Easy Ginger Honey Syrup

This tasty homemade ginger syrup is made with just two easy-to-find ingredients and is a snap to mix together!

jar of homemade ginger syrup made with fresh ginger and honey
Easy and effective! This homemade ginger syrup helps settle upset stomach, nausea, motion sickness, and more!

It’s excellent for:

  • nausea
  • stomach ache
  • motion sickness
  • indigestion
  • discomfort from overeating
  • vomiting
  • colds & flu, when stomach is unsettled and/or chills and congestion are among the symptoms

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is anti-viral, antibacterial, and antifungal – so it’s also great for taking as a preemptive measure if you’ve been exposed to a stomach flu or other particularly nasty bugs.

woman's hand holding a jar of honey with more honey jars in the background
jars of local honey

Making this homemade herbal honey syrup couldn’t be simpler!

First, you need to make a strong ginger tea. To do so, place 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger or around a tablespoon of freshly peeled and chopped/grated ginger into a heat proof glass jar or other suitable container. (You can vary these amounts according to taste preference.)

I most often buy powdered ginger from Mountain Rose Herbs, but you should be able to find a high quality, organic brand at your local health store or grocery store as well.

Fresh ginger root is often found in the produce section of your local supermarket.

a spoon filled with grated fresh ginger
peel fresh ginger with the side of a spoon and grate for easy measuring

Pour around 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of simmering hot water over the ginger and then cover with a saucer. Let this steep until it’s comfortably cool enough to handle, or at least 20 to 30 minutes.

Strain, then measure out two to three times as much raw honey, as you have tea.

Gently stir the honey and tea together while the tea is still warm.

Pour into a sterilized jar. This should keep for about a month, if stored in your refrigerator. To extend the  shelf life longer, stir vodka or brandy into the mixture before refrigerating. (One suggested ratio is 3 to 4 tablespoons of 100 proof alcohol per cup of syrup you wish to preserve.)

Related Article: How to Make Herbal Honey Syrups

Dosing is: 1 to 2 teaspoons for children or 1 to 3 teaspoons for adults, given up to five times per day if needed. (Don’t give honey products to kids under age 1.)

Important: This is a great home remedy for the occasional case of queasiness or stomach bug, but if you develop persistent symptoms or serious signs of illness, or are on blood thinners or prescription medication, you should seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.

a bottle of homemade ginger syrup for upset stomach

References & Further Reading

Akullo, Jolly Oder et al. Effect of aqueous and organic solvent extraction on in-vitro antimicrobial activity of two varieties of fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) and garlic (Allium sativum). Heliyon, Volume 8, Issue 9, September 2022, e10457.

Anh, Nguyen Hoang et al. Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 2020 Jan 6;12(1):157.

Ernst E. and Pittler M. H. Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2000;84(3):367–371.

Mao, Qian-Qian et al. Bioactive Compounds and Bioactivities of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe). Foods 2019, 8(6), 185.

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author, herbalist, soapmaker

Jan Berry is a writer, herbalist, soapmaker, avid forager, and bestselling author of The Big Book of Homemade Products, Simple & Natural Soapmaking, and Easy Homemade Melt & Pour Soaps. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her family and a menagerie of animals, where she enjoys brainstorming creative things to make with the flowers and weeds that grow around her.

21 Comments

    1. Hi Kathy! I’m not positive on whether it would or not, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to add some and see how it does for you!

  6. Hello, my daughter is 2 in August. I live in a small town that is not very homeopathic. She suffers from nausea every morning. Her physician has suggested treating her morning car ride vomiting with benedryl so that she sleeps through the car ride. I do not agree and have resorted to a “sick bucket” for our daily work ride. Can I use this for her 5 days a week. Thank you for the help.

    1. Hi Ashley! I’m so sorry that your daughter has been sick every morning. I’m not legally allowed to give medical advice, but I can say that I’ve used ginger for my two-year-olds with excellent result. My son always got queasy on car rides until he turned around 13 and outgrew it, and ginger was a life-saver for us! I hope you’re able to find something that works well for her, so your morning commute is less stressful!

    2. My grandmother used to get car sick when riding in the back seat when my dad drove….she would always have a lemon with her, and would suck on that to help her with carsickness. Just poke a small hole in the end and suck the juices out slowly. Always worked for her.

  8. Not quite sure about the amount of honey can you help. My neice has a gastro problem and is diabetic will this be helpful for her?

    1. Hi Pat! I’m afraid I’m just not sure how much honey she can have as a diabetic. My dad has Type 1 diabetes and he’s used honey to heal diabetic sores and has taken up to 1 spoonful a day (which he reports helped him feel better), but with diabetes – it’s such a precarious balancing act. Ginger could be very helpful for her, but it does thin the blood a bit, which could be a problem for diabetics too. So, with her medical problems, I would check with a trained herbalist, naturopath or her doctor first, to make sure that it’s something she can have.
      I hope that she’s feeling better soon!

  10. Hi Jan, I’ve made ginger honey where I grated the fresh ginger and put into a sauce pan and poured just enough honey to cover the ginger. Simmer for about 20 minutes. I put a tsp into a cup of hot water. Yum! Everyone at my work has been sick, but not this chic! By the way, I love all of your tricks, tips and recipes! I read your blogs nightly before bed! It’s like my own bed time story!

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