The Good and The Bad about Ginger – The Winter-special-awesome-tasty Tea

Who does not love to drink ginger tea, especially in winters? However, before we go ahead and drink that cup of awesome tasty drink, it is important to consider the good and bad effects of ginger and to know the safe amounts for consumption.

Ginger is anti-inflammatory and has anti-oxidant properties. Ginger has gingerol and shogaol named antioxidants that help in removing free radicals from the body. But ginger should be taken in limited quantities as it may cause certain side effects.

• Although ginger is good in small quantities and helps to alleviate symptoms of nausea and vomiting, but in large quantities it may cause acidity and heartburn. Boiling ginger with tea leaves for long causes acidity and heartburn. So, it should be boiled separately and the boiling water with ginger should then be added to tea leaves in a tea pot or tea bags could also be used. The quantity should not exceed 5 gm/day.
• It also helps to alleviate the symptoms of nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy but if taken in large quantities, it may result in dehydration, damage the liver of the growing foetus and even cause abortion. Quantity to be consumed during pregnancy should be limited to within the range of 500-2500 mg/day.
• Ginger is good for cardiovascular health as it helps to reduce the blood pressure but is not suitable for people suffering from low blood pressure. Drinking black tea with ginger might help to lower blood pressure.
• It should be taken with caution by people taking medication for regulation high blood pressure as it may lower the blood pressure too much.
• It acts as a blood thinner but in greater quantities it may lead to excessive bleeding and sometimes haemorrhages. It therefore should be taken with caution if one is taking blood thinners or has a heart condition, as It may also cause cardiac arrythmias.
• Ginger in any quantity is not good for people suffering from kidney disease.
• Consuming large quantities of ginger can cause unnecessary weight loss, so should be avoided by people trying to gain weight.
• Consuming ginger in large quantities is not good for people suffering from hypo-glycemia or for people on hypo-glycemic drugs as it lowers blood sugar levels. The quantity should not exceed 3 gm per day for diabetics, and should be consumed for a minimum of 3 to 4 months on a regular basis. The hypo-glycemic medication may also require adjustment.
• Ginger should be completely avoided by people who are prone to duodenal ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome.
• Some studies have shown that ginger may cause dehydration and allergic reaction. Also, one must note that dehydration is not very uncommon in winters. (read “Is Dehydration a risk even during winters? At https://www.healthynudgez.com/nutrition/is-dehydration-a-risk-even-during-winters/)
• In smaller quantities ginger may be helpful in nausea and vomiting in motion sickness, cough, flu, chronic pulmonary disease, improves milk production in lactating mothers, reduces joint pains, helps improve appetite in people suffering from eating disorders (should not exceed more than 1.2 gm/day before meals), also helpful in weight loss, reducing blood cholesterol (1 gm thrice daily for 45 days) and sugars, and causes diuresis.
• Application of fresh Ginger Juice is effective against skin burns and insect bites.

Therefore, although ginger has many medicinal properties and is effective in alleviating many disease symptoms, it should be consumed in limited quantities for good effects.