Ginger Tea Benefits: 10 Reasons This Simple Drink Is So Powerful

There is a reason your grandmother gave you ginger tea when you felt sick. Science now backs some of what she knew, but not all of it. Ginger tea benefits range from fighting nausea to reducing joint pain. Here are 10 reasons this simple drink is so powerful — and how to brew it perfectly in an infuser bottle.

Adrak Ki Chai Peene Ke Fayde (Benefits of Ginger in Milk Tea)

In Hindi, people search for this as "अदरक वाली चाय पीने के फायदे". That means "benefits of drinking ginger tea". Most of them mean milky adrak wali chai, not ginger in plain hot water. Here is what changes when you put ginger in milk tea.

The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says it plainly: "Most of the studies tested dietary supplements rather than foods." So a cup of adrak ki chai gives you some ginger, but not a measured dose. Drink it for taste and comfort. Do not use it in place of medicine. For chai with ginger, try our masala chai recipes.

1. Fights Nausea (Strongest Evidence)

This is where ginger has the strongest proof. The pregnancy review called the evidence low quality, but the result was steady across trials (Viljoen, 2014). After surgery, a review of 5 trials with 363 patients found that at least 1 gram of ginger cut the risk of nausea and vomiting by about 31 percent (Chaiyakunapruk, 2006). NCCIH still calls the surgery and chemotherapy results uncertain. If you are pregnant, ask your doctor first.

For motion sickness, the proof is weak. NCCIH says, "Most studies of ginger for motion sickness haven't shown it to be helpful." A cup before a long ride is fine if you like it. Carry your usual travel medicine too.

2. Reduces Inflammation and Joint Pain

Ginger contains compounds called gingerols. A study of 247 people with knee pain tested a strong ginger extract. Knee pain eased in 63 percent of them, against 50 percent on a dummy pill. The authors said the effect was moderate. People on ginger had more mild stomach upsets (Altman, 2001). A cup of ginger tea is a much smaller dose, so do not expect the same result.

3. Aids Digestion and Reduces Bloating

Ginger helps your stomach empty faster. One study found ginger cut stomach emptying time in half (Wu, 2008). The volunteers took capsules, not tea. A faster stomach may mean less heaviness after big meals, but that study did not show it. In India, ginger has long been a home remedy for indigestion.

Try a cup of ginger tea 30 minutes after a heavy lunch. Many people find it settles the stomach. See how it works for you.

4. Boosts Immunity During Cold and Flu Season

In the lab study, fresh ginger worked against the virus, but dried ginger did not (Chang, 2013). So use fresh ginger if you can. A hot drink can feel good when your nose is blocked. During the Indian monsoon, a daily cup of ginger tea brewed in your infuser bottle is a warm, simple habit. Just do not count on it to prevent a cold.

5. Soothes Sore Throat

A Cochrane review looked at 6 trials with 899 children who had a cough. Honey probably eased cough more than no treatment or a dummy syrup. The review only included children aged 1 year and older (Oduwole, 2018). So add a teaspoon of honey to your ginger tea. This is one of India's most trusted home remedies.

6. May Help With Weight Loss

In a small study, 10 overweight men had 2 grams of ginger powder in a hot drink with breakfast. Their calorie burn from digesting the meal rose by about 43 calories a day. They also felt less hungry. But their total resting calorie burn did not change (Mansour, 2012). If you also drink green tea for weight, read what the studies say about green tea's metabolism boost. Neither drink replaces good food and exercise.

7. Relieves Menstrual Cramps

A study of 150 students found ginger worked as well as ibuprofen and mefenamic acid for period pain. They took 250 mg capsules of ginger powder four times a day for 3 days (Ozgoli, 2009). NCCIH says ginger supplements "might be helpful" for cramps. A cup of tea is not the same dose. See a doctor if your pain is severe.

8. Supports Heart Health

A study of 85 people found 3 grams of ginger a day lowered cholesterol and triglycerides over 45 days (Alizadeh-Navaei, 2008). The review of 14 trials found higher HDL, the "good" cholesterol, but no change in total or LDL cholesterol (Maharlouei, 2019). Some herbs and medicines do not mix well. If you take blood thinners or any daily medicine, ask your doctor before you drink a lot of ginger tea.

9. May Improve Blood Sugar Control

A study of 41 people with type 2 diabetes gave 2 grams of ginger powder a day for 12 weeks. Fasting blood sugar and HbA1c both fell (Khandouzi, 2015). This matters in India. A national ICMR survey found diabetes in 11.4 percent of adults (ICMR-INDIAB, 2023). Do not stop or change your diabetes medicine on your own.

10. Anti-Cancer Properties (Preliminary)

A review of 109 ginger trials found steady results on colon cancer markers. It also found that only 39 percent of all the ginger trials were high quality (Anh, 2020). Human studies are still early. Enjoy ginger tea as a drink, not as a cure.

