Ginger Tea for Acid Reflux, Nausea & Ulcer Prevention

Ginger root tea is an effective natural remedy for stomach acidity and symptoms of indigestion like heartburn.

It also has strong anti-nausea effects and is a useful treatment for motion sickness, surgery recovery, PMS and morning sickness.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial compounds in fresh ginger make it beneficial for preventing ulcers and improving gastric and digestive health in general.

Keeping reading for how to use ginger tea to stop acid reflux, calm your belly when you’re nauseous and protect your stomach lining from an ulcer.

Ginger Root Tea for Indigestion and an Upset Stomach

Acid indigestion, known medically as dyspepsia, is characterized by pain in the stomach or discomfort in the upper abdomen.

It is usually caused by the food you eat or beverages you drink and can leave you feeling bloated, belching, nauseous and with a heavy and uncomfortable feeling in your tummy.

Symptoms are commonly triggered when gastric acid comes into contact with the sensitive lining of your digestive system, causing painful inflammation.

Stomach acid can also travel back up your esophagus, leading to burning acid reflux in your throat, also called heartburn.

Stress, eating too fast, fatty and spicy foods, onion and garlic, caffeine, alcohol, citrus juice and highly acidic soda are all often culprits behind heartburn.

Large meals, particularly ones containing lots of protein and fat, also significantly increase your risk of indigestion.

Ginger tea is an excellent natural treatment for acid reflux, upset stomach and other forms of dyspepsia. It’s potent gingerol volatile oil and other compounds stimulate bile and digestive juice production and enhance gastric emptying.

What Causes Acid Reflux and How Ginger Helps

It’s a common misconception that indigestion and heartburn are always caused by too much stomach acid. In fact, according to experts, it’s often caused by too little of it being produced too slowly.

Your stomach environment needs to be highly acidic to break down meats and other hard to digest foods. This acidity also protects the rest of your body from bacterial infections, viruses, molds, parasites and other pathogens hiding in the food you eat.

When gastric acid is too low in pH it fails to trigger the normal release of digesting food into the small intestine. Trapped for far too long in the stomach, it can build up to a point where it travels back up your esophagus.

Unlike your stomach, the delicate tissues of your esophagus have no defense against this hydrochloric acid and we name the burning pain in your throat that results as heartburn.

Drinking warm ginger tea settles a sour tummy and is an effective natural treatment for occasional acid reflux, belly pain and indigestion.

However, if you’re experiencing heartburn and an upset stomach regularly you could be suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

It’s worth looking at your diet and whether your stomach acidity is trying to tell you something about all those big greasy meals.

Broad spectrum digestive enzymes, like this advanced, full-spectrum and vegetarian formula I take with any large or less than healthy meal, are also highly effective for preventing gastrointestinal distress in the first place.

Take them when you first start eating a big meal so you don’t have to go through the pain of acid reflux or suffer with the bloating and gas that results from poor digestion.

As an added benefit, better food breakdown usually leads to more energy from improved nutrient absorption and fewer health problems from enhanced immunity.

It can even promote natural weight loss as your body stops craving food due to nutritional deficiencies being corrected.

Good digestive enzymes are highly recommended for anyone eating a less than healthy diet, particularly one high in processed meats that most of us struggle to digest properly.

It’s important to note though that if you have acid indigestion or heartburn more than twice a week you could be suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease. Visit your doctor for a diagnosis as GERD can lead to serious health problems unless properly treated.

Ginger for Nausea Prevention

While an upset stomach can make you feel nauseous, there are many other potential causes of nausea. They include motion sickness, sea sickness, surgery recovery, food poisoning, migraines, a reaction to medications, PMS, and morning sickness for pregnant women.

Eating ginger and drinking freshly brewed ginger root tea are recognized as some of the best natural remedies for nausea and vomiting.

This is true not only for an unsettled stomach, but also for seasickness and other forms of motion sickness, postoperative recovery, premenstrual syndrome and morning sickness during pregnancy.

