Is Ginger Bad For You?

Is Ginger Bad For You?

The answer is, it depends. Ginger is a common spice used in cooking all over the world. It is known to be a delicious as well as beneficial, with uses such as to warm up your body, settling upset stomach and nausea. But recent research has shown that consuming too much ginger can actually harm your health as opposed to improving it. The current norm says not to take more than 4 grams of ginger in a single day.

The Risks

Ginger, especially if taken in powder form, can be harmful because it reinforces warfarin action in your body. This affects your stomach, and can cause bloating, nausea, gas, or even heartburn in some extreme cases. People with intestinal problems such as ulcers or abdominal inflammation should be careful about consuming too much ginger. It may cause intestinal blockage.

Ginger may also increase the risk of bleeding. It can prevent blood clotting. This is especially dangerous for people scheduled for surgeries. Drinking ginger tea two weeks prior to surgery can cause excess bleeding on the operating table. Also, people suffering from inherent haemophilia should avoid consuming ginger in excess. 

This side-effect can become even more dangerous if you mix ginger with other herbs that have similar implication in slowing blood clotting, such as cloves, garlic, ginseng, and turmeric.

Another side-effect can be seen in pregnant women. Consuming too much ginger may cause uterine contractions in pregnant women. It has also been shown to interfere with the absorption of dietary iron and fat-soluble vitamins—both things that those undergoing pregnancy desperately need. Pregnant women also need to be careful not to consume ginger in the final weeks of the pregnancy. Its side-effect may also cause excess bleeding during labor.

Conclusion

Though you need to be careful when consuming ginger, it doesn’t mean that you should avoid it completely. Ginger also has many uses, such as lowering blood sugar and blood pressure, suppressing appetite for those wanting to lose weight, and many other benefits. As long as you keep an eye on how much you consume, you should be able to reap all the benefits and avoid the downfalls.