How to Brew Fresh Ginger Tea in an Infuser Bottle

Fresh ginger makes the best ginger tea. Here is how to brew it in your infuser bottle:

1. Peel a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger.
2. Slice it into thin coins or matchsticks (more surface area = stronger flavour).
3. Place the ginger slices in the infuser basket of your glass tea infuser bottle.
4. Pour hot water (90 to 100 degrees Celsius).
5. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Ginger takes longer than tea leaves to release its full flavour.
6. Add honey or lemon if desired. Both complement ginger beautifully.

You can also combine ginger with green tea leaves for a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drink. Add both to the infuser and steep at 80 degrees for 3 minutes (so the green tea does not get bitter).

How Much Ginger Tea Is Safe Per Day?

We could not find an official daily limit for ginger tea from a health body. NCCIH lists the side effects: stomach upset, heartburn, loose motions and a burning mouth or throat. In the pregnancy review, doses under 1,500 mg a day seemed to work better for nausea. NCCIH says ginger supplements in pregnancy "may be safe", but check with your doctor. If you take blood thinners or other medicine, talk to your doctor too.

Ginger Tea vs Ginger Supplements: Which Is Better?

Ginger capsules hold a set dose of dried ginger. In the trials on this page, each capsule held 250 mg to 1 gram. Some people get heartburn or stomach upset from capsules, says NCCIH.

Fresh ginger tea gives you a smaller dose, and you cannot measure it well. You also get the warmth, taste and comfort of a hot drink. For daily use, brewed ginger tea is the gentle choice. For a set dose like the trials, capsules are closer.

Save supplements for specific issues like severe nausea, and only after talking to your doctor.

Best Time to Drink Ginger Tea

Unlike green tea, plain ginger tea has no caffeine. USDA lists no caffeine in ginger root. You can drink it before bed. Here are good times:

• After meals: Aids digestion and cuts bloating. Wait 30 minutes after eating.
• Before travel: some people like a cup before a long ride. Most studies found ginger does not prevent motion sickness, so do not rely on it.
• During cold season: a warm morning cup during monsoon or winter. It is comfort, not a shield against colds.
• Before bed: Herbal teas like ginger help you wind down. The warmth is soothing.

You can also try ginger-lemon tea. Add a few thin slices of lemon along with the ginger in your infuser basket. The lemon adds a fresh sour taste. The sour-spicy combo tastes great on cold evenings.

For a stronger brew, grate the ginger instead of slicing it. Grated ginger releases more juice and flavour. Place it in the infuser basket — the mesh keeps the pulp out of your drink while letting all the goodness through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

Every health claim on this page was checked against these sources on 21 October 2026. Most ginger trials used capsules or extracts, not tea.

1. NCCIH (US National Institutes of Health), Ginger: Usefulness and Safety, read 21 October 2026.
2. Viljoen E et al. Ginger for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition Journal, 2014.
3. Chaiyakunapruk N et al. Ginger for postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2006.
4. Altman RD, Marcussen KC. Effects of a ginger extract on knee pain in osteoarthritis. Arthritis Rheum, 2001.
5. Bartels EM et al. Ginger in osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 2015.
6. Wu KL et al. Effects of ginger on gastric emptying and motility in healthy humans. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2008.
7. Chang JS et al. Fresh ginger has anti-viral activity against human respiratory syncytial virus in cell lines. J Ethnopharmacol, 2013.
8. Oduwole O et al. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018.
9. Mansour MS et al. Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food in overweight men. Metabolism, 2012.
10. Maharlouei N et al. Ginger intake, weight loss and metabolic profiles: a meta-analysis. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2019.
11. Ozgoli G et al. Ginger, mefenamic acid and ibuprofen for primary dysmenorrhea. J Altern Complement Med, 2009.
12. Alizadeh-Navaei R et al. Effect of ginger on lipid levels: a double blind controlled trial. Saudi Med J, 2008.
13. Khandouzi N et al. Ginger and fasting blood sugar and HbA1c in type 2 diabetes. Iran J Pharm Res, 2015.
14. Anjana RM et al. ICMR-INDIAB national cross-sectional study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol, 2023.
15. Anh NH et al. Ginger on human health: a systematic review of 109 randomized controlled trials. Nutrients, 2020.
16. Lorenz M et al. Addition of milk prevents vascular protective effects of tea. European Heart Journal, 2007.
17. USDA FoodData Central 173227: tea, black, brewed (caffeine 20 mg per 100 g).
18. USDA FoodData Central 169231: ginger root, raw (caffeine listed as zero).

Headache relief is the one ginger claim with randomised trials behind it, and it comes with real limits. We go through which tea is best for a headache and where ginger failed, on a separate page.