Ginger is one of the most popular herbs used unanimously across the world. Beyond being a significant part of our daily diet, ginger is also one of the most used ancient herbs, exceptionally famous in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. This is because of its wide range of medicinal benefits like soothing sore throat or relieving nausea.
Because of these benefits, you may believe that it is okay to consume ginger every day. However, talking to the Onlymyhealth team, Chaitali Rajendra Rane, Clinical Dietician, PD Hinduja Hospital, Khar deduced that daily consumption of ginger not only has its benefits, but can also pose risks in some people.
Benefits Of Eating Ginger Daily
Rane shared, “Ginger contains gingerol, which has potent medicinal properties.” An overview published in the second edition of the Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects available on the National Library of Medicine’s website, confirmed that ginger possesses many medicinal properties and called ginger ‘mighty and amazing in its many applications.’
“One can have three to four grams or 1 tablespoon of ginger every day. If you want to use ginger to treat nausea, eating one teaspoon of ginger thrice a week can help you,” stipulated Rane.
Rane listed some of the many benefits of taking ginger every day:
- Treats morning sickness and other forms of nausea
- May help with weight loss
- Can help with osteoarthritis
- May lower blood sugar and improve heart disease risk factors
- Can help treat chronic indigestion
- May reduce menstrual pain
- May help lower cholesterol levels
- May help reduce cancer risk, specifically colon cancer
- Can help fight infections
Risks Of Eating Ginger Every Day
However, the story of taking ginger every day does not end there. According to Rane, consuming ginger every day can also pose some risks:
- Stomach discomfort
- Heartburn
- Diarrhoea
- Mouth and throat irritation
- May raise the risk of miscarriage, especially at high doses
- May raise the risk of bleeding
- May interact with blood thinners and medications for diabetes and high blood pressure
Who Should Avoid Taking Ginger Everyday?
“Certain individuals should avoid having ginger daily or consult their healthcare provider before consuming it regularly,” said Rane. If you belong to any of the categories listed by Rane below, then it is best if you avoid taking ginger in excessive amounts and consuming it daily:
- Pregnant Women: Excessive ginger consumption (more than 1 gram per day) may increase the risk of miscarriage.
- Breastfeeding Women: Ginger may pass into breast milk and potentially harm the infant.
- People With Bleeding Disorders: Ginger may increase the risk of bleeding in people whose blood does not clot properly.
- Individuals Taking Blood Thinners: As mentioned above, ginger may enhance the risk of bleeding which is further exacerbated by blood thinners.
- People With Diabetes: Ginger may lower blood sugar levels, potentially leading to hypoglycemia.
- People With Gallstones: Ginger may increase bile production, potentially worsening the condition.
- Individuals With Stomach Problems: Ginger may irritate the stomach and exacerbate symptoms in people dealing with issues like ulcers or acid reflux.
- People Taking Certain Medications: If you are consuming blood pressure medications or antacids, keep in mind that ginger may interact with these drugs.
Rane concluded that it's essential to consult with a healthcare professional before making ginger a part of your daily routine, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or take medications. So keep that in mind before you make ginger a part of your regular diet, especially if you have any of the conditions in which Rane suggested avoiding excess consumption of ginger.