When you’re nauseous, the best things to drink are clear, low-acid fluids taken in small sips: plain water, ginger tea, clear broth, or an electrolyte drink. The goal is to calm your stomach while replacing fluids you may be losing. What you choose matters less than how you drink it. Small, frequent sips every few minutes are far easier on a queasy stomach than gulping down a full glass.
Ginger Tea and Ginger Ale
Ginger is one of the most reliable natural remedies for nausea. In a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, participants who took ginger before being exposed to a nausea-inducing stimulus had significantly lower nausea scores and fewer irregular stomach contractions compared to those who didn’t. Ginger works by calming the abnormal muscle rhythms in your stomach wall and reducing the release of a hormone (vasopressin) that rises during nausea.
The easiest way to get ginger into your system is as a tea. Steep a few slices of fresh ginger root in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes, or use a pre-made ginger tea bag. Ginger ale is another option, though many commercial brands contain very little actual ginger and a lot of sugar. If you go with ginger ale, let it go slightly flat first. Carbonation can make nausea worse for some people, and the bubbles expand your stomach.
Clear Broth and Bouillon
Chicken, vegetable, or bone broth is one of the gentlest things you can put in your stomach when you’re feeling sick. Broth provides sodium and a small amount of calories without requiring your digestive system to do much work. It’s warm, which many people find soothing, and it naturally contains electrolytes you need if you’ve been vomiting. Bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water work fine as a quick substitute.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint relaxes the smooth muscles lining your intestines, which can ease cramping and the tight, unsettled feeling that often accompanies nausea. A 2023 review found that peppermint oil can relieve digestive pain and relax intestinal muscles effectively enough to help manage irritable bowel syndrome symptoms.
One important caveat: if your nausea is related to acid reflux or heartburn, skip the peppermint. The same muscle-relaxing effect that soothes your intestines also relaxes the valve between your esophagus and stomach, which can let acid creep upward and make things worse.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile has antispasmodic properties, meaning it reduces involuntary muscle contractions in your gut. It contains natural compounds, including one called apigenin, that help calm both digestive spasms and general anxiety. Since stress and anxiety frequently intensify nausea, chamomile’s mild sedative quality can help on two fronts at once. It’s a particularly good choice if your nausea is keeping you from falling asleep.
Electrolyte Drinks
If you’ve been vomiting or have diarrhea alongside your nausea, replacing electrolytes becomes just as important as replacing water. Plain water alone won’t restore the sodium and potassium your body is losing. Store-bought options like Pedialyte or low-sugar sports drinks work well.
You can also make a simple rehydration drink at home using a recipe based on World Health Organization guidelines: mix 4 cups of water with half a teaspoon of table salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir until dissolved. It won’t taste great, but the combination of salt and sugar helps your intestines absorb water more efficiently than plain water alone. You can add a small amount of flavoring to make it more palatable.
Other Clear Liquids That Work
Beyond teas and broth, several other fluids are easy on a nauseous stomach:
- Filtered apple juice or white grape juice (avoid citrus juices, which are acidic)
- Coconut water, which naturally contains potassium and sodium
- Flat clear soda like Sprite or ginger ale with the fizz stirred out
- Popsicles without fruit pulp or yogurt, which force you to take in fluid slowly
- Plain water, still the simplest and most accessible option
Avoid milk, coffee, alcohol, and anything highly acidic or caffeinated. These can all irritate your stomach lining or speed up digestion in ways that worsen nausea.
Temperature and Sipping Technique
How you drink matters as much as what you drink. Take small sips, roughly a tablespoon at a time, every few minutes rather than drinking a full glass at once. A stomach that’s already irritated will often reject a large volume of fluid immediately.
Room temperature or slightly cool liquids tend to be the best tolerated. Very hot drinks can intensify nausea for some people, and ice-cold beverages can shock a sensitive stomach into contracting. If plain water makes you gag (which is common during nausea), try sucking on ice chips instead. They deliver tiny amounts of fluid without triggering the swallowing reflex that can provoke vomiting.
Signs You Need More Than Fluids
Most nausea passes on its own, but persistent vomiting can tip you into dehydration faster than sipping can fix. Watch for dark yellow urine, peeing much less than normal, dizziness when you stand up, unusual fatigue, confusion, or a rapid heart rate. In children, signs include few or no tears when crying and fewer wet diapers than usual. These indicate dehydration that may need medical treatment, since your body has lost more fluid than it can absorb through the gut alone.