Ginger has long been known as a home remedy for treating nausea and vomiting, whether as tea, lozenges or on its own. In pregnancy, too, the root is often recommended as a potent remedy for morning sickness, from which up to 80% of women suffer at the beginning of their pregnancy.
But now for the interesting part: in investigations carried out by international societies, this beneficial effect could not be proven. As consumers we naturally ask ourselves: so what is true? Here, then, is a little fact check.
Ginger against nausea and vomiting
In Chinese medicine, ginger has been used as a remedy for thousands of years.
Scientific studies on the root examining its effect on nausea and vomiting have been carried out since the year 2000. The scientists were able to observe clear reductions in nausea from taking 1 g of ginger!
And so further research in this field continued.
A study from 2016 was particularly interested in nausea in pregnant women and wanted to know how effective ginger is in this case. But they are not the only ones interested in this field: studies on exactly this question have existed for at least 30 years.
And the majority of these studies have indeed shown how incredibly effectively this home remedy helps against nausea and vomiting. What is more, no unrealistically high amounts are needed. On the contrary, just 1 gram a day spread over the day is entirely sufficient to experience all the benefits.
In addition to these effects, scientists have also been able to show that ginger works just as well as some medicines intended specifically for nausea. Ginger does have a clear financial advantage, however, because it is so much cheaper than all those medicines.
The mechanism behind ginger’s effect
The root contains a large number of different plant compounds. For us, however, the gingerols and shogaols are of particular interest, because they are largely responsible for relaxing the stomach.
When we feel nauseous, this is often accompanied by reduced motility of the stomach. Taking ginger then increases motility, which reduces nausea as well as vomiting and stomach ache.
Further benefits of ginger
Besides improving nausea and vomiting, taking ginger has even more positive effects. With an intake of larger amounts of the root, some studies show an increase in testosterone levels in men.
This naturally has a variety of effects, including on fertility. Testosterone levels that are too low reduce sperm quality and libido. Conversely, this means that taking the root and the resulting rise in testosterone may increase both fertility and libido.
For couples who wish to have children, this can therefore be a simple way to increase the likelihood of pregnancy. It has to be said, however, that “normal” portions are not enough here; higher amounts of ginger powder are needed. We are talking about a daily intake of 10-15 g.
Taking ginger
Such a large amount is not necessary for reducing nausea and vomiting. A daily intake of 1 g is enough here. The root can also be combined with vitamin B6, because that too seems to have a positive effect on nausea and vomiting.
If you do not want to take a powder, you can of course also make yourself a fresh ginger tea. You really do not need much for it. Simply cut off a small piece of the root, peel it and pour boiling water over it. Then just leave it to steep for 5 minutes and you can enjoy your tea. If the tea is too hot and spicy for you, you can also use a little sweetener or honey to sweeten it.
Alternatively, you can use a ginger powder and simply dissolve it in boiling water. That way you can be sure that enough of the important ingredients are included and the nausea is reduced.
