Nutrition Diet: What Flavor Gets Rid of Nausea?

October 21, 2025 •

5 min read

With over 50% of adults experiencing it annually, nausea is a common and unpleasant sensation. When you feel queasy, the right nutrition can be key, but what flavor gets rid of nausea? The answer lies in several natural remedies that can soothe your stomach and ease discomfort.

Quick Summary

This guide explores effective flavors for combating nausea, such as ginger, peppermint, and lemon. It covers how they work and outlines a soothing dietary approach using bland foods and hydration strategies.

Key Points

Ginger is a powerful anti-nausea flavor: The bioactive compounds in ginger, gingerol and shogaol, aid digestion and help combat nausea caused by pregnancy, motion sickness, and other conditions.
Peppermint offers muscle-relaxing benefits: Peppermint's active compounds, like menthol, relax stomach muscles, making it effective for relieving general nausea and indigestion through consumption or aromatherapy.
Lemon provides a refreshing, soothing effect: The scent and citric acid of lemon can calm the nervous system and aid digestion, offering effective relief, particularly for morning sickness.
Bland and cold foods are easier to tolerate: Following a bland diet with starchy foods like toast, rice, and crackers is recommended, as is consuming cold foods, which have less odor and are less likely to trigger nausea.
Proper hydration is essential: Sipping clear liquids like water, broth, and electrolyte drinks in small amounts throughout the day helps prevent dehydration, especially when vomiting is a factor.
Small, frequent meals can prevent stomach overload: Eating smaller portions more often helps control nausea by not overfilling the stomach, which is less likely to cause discomfort.

Soothing Flavors for a Queasy Stomach

When nausea strikes, finding a gentle, effective remedy is a top priority. While bland foods are often recommended, certain potent and soothing flavors can offer targeted relief. Ginger, peppermint, and lemon are among the most celebrated for their anti-nausea properties, with centuries of traditional use and growing scientific support.

The Power of Ginger

Ginger is perhaps the most well-known natural remedy for nausea. Its medicinal properties come from bioactive compounds like gingerol and shogaol. These compounds are believed to interact with the central nervous system and digestive tract to reduce symptoms. Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that gingerol benefits gastrointestinal motility, helping food move through the digestive system more efficiently and preventing it from lingering in the stomach.

Ways to incorporate ginger for nausea relief:

Ginger Tea: Steep fresh, grated ginger in hot water. Sip slowly to avoid overwhelming your stomach. You can also use pre-packaged ginger tea bags.
Crystallized Ginger: Sucking on small pieces of crystallized or candied ginger can provide quick relief, though be mindful of added sugar content.
Ginger Ale: Choose a brand made with real ginger or ginger extract, not just artificial flavoring, for the therapeutic benefits.
Ginger Supplements: For consistent relief, encapsulated ginger root powder is available.

The Calming Effects of Peppermint

Peppermint has long been valued for its ability to relax the digestive muscles. This calming effect can help alleviate the spasms and cramping often associated with nausea. Research has shown peppermint oil to be effective, especially via aromatherapy, in reducing the frequency and severity of nausea.

How to use peppermint to combat nausea:

Peppermint Tea: Brew a cup of hot peppermint tea using fresh leaves or a tea bag. The warmth can be soothing, and inhaling the aroma as you sip can provide additional relief.
Peppermint Aromatherapy: Inhaling the scent of peppermint essential oil from a diffuser, or placing a drop on a tissue, can be highly effective.
Peppermint Candies or Gum: Sucking on a mint-flavored candy or chewing gum can help alleviate an unpleasant taste in the mouth that might be triggering nausea.

The Refreshing Scent and Taste of Lemon

The acidic and refreshing nature of lemon can work wonders for an upset stomach. The scent alone has been shown to reduce nausea, especially during pregnancy. The citric acid is thought to aid digestion and help neutralize stomach acids.

Simple ways to use lemon for relief:

Lemon Water: Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to warm or cool water and sip slowly.
Aromatherapy: Simply sniffing a sliced lemon can help calm a queasy feeling.
Lemon-Flavored Candies: Similar to peppermint, sucking on lemon drops can provide a gentle, pleasant distraction from nausea.

