A spice with a long history at the table

The Analects, the collected sayings of the Chinese teacher Confucius, include a small detail about his meals. "He was never without ginger when he ate," one passage says.[1] More than 2,000 years later, ginger is still one of the world's best-loved spices. It shows up at both ends of the menu, from stir-fries and curries to gingerbread and ginger cookies.

Ginger is native to the warm parts of Asia. Today it is also grown in South America, Africa and the Middle East. The part we eat is the rhizome, a knobby stem that grows underground. People have used it in folk medicine since ancient times, including for indigestion and stomach discomfort.[2] FDA lists ginger among the spices that are generally recognized as safe for their intended use in food.[3]

This guide covers what gives ginger its bite and what studies of the stomach have measured. It also covers how researchers have studied ginger for queasiness, easy ways to enjoy it, how to read a ginger supplement label and what to keep in mind.

What gives ginger its bite

Ginger belongs to a plant family that also includes turmeric. Its flavor comes from aromatic oils and from hot-tasting plant compounds called phenols.[4]

In fresh ginger, the main hot compounds are gingerols. When ginger is dried, heated or stored for a long time, some gingerols turn into shogaols. Shogaols give dried ginger its sharper, more pungent taste.[4][5] Ginger also contains related compounds, such as paradols and zingerone. Its aroma comes from an essential oil built mostly from compounds called terpenes, such as zingiberene.[4]

Gram for gram, dried ginger packs more of these compounds because the water is gone.[4] Supplements vary, too. Some use plain ginger powder, and others use extracts that concentrate gingerols and shogaols.[6] Our guide to extracts and whole herb powders explains the difference.

Ginger and the stomach: what studies have measured

After a meal, your stomach muscles mix food and liquid with digestive juices. The stomach then slowly empties this mix, called chyme, into the small intestine. Hormones and nerves work together to set the pace.[7] The bottom part of the stomach, called the antrum, does much of that work with steady squeezes. How fast the stomach empties is something researchers can measure, and several ginger studies focus on it. Our guide to a meal, hour by hour shows where this step fits in your day.

In a 2008 study, researchers asked 24 healthy volunteers to come in twice after an eight-hour fast. On one visit they swallowed 1,200 milligrams of ginger in capsules. On the other, they took look-alike placebo capsules. Neither they nor the researchers knew which was which. An hour later, everyone had a bowl of light soup, and ultrasound tracked their stomachs.

Researchers tracked the half-emptying time, which is how long the stomach takes to pass along half of a meal. They also counted how often the antrum squeezed, and they asked the volunteers to rate how their stomachs felt.[8]

In a 1999 study of 12 healthy volunteers, researchers recorded the stomach's muscle activity after a ginger extract. They measured it during the cleanup wave that sweeps through the gut between meals, and again after a test meal.[9] Our guide to the wave that runs between meals explains that wave.

The bigger research picture

A 2020 review pulled together 109 randomized controlled trials of ginger. In this kind of study, people are assigned by chance to take ginger or a comparison, such as a placebo. The trials covered many topics, and seven of them looked at stomach function.[10]

Studies like these come in many shapes. Some give a single dose and watch the stomach over the next hour or two.[8] Others record the muscle activity of the stomach and upper gut.[9] The ginger itself varies too, from plain dried powder to concentrated extracts.[6]

Ginger and queasiness: pregnancy, travel and more

Queasiness is ginger's best-known research topic. More than 4 in 10 trials in the 2020 review, 47 of 109, looked at nausea in some form. The review also counted 14 trials during pregnancy.[10] Researchers have also studied ginger for queasiness from motion, such as on a boat or in a car, and after surgery.[2][10]

NCCIH, a federal health research center, says ginger supplements may be safe during pregnancy. Even so, it advises talking with your health care provider first.[2] LiverTox adds that pregnancy studies have not linked ginger to harm to the baby.[6] If you're pregnant, bring any ginger supplement to your clinician before you start.

Enjoying ginger as food

Ginger is easy to enjoy at the table as well. It's one of the simplest spices to work into a week of meals, and a little goes a long way in flavor.

