Is Drinking Ginger Ale Good for Your Health?

Understanding Ginger Ale

Ginger ale is a popular carbonated drink flavored with ginger. It has been used for centuries to help soothe upset stomachs and nausea. But is ginger ale a healthy drink with benefits, or are there downsides to consider regarding its sugar content?

The History of Ginger Ale

Originally created by mixing ginger root with water and sugar, ginger ale dates back to the mid-1800s. It was sold as a patent medicine touted to cure everything from heat exhaustion to seasickness to morning sickness.

Commercial ginger ales slowly gained popularity in both the United States and Britain. Now produced on large scales, modern formulations often include more sugar and less ginger than the original homemade versions.

How Ginger Ale is Made

The key ingredients in ginger ale remain ginger root, sugar, and carbonated water. The ginger adds its signature flavor and may provide potential health benefits.

The ginger root is peeled, chopped, boiled, then filtered to extract a concentrated syrup. Sugar and water are added along with other flavorings before the soda is carbonated.

Nutritional Profile of Ginger Ale

The ingredients that make up ginger ale determine its nutritional value. Most commercial ginger ales provide very minimal nutrients in a serving. A 12 ounce can may contain:

• 120-130 calories
• 30-34 grams of sugar
• No protein, fiber, vitamins or minerals
• 28-38 mg sodium
• Ginger extract for flavor

Sugar Content Concerns

The main nutritional downside to most ginger ales is their high sugar content, with a 12 ounce serving providing nearly the same amount of sugar as 10 chocolate chip cookies! All that added sugar provides empty calories and excess carbs that negatively impact blood sugar.

Diabetic Friendly Ginger Ales

For diabetics and people conscious of sugars, there are lower sugar diet ginger ale options made with non-nutritive sweeteners like aspartame or sucralose. These provide the ginger flavor without spiking blood glucose levels.

Does Ginger Ale Have Health Benefits?

Looking past the high sugar content, ginger root itself does contain medicinal compounds that provide potential health benefits. But does ginger ale supply enough real ginger to be considered healthy?

Ginger Compounds in Ginger Ale

Ginger contains compounds like gingerols, shogaols and zingerone that give it anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and digestive properties. However, commercial ginger ales often have miniscule amounts of real ginger extract, not enough to have medicinal effects.

Some natural ginger ales use more fresh ginger root or concentrates with higher levels of active compounds. But the amount can vary tremendously between brands, unlike consistent dosing with ginger supplements.

Relieving Nausea and Digestion Issues

For digestive complaints like nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and gas, the pieces of real ginger root in ginger ale may provide some relief. The carbonation and sweetness can also soothe the stomach.

However straight ginger tea made with real grated ginger, ginger candies, or ginger supplements tend to provide much stronger anti-nausea effects.

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity

Ginger compounds exhibit antioxidant properties to help neutralize free radicals that damage body cells. This helps reduce overall inflammatory processes underlying conditions like arthritis, hypertension and high cholesterol.

But with minimal real ginger, ginger ale may not contain sufficient active compounds like gingerols to significantly impact oxidative stress or inflammation in the body.

Is Drinking Ginger Ale Good For You?

Risks and Downsides of Ginger Ale

For healthy individuals having an occasional ginger ale should pose little risk or health impact. But regularly drinking full sugar ginger ale may contribute to:

• Weight gain
• Increased blood sugar and diabetes risk
• Higher blood pressure
• Higher cholesterol and heart disease risk

People with diabetes or gut disorders need to be more cautious of excess sugars. And artificial sweeteners in diet ginger ale can sometimes cause bloating or diarrhea.

Benefits of Moderation

An occasional ginger ale should not significantly affect a generally healthy person. Just be mindful of averaging no more than one 12 ounce serving per day to limit added sugar intake.

For people prone to nausea, a ginger ale can provide relief without undesirable side effects when used in moderation. Enjoying ginger ale once in awhile can be part of an overall balanced diet.

Consider Alternatives

For stronger therapeutic effects from ginger, consider alternatives like:

• Ginger tea with lemon
• Ginger candies
• Ginger supplements
• Adding fresh grated ginger to food and drinks

These provide higher, more reliable doses of active ginger compounds with less added sugar.

The Bottom Line

When used occasionally, ginger ale is a fairly innocuous beverage that can provide enjoyment with few health impacts for most healthy people. But the high sugar content means it may contribute to problems for those with specific conditions.

While it contains traces of compounds from ginger root, the amount is likely too small to provide tangible medicinal effects. For nausea relief and anti-inflammatory benefits, straight ginger or supplements are significantly more potent options.

Overall, having the occasional ginger ale should not pose much risk for generally healthy people. But it also does not count as a particularly healthy beverage due to minimal real ginger compounds and high sugar content.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.