Eating relieves nausea: The Best Foods to Eat When You’re Nauseous

08.09.202215.07.2023 by alexxlab

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The Best Foods to Eat When You’re Nauseous

If you are feeling nauseous, choose dry, starchy, and bland foods like crackers, noodles, and toast. Plus, stay hydrated by drinking clear fluids.

What is nausea?

Nausea is the unpleasant and sometimes debilitating sensation of feeling like you need to vomit. It’s surprisingly common, with 50% of adults experiencing it at some point each year (1).

First described in relation to seasickness, the term “nausea” comes from the Greek word “naus,” which means ship.

What causes nausea?

Nausea begins in the brain, where emotional, cognitive, or chemical triggers may stimulate your nervous system. This causes your stomach muscles to work in an irregular way, making you feel nauseous.

Many factors can trigger this process, such as:

infections
surgery
gut conditions
medications
cancer treatment
hormone disorders
pregnancy
food allergies and intolerances

Though eating can be challenging when you feel nauseous, foods and drinks are important for hydration. They help replace lost electrolytes and help your stomach settle.

Here are the 14 best foods and drinks for when you’re feeling nauseous.

What to eat when nauseous

1. Ginger

Ginger originates in Southeast Asia and has a long history of use as a remedy for stomach problems in traditional and folk medicines (2).

It contains bioactive compounds, such as gingerol, paradol, and shogaol. Experts theorize that these compounds interact with your central nervous system and stomach to improve nausea symptoms (2).

Several small studies have shown that eating ginger may reduce nausea caused by motion sickness, surgery, and chemotherapy, though some results have been contradictory (2, 3, 4, 5, 6).

Additionally, ginger may be a safe and effective treatment for morning sickness during pregnancy (7, 8, 9).

Though there is no consensus on the amount of ginger necessary to achieve therapeutic effects, most studies use the equivalent of 0. 5–1.5 grams of dried ginger root per day.

Ginger is commonly consumed as a tea, in ginger biscuits, as crystallized ginger, or in ginger beer or ale. It’s also available in capsule form.

However, some products may not contain significant quantities of ginger, minimizing their effect on nausea.

Summary
Consuming 0.5–1.5 grams of ginger root per day has been found to be effective at treating nausea due to motion sickness, surgery, chemotherapy, and pregnancy. However, study results have been mixed.

How to peel ginger

2. Water and clear beverages

When you’re nauseous, you may not feel like eating at all. However, drinking fluids and staying hydrated is crucial, especially if you have been vomiting or have a fever.

Water is always a good source of hydration, but if you have been throwing up or experiencing diarrhea, you may also need to replace lost electrolytes.

Some of the best drinks to fight dehydration and nausea include (10, 11):

water
oral rehydration solutions
sports drinks
soda water or flavored sodas
iced tea
clear juices
coconut water

Very sweet, caffeinated, or dairy-based beverages may worsen your nausea, so it may be best to avoid them.

You may tolerate sipping cold drinks throughout the day better than drinking a lot at once, especially if you have been vomiting.

Summary
It’s important to stay hydrated, especially when you’re feeling nauseous. You can sip clear, cold beverages like water, oral rehydration solutions, iced tea, juice, sports drinks, and coconut water throughout the day.

3–5. Crackers, pretzels, and toast

Dry foods such as crackers, pretzels, toast, and cereals are often recommended to people experiencing nausea. In fact, one study found that almost 90% of gynecologists recommend soda crackers to women with morning sickness (12, 13).

It’s not clear why people tolerate dry, plain foods when they’re nauseous, and no scientific research on the topic exists.

However, it’s known that people feel more nauseous on an empty stomach and react poorly to strong-smelling foods (12).

That’s why it’s best to avoid preparing and cooking food when you’re not feeling well, as the sight and smell of food could trigger nausea.

Crackers, pretzels, toast, and cereals are quick meal fixes that require little to no preparation, have no strong odor, and may help settle your empty, upset stomach (12).