Numerous studies have backed up the effectiveness of ginger for nausea treatment and preventing vomiting when nauseous.

In this review of clinical trials, ginger was found to be more effective than placebos for seasickness, morning sickness and chemotherapy-induced nauseousness.

Ginger’s anti-nausea effects have even been found superior to the pharmaceutical drug dimenhydrinate, specifically designed for treating motion sickness related nausea.

When to Take Ginger Tea for Nausea

Ginger root tea is an effective natural remedy for nausea due to an upset stomach and indigestion. For best results make up a cup of the warm tea at the first sign of symptoms.

This medicinal strength version is the best on the market and the one I take with me when travelling.

If you suffer from car sickness, queasiness while flying on a plane or seasickness, then drinking ginger tea or chewing a piece of ginger root before your journey could be the best medicine.

Natural health resources suggest first taking ginger an hour before you travel to prevent nausea. Continuing to take it during your trip will provide even better results.

To use ginger tea during morning sickness it’s also better if you can take it as a preventative before you usually suffer from it.

Though discuss this first with your obstetrician or GP and note the precautions on large amounts of ginger when pregnant in the side effects here.

For nausea related to PMS, migraines, a reaction to something you ate or other kinds of stomach upsets, make up a strong cup of ginger tea at the first sign of symptoms and sip it slowly for natural relief.

Ulcers and Ginger Tea

Ginger contains powerful anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help to maintain stomach health if you use it regularly.

In herbal medicine, ginger tea is often recommended as a preventative for both excessive stomach acidity and against developing ulcers.

However, if the pain and discomfort in your stomach is ongoing, even well away from mealtimes, you could already be suffering from a gastric ulcer. Visit your GP for a diagnosis as soon as possible.

While drinking ginger tea can combat the Helicobacter pylori bacteria that causes ulcers, taking large amounts of ginger, particularly the fresh rhizome, when you already have a stomach ulcer is not recommended.

A painful belly from drinking ginger tea or other herbal teas without food could be a sign of a gastric or peptic ulcer. Avoid ginger and all herbal remedies for a while and see your doctor for a proper diagnosis.

When to Drink Ginger Tea for Best Results

While you can use ginger root tea as an emergency herbal remedy for acid reflux and nausea sickness, it’s actually more effective when taken as a preventative before a meal.

If you are going to have a big meal with lots of protein and fat that could give you indigestion, then try drinking a strong cup of ginger tea right before you start eating.

This soothes your gastrointestinal tract to stop nausea and helps prevent excessive stomach acidity and heartburn in the hours that follow.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Ginger Acidic?

Despite being well known as a natural remedy for acidity, some people ask is raw ginger and ginger tea acidic or alkaline?

While it does have a pH of 5.60 – 5.90, which is acidic on the pH scale, fresh ginger and ginger root tea are both considered to have a highly alkaline effect on your body.

2. Can Ginger Cause Stomach Problems?

Ginger tea is safe when taken in normal doses. Large amounts of fresh ginger rhizome, particularly on an empty stomach, can cause side effects such as indigestion, diarrhea and intestinal pain.

There’s more on ginger side effects and precautions here.

3. Does Ginger Tea Heal Gastritis?

Ginger contains anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial compounds like gingerol that reduce irritation of the stomach lining and inhibits the Helicobacter pylori bacteria that causes ulcers.

Ginger the Stomach Healer

There’s a simple homemade ginger tea recipe here for an upset stomach using the fresh root from grocery stores.

If you prefer the convenience of tea bags then this medicinal strength organic version is much stronger than the weak brands in the supermarket.

Ginger root tea is also good for bloating and gas and you can even use ginger for weight loss with 5 specific actions provided by this potent thermogenic herb.

Ginger tea is also antiviral and can help relieve sore throats, coughs, congestion and other symptoms of cold and flu viruses.

I hope you’ll try using this great tasting natural remedy for heartburn and nausea for yourself. Used regularly it’s one of the best ways to calm an upset stomach and prevent painful indigestion.