong tea scent, pour in 2/3 cup of milk and let it boil again. When it boils, take it off the stove and strain the tea and spices out and add sugar or honey. You can get all of these ingredients in stores which have international products. Just make sure that the spices are fresh. Especially if you are using dry ginger, it needs to be fresh to deliver all of it's benefits.

discographer

After an international flight, I suffered from motion sickness for more than a month. I think that the air pressure in my ear had shifted. I was nauseated in the car, in the bus and in the subway. Going to work was such a pain. The pharmacist told me about wrist bands that place pressure on a point on the wrists that is supposed to help with nausea. It didn't work for me and then I read about ginger candies that pregnant women eat to help with morning sickness. I found and order Ginger People candies online and really liked it. Actually it's available in some grocery stores too, I got a hold of it at my local Whole Food's. Now, anytime my stomach is upset, I either have some ginger chews or make a ginger tea with honey. Ginger tea is great for digestion, especially if you have a lot bloating. My mom actually puts it in her chilly.

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    • Ginger tea is a remedy for nausea, diarrhea, and possibly anxiety.
      By: NataliTerr
      Ginger tea is a remedy for nausea, diarrhea, and possibly anxiety.
    • Ginger tea might help treat nausea.
      By: ftlaudgirl
      Ginger tea might help treat nausea.
    • Ginger tea can be easily made using raw ginger root.
      By: praisaeng
      Ginger tea can be easily made using raw ginger root.
    • Many pregnant women drink ginger tea to ease the symptoms of morning sickness.
      By: Igor Mojzes
      Many pregnant women drink ginger tea to ease the symptoms of morning sickness.
    • Ginger root, popular in Japanese and other Asian cuisines, can be made into tea.
      By: Grafvision
      Ginger root, popular in Japanese and other Asian cuisines, can be made into tea.