Summary
An empty stomach and strong-smelling foods can trigger or worsen nausea. Crackers and other plain, dry foods may help settle your stomach.

6. Cold foods

When you’re not feeling well, you may tolerate cold foods better than warm dishes. That’s because they generally don’t have strong odors, which may trigger nausea (12).

Aversion to odor is particularly common during pregnancy. One study found that women with severe morning sickness were more likely to feel nauseous after smelling cooked foods (14).

Some good choices of cold foods include Jell-O, ice cream, chilled fruits, yogurt, custard, and frozen ice pops.

If your nausea makes it difficult to keep food down, simply sucking on an ice cube may help. This is also a good way to slowly replenish your fluids.

Summary
Food smells can trigger nausea. Cold foods that produce less odor like ice pops, Jell-O, chilled fruits, and ice cream are often better tolerated.

7. Broths

Chicken broth and chicken soup are common home remedies for everything from headaches to colds to fevers.

Fluids are often better tolerated than solid food when you’re nauseous. That’s why broths and soups may be a good first step toward eating again. They also provide hydration and electrolytes, which are particularly important if you have been vomiting or have a fever.

One cup (240 ml) of chicken broth contains 40% of the daily value (DV) for sodium, less than 1% of the DV for potassium, and 3% of the DV for niacin (15).

If you’re feeling up to it, including chicken or vegetables in your broth provides additional calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals to give your body back some energy.

Additionally, if your nausea is caused by congestion or a cold, hot broth can help provide relief from symptoms (16).

Summary
Broths and soups provide hydration and electrolytes. They are a good first step toward eating more solid foods again when you’re nauseous or have been vomiting.

8. Bananas

When you’re nauseous, it can be difficult to eat significant quantities of food.

That’s why it’s important that the foods you do manage to eat are nutritious and provide energy to help your body stay strong and recover. This is particularly true if your nausea is due to a chronic condition and you’re trying to maintain weight.

Bananas are a nutritious, energy-dense snack. They’re easy to eat even when you’re sick.

Plus, bananas help replace the potassium that may be lost if you have been vomiting or have had diarrhea (17).

Just one medium-sized banana packs 105 calories, 27 grams of carbs, 9% of your daily potassium needs, and 25% of the DV for vitamin B6 (18).

Other soft, energy-dense foods include avocados, porridge, stewed fruits, mashed potatoes, and peanut butter.

Summary
Bananas are a good source of energy and vitamins when you’re nauseous and can help replace potassium lost due to vomiting or diarrhea.

9. Applesauce

Applesauce is a popular food for people with nausea or diarrhea. In fact, it’s part of the BRAT diet, which stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.

This diet used to be routinely recommended to people with upset stomachs, particularly children. Though it’s now considered overly restrictive, many people still find the foods it mentions helpful (19).

One study in people undergoing chemotherapy found that a light, bland diet including applesauce, cottage cheese, and vanilla ice cream resulted in improved food intake and less nausea and vomiting (20).

Applesauce is a good source of carbs and is gentle on your stomach.

Half a cup (122 grams) of unsweetened applesauce contains about 50 calories and 14 grams of carbs (21).

What’s more, it’s high in the dietary fiber pectin, which may be beneficial if you’re experiencing diarrhea in addition to feeling nauseous (22).

Summary
Applesauce is commonly eaten by people with nausea and diarrhea. It’s a good source of energy and carbs and usually well tolerated even when you’re not feeling well.

10–12. Rice, potatoes, and noodles

Starchy, plain foods like rice, potatoes, and noodles are good choices when you’re nauseous.

They’re easy to prepare and high in calories. They also help settle your stomach.

Bland, colorless, and odorless foods are often more easily tolerated by your body, as they trigger nausea to a lesser extent than strongly flavored foods.

Rice can be boiled or steamed and eaten plain or with light seasoning. It can also be eaten cold if hot foods are off-putting.

Alternatively, potatoes can be boiled, steamed, baked, or mashed with a little butter and milk for extra calories.