• For a simple tea, slice a thumb-size piece of fresh ginger. Pour hot water over it and let it steep for 5 to 10 minutes. The tea turns pale gold and smells bright and peppery. Add lemon or a little honey if you like.
• Grate fresh ginger into stir-fries, soups, curries, marinades and salad dressings.
• Stir ground ginger into oatmeal, baked goods, roasted carrots or squash.
• Enjoy pickled ginger, the thin pale slices served with sushi, or nibble a piece of candied ginger after dinner.
• Choose fresh ginger that feels firm, with smooth, tight skin. The edge of a spoon scrapes the peel off easily.
• Keep fresh ginger in the fridge, or freeze it and grate it straight from the freezer.
• Simmer a few slices in broth with garlic and scallions for a quick soup base.
• Blend a small knob into carrot or squash soup for a gentle warmth that builds as you eat.

Picture a week with ginger in it. On Monday, a spoonful of fresh ginger goes into the stir-fry pan. Wednesday brings a pot of carrot soup with a knob blended in. Friday ends with a mug of ginger tea after dinner, and on Sunday a tray of ginger cookies cools on the counter. Each dish takes the same root in a different direction, and the freezer keeps a piece ready for the next one.

How well people tolerate ginger

Ginger has a good track record in research. NCCIH notes that it has been used safely in many studies as a dietary supplement.[2] In the 2020 review, 17 trials reported details on side effects, and none described serious problems.[10]

The complaint that shows up most is mild heartburn. It appeared in 16 trials, at daily amounts from 500 to 2,000 milligrams.[10] Other possible effects include stomach discomfort, diarrhea, and mouth or throat irritation.[2] Allergic reactions are rare and usually mild, such as a rash.[6]

NIH's LiverTox rates ginger as an unlikely cause of liver injury. More than 100 clinical trials have not linked it to liver problems, though few of them checked liver tests as a matter of routine.[6]

Research on blood clotting is mixed. A 2015 review of 10 studies found that some showed ginger changed how platelets, the cells that help blood clot, clump together. Others found no effect.[11] That's why anyone who takes a blood thinner should check with a clinician first.

From the kitchen to the supplement label

Ginger slips into a day in small ways. Picture a few thin slices dropped into sparkling water with a wedge of lime, or a knob grated into a morning smoothie. On a cool evening, a warm mug of ginger tea makes a quiet end to dinner. A jar of ground ginger by the stove means a pinch is always close at hand.

Some people would rather take ginger as a supplement, where each serving holds a set amount. If that appeals to you, the label tells you most of what you need to know.

• You may see the Latin name, Zingiber officinale, and the part used, the rhizome. Our guide to Latin names on supplement labels explains what that detail tells you.
• The form tells you what's inside the capsule. Some products use plain dried ginger powder. Others use extracts that concentrate gingerols and shogaols.[6]
• The serving size tells you how many capsules make one serving, and the directions tell you when to take them.
• A standardized extract may name a compound and a percentage. Some extract labels give a ratio instead. Our guide to what an extract ratio means explains those numbers.
• When ginger shares a blend with other ingredients, the label may list one total weight for the whole blend. Our guide to reading a supplement label walks through these labels.

Our series guide to reading a supplement label covers the rest of the panel, from serving size to cautions. Whatever you choose sits alongside meals with fiber and protein, plenty of water, regular movement and steady sleep.

Frequently asked questions

Is fresh ginger different from dried ginger?

Yes, in both chemistry and taste. Fresh ginger is rich in gingerols. Drying and heat turn some of them into sharper-tasting shogaols.[4][5] Dried ginger is also more concentrated by weight. In the kitchen, the choice mostly comes down to flavor.

Can I take ginger on an empty stomach?

Ginger has been studied that way. In the 2008 stomach study, volunteers took ginger capsules after an eight-hour fast, about an hour before a light soup.[8] If you notice heartburn, ask your pharmacist or clinician about timing.

Is ginger related to turmeric?

Yes. Both belong to the same plant family.[4] Our turmeric guide covers ginger's golden cousin.

Is ginger safe during pregnancy?

NCCIH says ginger supplements may be safe during pregnancy, but it recommends checking with your health care provider first.[2] Bring the product with you so your clinician can see the full label.

Can I use ginger if I take a blood thinner?

Ask your clinician first. Studies on ginger and platelets have had mixed results, and your clinician can weigh that against your own medicines.[11]