Ginger has many health benefits and people also use it as a natural acid reflux remedy. Experience shows that ginger might soothe heartburn and other reflux symptoms.
However, scientific studies about the connection between ginger and acid reflux are few and far between.
Let’s take a closer at look how ginger might help acid reflux sufferers:
Health benefits of ginger
Ginger can soothe many common symptoms of acid reflux:
Ginger is also used as home remedy and is of immense value in treating various gastric ailments like constipation, dyspepsia, belching, bloating, gastritis, epigastric discomfort, gastric ulcerations, indigestion, nausea and vomiting and scientific studies have validated the ethnomedicinal uses.
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It has many other health benefits:
- anti-inflammatory properties
- strong anti-oxidant
- improves swallowing
- restores gut microbiota
- promotes gastric emptying
Risk of consuming too much ginger
Consuming too much ginger can have various side effects:
- heartburn
- mouth and throat irritation
- diarrhea
- gas
- stomach pain
- interaction with drugs (blood thinners, diabetes, and high blood pressure drugs)
How much ginger is too much?
Most sources seem to recommend consuming no more than 4-5 grams of ginger per day.
Watch out for this, because too much ginger might cause heartburn, the very symptom you’re trying to avoid!
Ginger allergy
Another potential risk is an allergy to ginger. This type of allergy is quite rare, but some people do experience allergic reactions after eating ginger.
The most common reactions are rashes and hives, but sometimes more severe symptoms might occur:
- coughing
- vomiting
- swollen throat
- diarrhea
- stomach pain
In rare cases, people might have anaphylaxis (breathing difficulties). This is the most severe allergic reaction and requires immediate medical help.
Ginger & acid reflux
As mentioned above, ginger can relieve many symptoms of acid reflux:
- constipation
- dyspepsia
- belching
- bloating
- indigestion
Ginger also helps to restore gut microbiota, which is important for proper digestion.
Furthermore, ginger improves gastric emptying. This is an important benefit for acid reflux sufferers, as a study about gastroparesis-related GERD says:
The delay in gastric emptying associated with gastroparesis can lead to prolonged gastric retention of food that may have a propensity to reflux.
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Looks like ginger helps to fight acid reflux in many different ways, therefore it seems to be an effective remedy for most reflux patients.
Can ginger give you heartburn?
It is unlikely to get heartburn after ginger intake. However, if you are experiencing symptoms, these might be the possible causes:
- Consuming too much ginger: as mentioned above, more than 4-5g of ginger a day might trigger heartburn.
- It is not the ginger: symptoms might be triggered by some other food.
- It is not heartburn: an allergic reaction or some other health issue might cause symptoms that feel like heartburn.
How to use ginger for acid reflux?
Ginger can be consumed in many different ways and can be added to a wide variety of foods and drinks. Most forms of ginger are safe to consume, but it is important to stay below the maximum recommended daily intake of 4-5g.
Ginger tea
This is probably the most widely used form of ginger. Many people add some honey and lemon to make tea even tastier.
While lemon might cause acid reflux for some, others might find it relieves their symptoms.
For more information check out our article: Is ginger tea good for acid reflux?
Ginger and honey for acid reflux
Ginger and honey are most often used together in ginger tea.
You can also add honey to ginger pies, but the soothing effect of honey is best when used with a cup of tea.
Small amounts of honey after meals relieve heartburn by protecting the esophagus and helping to wash gastric acids back to the stomach.
Is gingerbread good for acid reflux?
Even gingerbread might relieve reflux symptoms, just make sure you don’t eat too much of it.
It’s unlikely to eat so much gingerbread that contains more than 4g of ginger. However, those who take ginger from other sources (e.g. tea) might want to be mindful of the amount of gingerbread they eat.
Sugar might also cause symptoms for some people.
Ginger can give a great extra flavor to many pies, like peach & ginger pie or pumpkin pie.
Ginger water for GERD
Put some ground ginger into water and boil them together. You might add honey or lemon to the ginger water, to make it taste even better.
However, if you are prone to acid reflux, watch out for both honey and lemon, as they have a soothing effect for some people but might cause symptoms for others.
Ginger juice & acid reflux
Be careful with ginger juice, as it is very easy to consume too much of it. Those who are prone to acid reflux might have symptoms even after small amounts!
If you are mixing ginger juice with other fruits, make sure to choose fruits that are heartburn-friendly.
Does chewing ginger help acid reflux?
Yes, besides many other health benefits, chewing raw ginger can bring quick relief during an acid reflux episode. You not only get the health benefits of ginger, but chewing also increases saliva production, which might further soothe reflux symptoms.
You can also chew ginger gums about 30 minutes after meals. There is scientific evidence that sugar-free chewing gums soothe acid reflux. Ginger gums are even more effective, thanks to the small amount of ginger they contain.
Is ginger beer good for acid reflux?
Well, you should probably try other forms of ginger instead of ginger beer or ginger ale.
The two main problems with these drinks are:
- They are carbonated, which increases pressure in the stomach, which increases the risk of acid reflux.
- They contain alcohol, which tends to relax the muscle that prevents digestive juices to enter the esophagus.
Final thoughts
Ginger is a great natural remedy for many health problems.
It soothes many common acid reflux symptoms, improves gut health by restoring the gut microbiota, and promotes gastric motility.
Albeit there are not too many scientific studies about the effect of ginger on acid reflux, it looks like they back up its benefits.
Fortunately, ginger tastes great and can be added to many foods and drinks.
Just make sure you don’t consume more than the 4-5 grams of the daily recommended amount, otherwise, it might cause heartburn and other symptoms.