Finally, noodles can be boiled and eaten plain. They can also be added to a light broth or sauce to increase your fluid intake.

Summary
Bland, starchy foods are good choices when you’re nauseous. They are mild in taste and smell and provide a good source of calories and comfort.

13. Protein-rich meals

A few studies have investigated the effects of the macronutrient composition of meals on nausea.

One study in pregnant people found that protein-rich meals significantly reduced nausea symptoms, compared to carb- or fat-rich meals (23).

Also, as part of motion sickness research, people were given a protein- or carb-rich beverage before being spun in a rotating drum. The protein-rich drinks proved to be most effective at suppressing nausea symptoms (24).

Another study in people undergoing chemotherapy found that a combination of ginger and protein supplements reduced nausea (25).

It’s unclear why protein has this effect on nausea. The hypothesis is that it helps regulate stomach activity by increasing the release of the hormone gastrin (24).

Protein-rich meals are particularly important for people experiencing chronic nausea due to illness, as this macronutrient helps keep your body strong and reduces the risk of malnutrition.

Summary
Protein-rich meals are superior to high carb or high fat meals when it comes to reducing nausea. Protein may help regulate stomach activity by increasing gastrin secretion.

14. Herbal tea

Herbal tea is commonly used as a remedy for nausea. In fact, one study found that 21.7% of gynecologists recommend it to pregnant people experiencing nausea (13).

However, there is no scientific evidence to back up these claims. Research on specific compounds such as peppermint and chamomile has primarily been carried out in capsule or aromatherapy form.

For example, peppermint aromatherapy has been found to reduce nausea in people who had undergone open-heart surgery, while combined peppermint and lemon aromatherapy had the same effect in pregnant people (26, 27).

Despite a lack of scientific evidence, many people with nausea find that herbal teas are well tolerated.

Drinking a cup of peppermint tea or adding a slice of lemon to hot water may ease your nausea. Even if the herb itself may show no effect, the fluids aid hydration when you’re sick.

Summary
Though peppermint and chamomile have been found to reduce nausea in capsule or aromatherapy form, there is no scientific evidence that herbal teas reduce nausea. Nonetheless, many people find them soothing, and they provide hydration.

Other tips for treating nausea

Besides consuming certain foods and beverages, you can take other steps to relieve your nausea (12):

Eat something small every 1–2 hours. Avoid skipping meals, since an empty stomach can worsen nausea.
Eat and drink slowly and in small amounts. This allows you to relax during meals and take time to enjoy your food. You may also want to avoid consuming liquids and solids at the same time.
Do not lie flat after eating. Avoid lying down for at least 30 minutes after eating, as this can put pressure on your stomach, making nausea worse.
Avoid food preparation. The smell while cooking and preparing food can worsen nausea. If possible, avoid or shorten the time spent in the kitchen.
Keep your mouth clean. Nausea and vomiting can leave an unpleasant taste in your mouth, which may prevent you from eating. Rinse and brush your teeth regularly and use sugar-free mints to keep feeling fresh.

In addition, avoid the following types of foods when you feel nauseous (12):

fatty, greasy, or fried foods
very sweet foods
spicy foods
foods with strong odors
alcohol
caffeine

Summary
You can take additional steps to treat nausea by avoiding certain foods; eating small, regular snacks or meals; consuming liquids and solids separately; avoiding food preparation; sitting up after eating; and keeping your mouth fresh and clean.

The bottom line

Nausea is a very unpleasant sensation that can make it difficult to eat, drink and keep down food. Those experiencing it seem to tolerate certain foods better than others, including bland rice, pasta, potatoes, salty crackers, and cold foods.

Other foods and beverages may even improve symptoms of nausea, such as ginger, certain teas, and protein-rich meals.

What’s most important when you’re not feeling well is to ensure proper hydration by drinking plenty of water and electrolyte-rich beverages.

By trying these foods, you can keep yourself nourished while you’re under the weather and in the long term.

