Foods Packed with Ginger to Fight Morning Sickness
February 5, 2020
Nausea and vomiting are common during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. While this is usually referred to as morning sickness, nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can occur at any time of day or night.1 Fortunately, there’s a natural remedy that many expecting moms use to find relief from this normal, yet disruptive and uncomfortable condition.
Ginger, the Natural Nausea Remedy
Ginger, a plant native to southern Asia, can be a great natural alternative to over-the-counter or prescription anti-nausea medications. It’s available in many forms: capsules, fresh, dried, candied and more. It’s also found as an ingredient in many different foods and cuisines.
Ginger has been hailed for both its pleasant flavor and its anti-nausea properties for literally centuries. In fact, Chinese medical texts from the fourth century B.C. suggest ginger was used to treat nausea, diarrhea and stomach aches, among other ailments.2 There are also modern, scientifically backed claims to ginger’s anti-nausea properties. In the 1980s, a scientist named Daniel B. Mowrey took a ginger-filled capsule while sick with the flu and noticed a reduction in his nausea. This inspired him to conduct a double-blind study on ginger’s effect on treating nausea from motion sickness.3
It’s important to note that current scientific evidence remains mixed on the overall effectiveness of ginger used to treat nausea in pregnancy. However, enough evidence exists to make a pretty strong case.2
If you think ginger might be a good way to treat your pregnancy-related nausea, take a look at these ginger-packed foods and beverages for expecting moms:
Ginger Ale
Ginger ale is a go-to beverage for people with upset stomachs. If you’re trying to treat nausea due to morning sickness, opt for ginger ale made with real ginger, and try to avoid artificial sweeteners. Fever-Tree is one brand that claims to use fresh green ginger and simple, natural ingredients.4 The brand is marketed to home or professional bartenders with the claim that its natural flavors mix well with different spirits, but it can certainly be enjoyed on its own.
If you’re feeling up to it, you can even make your own homemade ginger ale. Vani Hari, Food Babe founder and blogger, has a simple recipe on her website. Take a look: https://foodbabe.com/homemade-ginger-ale/.
Ginger Candy
If you find it hard to eat or drink anything during a bout of morning sickness, try sucking on a small piece of hard ginger candy. Alternatively, you can buy (or make) fresh candied ginger. Eating one or two slices a day might help keep the nausea away.
Here’s an easy recipe for making your own fresh, natural candied ginger, free of dyes, additives or preservatives: https://foodal.com/recipes/canning/crystallized-ginger-candy/.
Ginger Snaps
The American Pregnancy Association recommends ginger snap cookies as a snack to help combat nausea.5 These simple, sweet and slightly spicy cookies taste great and the ginger can help ease an upset stomach.
Want to make your own ginger snaps? Here’s an online recipe and instructional video from Joy of Baking.com: https://www.joyofbaking.com/Gingersnaps.html.
Ginger Dressing
Ginger dressing is a great addition to salads, especially on days when you don’t feel like eating heavy meals. You can buy pre-made ginger dressing in just about any grocery store, or you can make your own.
Here’s a recipe for making your own Japanese-style ginger dressing from allrecipes.com: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/24381/japanese-ginger-salad-dressing/.
Talk to Your Doctor About Nausea & Vomiting
While ginger is usually safe for expecting mothers to consume, you should always consult with your doctor before self-treating nausea and vomiting with ginger. Your doctor will likely want to make sure your nausea or vomiting is not a symptom of something more serious. You can also use this opportunity to discuss taking oral ginger supplements or other vitamin supplements to help treat nausea.
The Prenate® Vitamin Family line of prenatal vitamins offers a wide selection of nutritional supplements to suit moms-to-be at all stages of their journeys. Talk to your doctor to learn about the benefits of adding a daily prenatal vitamin to your prenatal care plan.
