We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Diet

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How Effective is Ginger for Upset Stomach?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 11,885
Share

Using ginger for upset stomach has been a time-honored remedy in many cultures that in recent years has been subject to a number of clinical studies. Though these studies are relatively small in scale, they do suggest that old wives tales about ginger may certainly be believable. The ginger root, or actually the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, does appear to be beneficial in resolving some, though not all, stomach complaints. The principal conditions that may respond to ginger include morning sickness, general queasiness, nausea due to chemotherapy and motion sickness. There is some evidence of ginger’s effectiveness in other conditions like heartburn or indigestion.

The different studies on ginger for upset stomach have principally compared it to placebo treatments. Thus far, some of the studies that compare placebo treatment to ginger include those for people with seasickness, mild to severe morning sickness, those who are undergoing chemotherapy, and those recovering from surgery. All, except for the final study, concluded that ginger for upset stomach in these cases was better than placebo. The surgery study is an interesting exception because in it, ginger actually worsened nausea and vomiting.

One of the reasons that ginger is thought to be useful in most cases where stomach upset is present is because it acts as a mild anti-inflammatory. It has specific compounds that can reduce swelling or inflammatory response. This particular action may reduce symptoms of nausea, and it also makes ginger intriguing to treat other stomach symptoms. Indigestion, for example, may partly be felt because the stomach is somewhat irritated and inflamed. Reducing that inflammation reasonably suggests a reduction in symptoms.

Thus far, the varied studies on ginger for upset stomach fail to account for the best methods for taking ginger. Some people wonder if it is better to consume it fresh, pickled, or grated and dried, or if all methods are equal. This question very much deserves attention when it’s recommended people drink ginger in the form of ginger ale or ginger beer. It’s possible that the addition of carbonation and high sugar amounts could actually act as a stomach irritant, though even in this form, some people find ginger for upset stomach helpful.

There are still some guidelines on how much ginger for upset stomach to use. Generally, it’s thought that people shouldn’t exceed a daily ginger consumption of 4 grams. It tends to be safe for children over the age of two, though maximum dose should be smaller. The biggest advantage of this medicine is that it’s easy to find and it tends to have very few side effects, unlike many anti-nausea medications. It also has few drug interactions, though people who take blood thinners should check with their doctors about use because of its comparable properties to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Share
The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a The Health Board contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.
Discussion Comments
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a The Health Board contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.thehealthboard.com/how-effective-is-ginger-for-upset-stomach.htm
Copy this link
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.