The best foods to relieve nausea

If people are feeling nauseated, just the thought of food may make them feel worse. However, bland foods, cold foods, protein foods, ginger, and other options may help settle the stomach and provide energy for the body.

People may feel nausea, or the unpleasant and sometimes unavoidable sensation of needing to vomit, for a variety of reasons, such as:

viruses
food poisoning
cancer treatments
motion sickness
pregnancy
digestive issues

Getting plenty of rest and drinking fluids can help manage nausea, but so can eating certain foods.

Eating while feeling sick may seem counterintuitive. However, food can not only help relieve nausea, but it can also replace important nutrients lost after voiding.

This article looks at which foods can help relieve nausea.

People have traditionally used ginger to treat nausea. Gingerols and shogaols are components in ginger that may stimulate the stomach to empty and help to relieve feelings of nausea.

A review of studies looked at the effects of ginger on nausea and vomiting in cases of pregnancy-induced symptoms. Four randomized controlled trials showed that ginger was more effective than a placebo in reducing the intensity of nausea and frequency of vomiting in pregnant females.

The authors of the review also found that ginger was more effective than a placebo in treating morning sickness, seasickness, and chemotherapy-induced nausea.

Another study supports that ginger may help relieve chemotherapy-induced nausea. The study found that 500 milligrams of powdered ginger root 2 times per day, 5 days before and 5 days after chemotherapy, helped reduce the frequency of vomiting in breast cancer patients.

To incorporate ginger into any diet, people can add ginger powder to broths or add sliced fresh ginger to hot water or herbal teas. Ginger ale is also a good option, as is eating crystallized ginger.

Chicken or vegetable broths are common remedies for sickness, helping everything from headaches to colds to fevers and nausea.

They can be a good source of nutrients that are easy to digest when a person is feeling nauseated.

If people are drinking less or losing fluids through sweating and vomiting, broths can help to replace lost fluids, salt, and electrolytes.

BRAT stands for:

Bananas
Rice
Applesauce
Toast

People may find these foods easier to eat because they are bland and easy to digest.

Bananas are also a good source of energy and nutrients. They are high in potassium, which can help replace any electrolytes lost through vomiting.

However, the BRAT diet does not provide enough nutrients for people over the long term. It may help for a brief period of nausea, but people should start adding a wider variety of foods once they start feeling better.

It is also vital to stay hydrated while on the BRAT diet. People should make sure they take small sips of water frequently. Drinking large gulps of water may upset an already unsettled stomach.

Along with toast, other dry foods can be a good option for people feeling nauseated, as they are plain and easy to digest. They also have little to no odor, which may help reduce feelings of nausea.

Dry foods can include:

saltine crackers
pretzels
oatcakes
rice cakes

People may find it easier to eat cold foods when feeling sick, as they often smell less than hot foods. The odor of hot food may increase feelings of nausea for some people.

Good options for cold foods include:

a sandwich with protein, such as peanut butter or egg salad
crackers with a small amount of cheese
yogurt
popsicles

Protein helps the body create enzymes that digest food. The body also uses protein to oxygenate blood to carry nutrients to every part of the body.

Good options for protein-rich foods include:

peanut butter
fish
turkey
boiled eggs
plain, unsweetened yogurt
baked tofu (not fried)

People can combine these foods with bland foods, such as toast, rice, or noodles, to increase calories.

There are alternatives to help treat nausea. Aromatherapy may help people manage nausea and relieve vomiting.

A clinical trial found that aromatherapy — specifically infused with peppermint essential oil — helped decrease the frequency, duration, and severity of nausea in postoperative cardiac surgery patients.

Other essential oils that may relieve nausea through aromatherapy include ginger oil, lavender oil, and lemon oil.

Breathing exercises can also help ease nausea symptoms.

One study found that breathing exercises reduced the number of nausea, vomiting, and retching episodes and lowered the severity of nausea in people with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Another study found that diaphragmatic breathing, or deep belly breathing, reduced feelings of motion sickness during virtual reality exposure compared to a control group.

