On road trips my Mom encouraged me to sip Ginger Ale whenever I felt motion sickness coming on. Ginger tea, ginger candies, and ginger bread were part of her wellness arsenal. Today there’s many simple ways to enjoy the delicious and healing properties, especially regarding motion sickness and ginger.

The renowned Golden Door spa has introduced these Ginger Cookies with three types of ginger in the recipe.
Mom’s TLC helped but ginger has long been used around the world for its healthful effects.
- In the African Congo crushed ginger is mixed with the sap of mango trees to make Tangawisi juice. The potion is considered a cure-all.
- In India, ginger paste is rubbed into the temples to help relieve headaches. A mixture of ginger, lemon and black salt is also eaten for nausea.
- During the American Revolutionary War, gingerbread, which would harden and keep for a year or more, was a staple for both British and American soldiers.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recognized ginger to be safe as a preventative for motion and morning sickness.
How does motion sickness and ginger work together?
There are chemicals in ginger that tend to reduce nausea and inflammation. Researchers believe the chemicals work primarily in the stomach and intestines, but they may also work in the brain and nervous system.*
“The easiest way to prevent motion sickness is to carry candied ginger in your pocket and suck on it throughout your trip,” notes Judy Griffin, author of Mother Nature’s Herbal. Depending on your weight and size, more candy may be nibbled every 45 minutes. Diane McClaren, author of the Healthy You Naturally newsletter***, suggests that motion sickness can be avoided when you:
- Start taking capsules a few days before the trip, taking 6-8 caps/day and 2/hour the day of the trip OR
- Take at 6x/d (2/meal) for a few weeks prior to trip and only add extra if needed during the trip.

Deliciously strong and chewy Gin Gins candy.
Ginger has also been found to be more effective than Dramamine in reducing motion sickness according to a study reported in the British medical journal, The Lancet in 1982.** (Dimenhydrinate is the active ingredient found in ginger.)
Road trip bliss
On a long road trip recently I kept motion sickness at bay with bites of chocolate covered ginger candy.

The benefits of dark chocolate teamed with ginger.
Unexpected ginger concoctions
As the road trip took us through Oregon and Washington, I felt it was part of my job to see what edibles were stocked in a recreational marijuana dispensary. I DON’T INDULGE but it was fun talking with the sales people (very kind and enthusiastic) and interesting to see who stepped into the store (not who you’d expect.)

A lemon ginger cannabis-infused drink seen in a Washington State dispensary.
However you choose to enjoy ginger keep the natural remedy in mind. For me motion sickness and ginger work well together.
* Reference Webmd.com
**Reference Active Ginger Ingredient
***Diane Mclaren Healthy You Naturally
This post was prompted by the arrival and quick consumption of a sample package of Irresistible Ginger Cookies from the Artisan Food collection by the renowned Golden Door Resort. (They’re only 50 calories per cookie!) I noticed the warming buzz from the three forms of ginger in the recipe and felt another warm glow knowing that 100% of the profits from the Artisan Food collection are donated to charity. The Irresistible Ginger Cookie can be purchased online.
I want this flower tree
Yes, ginger flowers are incredible. Nothing else like them that I know of.
We have had amazing luck with ginger essential oil! Great article, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the comment, Crysta. I’m going to look into traveling with Ginger essential oil. It seems like a lightweight antidote for the carry-on.
During my BA, I had to take a science course, so I chose botany, and I learned a lot about the medicinal applications of ginger, and how it has taken Asia by storm. Apparently ginger that’s “human-shaped” is most prized, and considered most potent/effective.
Interesting how the shape of the herb increases its value in some cultures. Cool that you studied botany. I’m sure it makes your travels more interesting too.
I’ve had problems with motion sickness since I can remember and I never knew that ginger could help. I’ll try it during my next journey.
I hope it works for you. Try starting the capsules before getting out to sea. That and a combination of strategies (like adding the acupressure wrist bands) has been recommended to me.
My motion sickness problem seems to be so great that not even ginger helps. I still try, and I really enjoy Gin-Gins. I’ll have to also get some of the chocolate covered ginger as I really like that combination.
Sorry to hear about your motion sickness. It’s no fun. Hopefully the chocolate covered ginger will at least postpone the discomfort (so yummy too.)
I was on an hour-long boat trip recently, and they warned in advance about possible motion sickness. I do suffer from motion sickness and was worried about it. I didn’t want to take a med, get drowsy, and have it ruin my day. I discovered that Dramamine makes a natural capsule that is concentrated ginger. I took it a half-hour before the trip, put acupressure wristbands on each wrist, and I had no problem. I don’t know whether it was the wristbands or the Dramamine that made the difference or the combination, but that’s what I’m using from now on.
Very cool to hear that Dramiamine has a ginger version for motion sickness. I’ll add that to my list! I’m like you and find that a combination of strategies often works best.
Sounds so strange to eat something when you have motion sickness. Food is the last thing on my mind when I feel like throwing up, but I am not saying ginger would not work. It’s only that for me Dramamine does the trick, but I have to take it beforehand (if I know I’ll be on a boat or on a winding road).
Taking ginger, like Dramamine, works better if you take it before getting nauseous from motion sickness. If I take the drugs it’s usually the night before with a long-acting dose. That helps with the drowsy-ness.
Who would have thought! Great advice for travelers. Thanks
Thanks, Anna. Nice to find out about the hidden treasures, isn’t it?
I bought ginger chews on one trip and found they worked better than Pepcid (after a spicy meal). So, another remedy!
Yes, I love the ginger chews. They’re almost peppery strong! Glad you found out about them too.
I don’t usually suffer from travel / motion sickness, but I know women, who, when pregnant have taken ginger products for morning sickness, so maybe these cookies will help with that too!
The cookies should help. They’re potent, delicious and I indulge in them occasionally, sick or not!
I will pretend that I get motion sickness if i can eat ginger. I love it
Cute. No excuses needed. Ginger on!
I didn’t know anything about the relationship between ginger and motion sickness. Lately, I have been getting motion sickness in boats (and Dramamine makes you sleepy). I also get very nervous when I am near high places (nausea starts to kick in). I will remember to take a ginger concoction in my next trip.
I hope ginger improves things. There’s a non-sleepy Dramamine and you can also take it before bed (long term capsules.) Altitude nausea might benefit from ginger too, but I prefer coca leaves 😉
This is fantastic information!! We absolutely LOVE ginger – ginger tea, pickled ginger, candied ginger, cooking with fresh ginger… and when we find those ginger cookies we’re sure they’ll be added to the list! We’ve only recently started experiencing motion sickness, usually on long bus rides at night when we don’t have anything to look at out our windows, so we’ll be loading up on ginger before a trip from now on!! Thanks for the tip… and the cookie cravings! 🙂
Glad to hear you’re already ginger fans and the tips resonate. Motion sickness is not fun!