Contents
What it is
Ginger is the underground stem of a perennial in the ginger family — it looks like a root but is a rhizome creeping sideways — and it is native to Southeast Asia. Its heat comes from gingerol, which turns into shogaol on drying, changing the character of the pungency; that is why fresh ginger and dried ginger powder are not interchangeable. The grain of its fibres is pronounced, so slicing along the grain leaves it stringy and slicing across it leaves it tender. The skin scrapes off neatly with the edge of a spoon, which wastes less flesh than a peeler.
Scientific name Zingiber officinale
Ginger is both a spice and one of the oldest items in the herbal medicine cabinet. Its bite comes from gingerol, part of which converts to shogaol when ginger is dried or heated. Both compounds have documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.
Supplement marketing tends to present ginger as a cure-all. The areas where human trials agree are narrower than that — but they are real. Here they are.
Key benefits
- Strong evidence
It settles nausea
This is ginger's best-supported effect. Randomised controlled trials covering morning sickness, motion sickness, post-operative nausea and chemotherapy-induced nausea have repeatedly found ginger to beat placebo. Most used around one gram per day. Whether it also reduces vomiting is less clear: in a meta-analysis of pregnancy nausea and vomiting, nausea improved but the number of vomiting episodes did not reach statistical significance.[1]
- Moderate evidence
It helps the stomach empty, so digestion feels easier
Ginger has been shown to shorten gastric emptying time. That can reduce the heavy, bloated feeling after a large or fatty meal — which is exactly why so many cuisines serve ginger alongside rich food.[2]
- Moderate evidence
It lowers inflammatory markers
Gingerol and shogaol suppress the production of inflammatory signalling molecules. A meta-analysis of clinical trials found significantly lower CRP, TNF-α and IL-6. Muscle soreness is a different story. A trial giving 4 g of ginger before exercise sped up strength recovery but left delayed-onset soreness no different from placebo.[3][4]
- Moderate evidence
It eases menstrual pain
A meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials found ginger reduced both pain intensity (standardised mean difference -1.13) and duration compared with placebo. Head to head against NSAIDs there was no difference — not better, but comparable. The trials do vary considerably (I² 81%). This is not a reason to drop painkillers, but it is a reasonable addition.[5]
How to eat it well
- Many of ginger's actives are fat-soluble. Sautéing it briefly in oil, or eating it with a dish that contains fat, helps absorption.
- Peel thinly. The aromatic compounds sit just under the skin, so scrape it with the edge of a spoon rather than cutting it away.
- For tea, slice thin and steep for at least ten minutes. Boiling converts some gingerol to shogaol, which is what makes the drink feel warming.
- A sensible dose is 1–3 g dried per day (roughly 5–10 g fresh, a thumb-tip piece). Taking more does not scale the benefit.
- Grate a batch and freeze it in portions — it drops straight into soups, stir-fries and dressings.
How to read the grades
Each benefit carries a label showing how far research on people supports it. Grades differ between items even within the same ingredient.
- Nutrition data
- A fact verifiable from food composition databases or health authorities. This is a different kind of statement from a clinical effect.
- Strong evidence
- Consistently confirmed across randomised controlled trials or meta-analyses.
- Moderate evidence
- Human studies exist, but effect sizes are small or results are mixed.
- Early research
- Cell or animal work, or small preliminary studies.
- Not established
- Commonly claimed, but not confirmed in studies on people.
What to watch out for
- Above about 4 g a day, heartburn, stomach discomfort and loose stools become common.
- If you take anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs such as warfarin, ginger may add to bleeding risk; check with your clinician.
- Use caution with gallstones, since ginger stimulates bile flow.
- In pregnancy, 1 g per day or less is the usual recommendation. Ask your obstetric provider first.
- If you take blood sugar or blood pressure medication, monitor your readings.
Nutrition
Approximate values per 100 g edible portion.
- Calories
- 80 kcal4%
- Carbohydrates
- 17.8 g6%
- Fiber
- 2.0 g7%
- Protein
- 1.8 g4%
- Fat
- 0.8 g1%
- Potassium
- 415 mg9%
- Magnesium
- 43 mg10%
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg6%
Percentages are of the US FDA Daily Value for adults and children 4 and over. National reference intakes differ by sex and age.
Calculate this alongside other ingredients →
Key nutrients
Dishes with this ingredient
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Sources
The databases and health authorities this article's nutrition figures and health statements draw on.
- 1A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomitingMeta-analysisViljoen E, et al. Nutr J 2014PMID 24642205
- 2Effect of ginger on gastric motility and symptoms of functional dyspepsiaClinical trialHu ML, et al. World J Gastroenterol 2011PMID 21218090
- 3The effects of ginger supplementation on markers of inflammatory and oxidative stress: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trialsMeta-analysisJalali M, et al. Phytother Res 2020PMID 32147845
- 4The Effects of Pre-Exercise Ginger Supplementation on Muscle Damage and Delayed Onset Muscle SorenessClinical trialMatsumura MD, et al. Phytother Res 2015PMID 25787877
- 5Ginger for Pain Management in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisMeta-analysisMoshfeghinia R, et al. J Integr Complement Med 2024PMID 38770631
- 6USDA FoodData CentralFood composition database
- 7NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsHealth authority
- 8Cochrane LibrarySystematic reviews
- 9PubMedResearch literature
