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Herb library · Herb · Zingiber officinale

Ginger

A rhizome used as a food and as a supplement. It has the most research for nausea, especially in pregnancy, though NCCIH notes that some of the studies have not been of high quality.

Traditional use

Ginger is native to the warm parts of Asia and has been used in folk medicine since ancient times, traditionally for asthma, flu, indigestion, and stomach discomfort. Today it is promoted for nausea and vomiting, osteoarthritis, and menstrual cramps.

Traditional energetics

What studies show

  • Limited

    Nausea in pregnancy: research shows ginger may help with nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy. Most studies tested supplements rather than food, and NCCIH cautions that some ginger studies have not been of high quality.

  • Limited

    Motion sickness: most studies have not shown ginger to be helpful.

  • Insufficient

    Nausea from chemotherapy or after surgery: it is uncertain whether ginger adds anything to standard care for either.

  • Limited

    Menstrual cramps: research suggests ginger supplements might reduce the severity of cramps.

  • Limited

    Knee osteoarthritis: ginger supplements might help with symptoms, but much of the research has been of poor quality. Ginger applied to the skin has not been shown to help.

Be careful of

Cautions

  • NoteGinger has been used safely in many studies as an oral supplement, and ginger products may also be safe on the skin. By mouth it can cause abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth or throat irritation.
  • InteractionNCCIH names no specific interactions but advises checking with a health care provider before combining any herb with medicines.
  • PregnancyGinger supplements during pregnancy may be safe, but NCCIH says to consult a health care provider first. Little is known about safety while breastfeeding.
  • Ask a clinicianTalk with a clinician or pharmacist before using this if you take prescription medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a medical condition.

From the old books

What herbals and dispensaries of the past printed. History, in their words.

“The Nágaram destroys the Váyu, has a pungent taste, and is sweet of digestion. It is heat-making in its potency, acts as a spermatopoietic and aphrodisiac, is pleasant and imparts a relish to food.”
Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna (editor and translator), An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, vol. 1 (1907), Sutrasthanam, ch. XLVI, p. 511. See the page of An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, vol. 1, Sutrasthanam, ch. XLVI, p. 511 (opens in a new tab) · Read the full passage from An English Translation of the Sushruta Samhita, vol. 1, Sutrasthanam, ch. XLVI, p. 511
“Although cultivated in many parts of West Africa, including Northern Nigeria, Sierra Leone, French Guinea, French Sudan and Dahomey (Chevalier, Bull. Soc. Nat. d’Accl. France, 1912, p. 317) it is only from Sierra Leone that the product appears to be a regular export”
J. H. Holland, The Useful Plants of Nigeria, Part IV (Kew Bulletin, Additional Series IX) (1922), Part IV, p. 665. See the page of The Useful Plants of Nigeria, Part IV (Kew Bulletin, Additional Series IX), Part IV, p. 665 (opens in a new tab) · Read the full passage from The Useful Plants of Nigeria, Part IV (Kew Bulletin, Additional Series IX), Part IV, p. 665
“The root, preserved or candied, is an excellent stomachic, warming and comforting; boiled in wine, with a little cummin seed, it eases the pain of the stomach, and causes sweat”
Henry Barham, Hortus Americanus (1794), p. 65. See the page of Hortus Americanus, p. 65 (opens in a new tab) · Read the full passage from Hortus Americanus, p. 65

Sources

  1. Ginger: Usefulness and Safety (opens in a new tab) · NCCIH · read September 15, 2026

Reviewed September 15, 2026.