A Comparison of Anti-Nausea Remedies


Flavor	Primary Mechanism	Best for...	Delivery Methods	Key Benefit	Potential Side Effect
Ginger	Improves gastrointestinal motility	Pregnancy, motion sickness, chemotherapy	Tea, candies, supplements, fresh root	Speeds up stomach emptying	Heartburn at high doses
Peppermint	Relaxes stomach muscles	Indigestion, IBS, general nausea	Tea, aromatherapy, candies, supplements	Calming effect on the digestive tract	May worsen acid reflux in some
Lemon	Neutralizes stomach acid	Morning sickness, general nausea, poor taste in mouth	Water, aromatherapy, candies	Refreshing scent and taste	Too much can sometimes worsen nausea
Cinnamon	Anti-inflammatory properties	Nausea related to menstrual pain	Tea, powder	Anti-inflammatory effects	Limited research on other nausea types

Nutrition and Diet Strategies for Nausea Management

Beyond specific flavors, a general dietary approach is crucial for managing and preventing nausea. The goal is to keep food simple, easy to digest, and non-irritating to the stomach lining.

Foods to Focus On

Bland, Starchy Foods: The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is a classic for a reason. These foods are low in fiber and easy to digest, helping to settle an upset stomach. Other examples include crackers, pretzels, and plain oatmeal.
Clear, Hydrating Liquids: Staying hydrated is critical, especially if you have been vomiting. Sip on clear fluids like water, diluted fruit juice, broth, or electrolyte-enhanced drinks. Drinking slowly throughout the day is better than gulping large amounts at once.
Protein-Rich Foods: When you can tolerate it, lean protein can be beneficial. Plain chicken or turkey (baked, not fried), eggs, or Greek yogurt can provide energy without irritating the stomach. Protein-rich meals have also been shown to reduce nausea symptoms in some cases.
Cold Foods: The lack of strong odors in cold foods can make them more palatable. Try chilled fruits like watermelon, popsicles, or yogurt.

Foods and Habits to Avoid

Strong Odors: The smell of cooking food can often trigger or worsen nausea. Avoid preparing food or eat in a well-ventilated area. Cold foods are a good alternative.
Greasy and Fried Foods: High-fat foods are slow to digest and can irritate a sensitive stomach, exacerbating nausea.
Spicy and Pungent Foods: Dishes with excessive spices, garlic, or onion can be too harsh for a delicate digestive system.
Caffeine and Alcohol: These substances can irritate the stomach lining and disrupt digestion. Opt for herbal teas or water instead.
Large Meals: Eating small, frequent meals every one or two hours prevents the stomach from becoming too full, which can help control nausea.
Lying Down After Eating: Stay upright for at least 30 to 60 minutes after a meal to avoid acid reflux, which can worsen nausea.

The Role of a Nutrition Diet for Nausea

A targeted nutrition diet, focusing on the right flavors and dietary principles, can be a powerful tool for managing nausea. The key is to listen to your body and find what works for you, as individual triggers can vary. Combining soothing flavors with a regimen of bland, easy-to-digest foods and constant hydration can provide significant relief and support your body as it recovers. Remember that while these dietary strategies can be highly effective, persistent or severe nausea warrants consultation with a healthcare professional to rule out more serious underlying conditions. By understanding the specific flavors and foods that help, you can take a proactive approach to managing your digestive comfort.(https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-to-eat-when-nauseous) is a great resource for further reading.

Frequently Asked Questions

While individual results vary, many find that the refreshing scent of lemon or peppermint provides immediate relief through aromatherapy, while sipping ginger tea can also work quickly to settle the stomach.

Yes, inhaling the scent of a fresh lemon can help ease nausea. Studies have found that lemon essential oil can reduce nausea in pregnant women, and simply sniffing a sliced lemon may have a similar effect.

Both are effective, but they work slightly differently. Ginger is excellent for digestive motility issues, while peppermint is great for relaxing stomach muscles and providing relief via aromatherapy. The 'better' option often depends on the individual and the specific cause of the nausea.

The BRAT diet consists of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. These bland, starchy foods are easy to digest and can help settle an upset stomach, but they should only be used for short-term relief due to their restrictive nature.

Cold foods tend to have less odor than hot foods. Since strong smells are a common trigger for nausea, especially during pregnancy, cold options like ice pops, yogurt, or chilled fruits can be more tolerable.

No, avoiding all food can sometimes worsen nausea, as an empty stomach can increase feelings of queasiness. It is better to try eating small, frequent meals of bland, easily digestible foods.

Traditional home remedies often recommend ginger ale. However, its effectiveness depends on whether it contains real ginger. Excessive sugar and carbonation can sometimes irritate the stomach, so a flat version with real ginger is often a better choice.