If you have acid reflux you might be wondering if ginger is a good choice for acid reflux and if it is acidic or alkaline?
Ginger is generally considered a good choice for the stomach, and it may also help with acid reflux in some cases. Though it should be kept in moderation generally as for some too much ginger can be a problem (over 4g daily).
Below we will get into this in more detail to cover if ginger really is a good choice for acid reflux.
Does Ginger Help with Acid Reflux?
Ginger itself is a spice that gives a spicey sensation. Some people might assume because it gives this spicey sensation that it may be worse for acid reflux. But that isn’t the case. It’s considered a safe choice for acid reflux usually.
While there is no evidence directly for helping acid reflux itself ginger can help other stomach issues which sometimes can also help or benefit acid reflux too.
For example ginger has been shown to be good at relieving nausea and an upset stomach. This was backed up in this study here. Also ginger has been shown to improve motility in the stomach and the gut as shown in this study. What this basically means is that food in the digestive tract will move along more quickly thanks to taking ginger.
Sometimes for certain people slow motility in their digestive system can cause or worsen acid reflux. Therefore, for these people ginger may help improve their acid reflux problems by improving their motility.
Keep in mind that acid reflux can be caused by a host of factors. So, while ginger can help with nausea and motility it’s not guaranteed to help with acid reflux.
There are no studies where it has been shown that ginger helps acid reflux consistently. But as we mentioned before there are cases where it may help for certain people.
Can You Take Too Much Ginger?
Ginger is considered a safe choice for most people with acid reflux. The main exception to this is when you take too much ginger. When you take more than 4g of ginger per day this may be when issues might start to arise for some people. Taking more than 4g might cause heartburn or other digestive issues for some people.
This is particularly true if you are taking this amount of ginger regularly because you might only get a slight irritation if you do it one day but if you do it everyday this irritation may start to build up and create a bigger or more noticeable problem. This amount of ginger is around 1 teaspoons worth of ginger. This can be applied to both raw and grounded ginger too. Keep in mind that ground ginger will usually be stronger than fresh ginger in the same quantity. Therefore, if you are noticing irritation when using ginger, it may be best to use fresh ginger instead of ground ginger, also thanks to it being more natural.
Also, for people with acid reflux it’s best to have ginger once it’s cooked. Ginger that is raw is more likely to cause or worsen acid reflux symptoms than cooked ginger ever will. Therefore, if you are eating raw ginger and notice symptoms consider cooking it and see if it still affects you in the same way.
Is Ginger Acidic or Alkaline?
Ginger is slightly acidic on the pH scale at around 6 pH. While this makes ginger acidic it’s only slightly acidic and shouldn’t be a concern for most people in terms of acidity. This is the acidity level for fresh ginger.
Ginger Tea – Is It a Good Choice?
Ginger tea can be helpful just like normal ginger can be for digestive issues. Meaning it can be helpful for people feeling nausea or people you might have a motility problem with their digestive system.
Some people note that ginger tea can be a trigger for their acid reflux. Ginger tea may be more likely to irritate than normal ginger because the tea can coat all over the throat and the esophagus as it travels down to the stomach. That means if you are prone to irritation drinking the tea could be more problematic for you. Usually adding a little fresh ginger to a dish is the best way to start using ginger to see if it works well for you before drinking tea. Or if you want to start with ginger tea try a small amount of tea first before drinking a lot of it.
If you want more diet and food advice check my Wipeout Diet Plan. You can also book a Private Acid Reflux Consultation Here.
Important Related Questions
When Should I Take Ginger for Acid Reflux?
Taking ginger before or during your meal is the best time for it to help acid reflux. While ginger is not guaranteed to help, it will depend on what the cause of your acid reflux.
Can Drinking Ginger Tea Help with Acid Reflux?
Yes there are situations where ginger tea can help with acid reflux usually through helping with motility of the stomach and gut or helping with feeling nauseous.
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