Ginger Tea Benefits

Ginger's use as a flavoring agent dates back at least 4,400 years, and its use to help digestive functions dates back about 2,000 years, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. For more than 500 years, ginger has been used seriously in parts of Asia for medicinal purposes, says the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. An excellent source of potassium, vitamin B6, copper, manganese and magnesium, ginger is a popular supplement, including in the form of ginger tea.

Soothing Nausea and Vomiting

Ginger tea helps soothe nausea and reduce vomiting from a variety of causes. According to the NIH, it may diminish the severity and duration of both following chemotherapy treatments in cancer patients or after surgical procedures when taken prior to the operation. Ginger tea also reduces nausea and vomiting due to pregnancy, cites the UMMC. In addition, reports World's Healthiest Foods, or WHF, ginger helps treat these symptoms of motion sickness, and seasickness in particular.

Reducing Inflammation

Compounds in ginger known as gingerols are powerful anti-inflammatory agents, explains WHF, reducing both the pain and discomfort associated with inflammation. Ginger is widely used to treat inflammation, especially that associated with arthritis and ulcerative colitis, states UMMC.

Cancer Protection

Researchers at the University of Michigan, led by Dr. Rebecca Lui, found that ginger destroys some ovarian cancer cells. It prompts both apoptosis, a sort of cancer cell self-destruction, and autophagy, when the cells digest themselves. Ginger tea may also offer some benefit for preventing colorectal cancer, according to WHF. However, this has only been seen in mice at this stage of research, and evidence derived from human clinical trials does not yet exist.

Boosting the Immune System

Ginger tea triggers healthy sweating, which has important benefits to the immune system, explains WHF. It is especially useful for cold and flu infections, and for warding off bacterial and fungal infections such as Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Candida albicans.

Other Benefits

Ginger tea may offer additional benefits, though adequate scientific evidence is still lacking. It may help prevent heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol levels and inhibiting blood clots, according to UMMC. The NIH adds that ginger may reduce the duration of labor, help treat urinary disorders in stroke patients and aid weight loss efforts.