Additionally, there are plenty of over-the-counter medications that help treat nausea, called antiemetics. Options include:

Emetrol
Nauzen
Dramamine
Pepto-Bismol

It is normal to experience nausea once in a while, especially when experiencing food poisoning, indigestion, or motion sickness.

However, excessive vomiting can be a cause for concern or indicative of a more serious problem.

Recurrent episodes of vomiting can be associated with:

severe food poisoning
pregnancy
migraine
vestibular disorders
appendicitis
kidney infections
cyclic vomiting syndrome

When it comes to vomiting and nausea, red flags to look out for include:

vomiting for more than 1 day
bouts of nausea and vomiting for longer than 1 month
severe abdominal pain
unexplained weight loss
progressive headache and neck pain
blood in the vomit
an inability to keep down clear liquids
fever

A person experiencing any of these symptoms should call or visit a doctor.

Emergency services may be necessary if blood is in the vomit, which may be caused by ulcers, ruptured blood vessels, or stomach bleeding.

It is also important to consider other contextual factors, like having a fever or an inability to keep down clear liquids.

A fever with vomiting may indicate an infection or virus, while an inability to keep down clear liquids may point to dehydration.

What foods to avoid when nauseous?

Just as there are foods to help relieve nausea, there are also foods to avoid when nauseous.

Avoid eating fatty, greasy, and fried food, spicy foods, and foods with strong odors. A person should also avoid foods high in sugar, such as sweets and desserts.

What foods treat nausea during pregnancy?

Sticking to a bland diet during pregnancy may be the best way to help with nausea. This includes foods that are:

a soft consistency
low fiber
cooked
not spicy

Drinking cold, clear, and carbonated fluids in small amounts between meals may also help alleviate pregnancy-related nausea.

How to treat nausea fast?

There is no instant fix for nausea, but ginger is an effective, inexpensive, and safe treatment for nausea and vomiting that works relatively fast.

Other quick fixes include smelling fresh lemon, mint, or orange, which can be achieved by smelling the actual item or using an oil diffuser with these scents.

Is yogurt good for nausea?

While research shows that cold foods without strong odors may help alleviate nausea, more studies are required to understand the full effects of yogurt for nausea relief.

Are eggs good for nausea?

Research suggests that protein consumption may help relieve nausea in pregnant people.

However, more current research shows that increased protein consumption, especially before exercise, may actually increase the symptoms of nausea in nonpregnant people.

More research is necessary to fully understand if eggs are helpful for relieving nausea.

People may not want to eat much when they are feeling nauseated. However, consuming small amounts of certain foods may help relieve nausea and keep energy levels up.

It is also vital to stay hydrated by drinking clear beverages, such as water or soda, especially to replace lost fluids if vomiting.

Other tips that may help with nausea include:

sitting upright after eating
avoiding activity after eating
watching TV, reading a book, or talking with someone while eating as a distraction
eating slowly to help digestion
eating small amounts throughout the day
rinsing the mouth or brushing the teeth after eating to reduce feelings of nausea

If people continue to feel nauseated without any relief, have unexplained nausea, or are unable to eat or drink at all, they should speak to a doctor.

The 14 Best Foods to Eat When You Feel Nauseous

Nausea is the unpleasant and sometimes debilitating feeling of having to vomit.

This is surprisingly common, with 50% of adults experiencing it at some point every year.

First described in connection with seasickness, the term comes from the Greek word “naus”, which means “ship”.

Nausea starts in the brain, where emotional, cognitive, or chemical triggers can stimulate your nervous system, causing stomach muscle dysfunction and making you feel nauseous.

Many things can trigger this process, such as infections, surgery, bowel disease, medications, cancer treatments, hormonal imbalances, pregnancy or food allergies and intolerances.

Although eating can be difficult when you feel sick, eating and drinking is important for hydration, replenishing lost electrolytes, and helping your stomach settle down.

Here are 14 of the best foods and drinks to eat when you’re feeling nauseous.