Best Drinks for Nausea: 5 Options to Try

Water, oral rehydration solution, and ginger tea are three of the best drinks to try for nausea. The right choice depends on what you can tolerate and whether you are also losing fluid through vomiting or diarrhea. Drinks can support hydration, but they do not address every cause of nausea. For related guidance, browse natural remedies by health goal.

What are the 5 best drinks for nausea?

These five options are practical choices, not a proven ranking of nausea treatments. The ai symptom analyzer may help you organize your symptoms, but it cannot diagnose the cause or replace medical care.

1. Water

Water is a straightforward first choice when nausea makes eating or drinking difficult. Its main benefit is hydration: it replaces fluid, rather than directly treating the cause of nausea. It may be especially appealing when strong flavors or smells make you feel worse.

Try small, frequent sips instead of drinking a large glass at once. Cool or room-temperature water may be easier to tolerate; choose whichever feels more comfortable. If plain water is unappealing, a different option on this list may help you take in fluids.

Evidence: Water is essential for hydration, but there is no basis here to rank it as a direct nausea treatment. When vomiting or diarrhea causes substantial fluid loss, water alone does not replace all the salts you lose; an oral rehydration solution is a better choice for replacing both fluid and electrolytes.

2. Oral rehydration solution

Oral rehydration solution is designed to replace fluid and electrolytes lost through vomiting or diarrhea. Its balance of glucose and salts helps the gut absorb water. It is particularly useful when the immediate concern is dehydration, rather than nausea alone.

Choose a commercially prepared solution and follow the package directions. If it comes as a powder, mix it exactly as directed; making it stronger or weaker changes its balance. Sip it slowly if your stomach feels unsettled, and seek medical advice if you cannot keep it down.

Evidence: Oral rehydration solution is a standard way to replace fluid and electrolytes, but it is not a medicine for nausea. Its use should not delay medical care for serious dehydration or persistent vomiting. Children, older adults and people with medical conditions may need individual advice about how to use it.

3. Ginger tea

Ginger is commonly used for nausea, and a mild ginger tea may be more appealing than plain water for some people. Ginger contains compounds that may affect digestive processes involved in nausea, although the precise effect of a cup of tea is uncertain. The liquid also contributes to hydration.

Choose a ginger tea prepared according to the package instructions, and let it cool if hot drinks or steam bother you. Start with small sips. If the flavor makes your nausea worse or the tea causes heartburn, switch to a drink you tolerate better.

Evidence: Ginger products such as extracts or supplements are not the same as ginger tea, so findings about those products cannot automatically be applied to a brewed drink. The strength of evidence for ginger tea itself is uncertain, and it should not be relied on to treat persistent or severe symptoms.

4. Clear broth

Clear broth provides fluid and some salt, which can be helpful when you have little appetite. A mild broth may also be easier to sip than a strongly flavored soup. Its benefit is mainly providing fluid and a little nourishment, not targeting the cause of nausea.

Choose a broth with a mild smell and flavor, and let it cool to a comfortable temperature. Sip slowly and stop if the smell or taste makes you feel worse. A lower-sodium choice may be appropriate if you have been told to limit salt.

Evidence: There is no established evidence here that clear broth directly relieves nausea. Broth is not formulated like oral rehydration solution, so it should not be treated as an equivalent replacement for it when vomiting or diarrhea causes significant fluid loss.

5. Diluted apple juice

Diluted apple juice offers fluid and some carbohydrate, which may be appealing if you do not feel ready to eat. Diluting it makes the flavor less intense than full-strength juice. It is an optional choice for someone who tolerates it, not a necessary part of nausea care.

Try a small amount of apple juice diluted with water and sip it slowly. If the sweetness worsens your nausea, choose water or another mild drink. Juice can also make diarrhea worse for some people, so avoid it if you notice that effect.

Evidence: There is no established evidence here that diluted apple juice directly treats nausea. It does not have the electrolyte balance of oral rehydration solution and should not be used as a substitute when that solution is needed. For a child with vomiting or diarrhea, ask a clinician or pharmacist about the appropriate rehydration drink.

Which drinks should you avoid when nauseated?

Avoid alcohol while you are nauseated. It can irritate the stomach and contribute to fluid loss, and it may interact with medicines you take. If you are vomiting or feel dehydrated, it is a poor choice for replacing fluid.

Use caution with highly caffeinated drinks, very sweet drinks and anything with a strong smell. These may be difficult to tolerate, and a lot of sugar can worsen diarrhea for some people. Sports drinks are not necessarily formulated like oral rehydration solution, so check with a clinician or pharmacist rather than assuming they are interchangeable.

Carbonated or very hot drinks can also make some people feel worse. If a drink increases bloating, reflux or nausea, choose a still drink at a more comfortable temperature. Tolerance varies: the goal is to find a fluid you can keep down, not to force yourself to drink something that aggravates your symptoms.

If you are ready to try food as well, see the best foods for nausea for additional ideas.

How much should you drink when nauseated?

Start with small, frequent sips, especially if drinking a lot at once makes you feel worse. Gradually drink more as tolerated. The right total amount varies with your size, the weather, your usual intake and whether you are losing fluid through vomiting or diarrhea.

If you are vomiting or have diarrhea, an oral rehydration solution can replace electrolytes as well as fluid. Follow its package directions, or ask a clinician or pharmacist for advice suited to your situation. Do not try to compensate for repeated vomiting by quickly drinking a large amount; that may be difficult to keep down.

People with heart failure, kidney disease or a prescribed fluid or salt restriction should ask their clinician how to manage fluid intake. For infants, continue usual breast milk or formula feeds as advised and seek pediatric guidance about vomiting or dehydration. Do not force a child to drink if doing so is causing distress; get medical advice instead.

When should you see a doctor for nausea?

Get urgent medical help for nausea or vomiting with severe abdominal pain, chest pain, confusion, a severe headache with a stiff neck, or signs of severe dehydration such as fainting or very little urination. Vomit that contains blood, looks like coffee grounds or is green also needs urgent assessment. If poisoning is possible, contact emergency services or a poison control center promptly.

Contact a clinician promptly if you cannot keep fluids down, keep vomiting, or have nausea that persists, keeps returning or interferes with daily life. Dark urine, dizziness when standing and a dry mouth can be signs that you need help with hydration. A clinician can assess the cause and determine whether you need treatment beyond drinks.

Seek advice sooner if you are pregnant, the person affected is an infant or child, or you have diabetes, kidney disease or another condition that makes fluid loss more concerning. If nausea starts after a medicine or makes it hard to take a prescribed medicine, contact the prescribing clinician; do not stop the medicine on your own. During pregnancy, ask a clinician about persistent nausea or vomiting and before using concentrated ginger products or other supplements.