It is native to southeastern Asia but traditional healers in China, India, the Middle East, as well as those of the Roman Empire, have all used ginger to help relieve nausea. It has been used with all forms of digestive upsets including motion and morning sickness, and food poisoning. It contains beta-carotene, acetic acid, zingiberine, and lignin. It is rich in a class of phytonutrients called gingerols.