Ginger can be found in all our kitchens and we usually use it to enrich our food with its flavor, cure the symptoms of certain health problems, and even in pickles that we all love to eat. It has been widely used for a variety of purposes since ancient times itself but I guess not many of us are aware of the possible side effects of this wonderful herb even if we are aware of the benefits and remedies provided by ginger.
Though they may not be common to everyone, but they could give us a reason to worry without us realizing the reason behind the problems.
Here are Shocking Side Effects of Ginger
1. Gas
In some people, even small amounts of ginger when consumed could cause gas in the stomach which could be a cause of uneasiness and discomfort. If you suffer from gas in the stomach it would be advisable to avoid ginger for a while to check if it might be behind it.(1)
2. Heart Related Side Effects
Overly consuming ginger can lead to the occurrence of palpitation in the heart. In a high dose consumption, it can also cause arrhythmia.(2)
3. Diarrhea
Eating more than a certain quantity of ginger can lead to some people develop severe diarrhea. So in case you are suffering from diarrhea which you think could possibly be because of ginger, at least after reading this, kindly eliminate ginger from the diet to eliminate the possible cause of those watery stools.(3)
4. Irritation of the Skin
Application of ginger to the skin could possibly cause skin irritation regardless of what benefit you set out to derive by rubbing it to the skin in the first place. If you feel any sort of skin irritation after having applied ginger on the skin, avoid using it again and wash the skin off to remove the ginger juice.(4)
5. Abets Bleeding in Patients Suffering from Bleeding Disorders
Ginger aids in thinning of the blood and prevents the formation of blood clots. Thus, it is harmful if you have a bleeding disorder of any kind. It may be severely harmful and it would be best to not consume ginger if you suffer from a bleeding disorder no matter how much you like it.(5)
6. If you Suffer from Diabetes or Hypertension
If you happen to suffer from diabetes, then the ginger you consume may bring down your blood sugar levels and interfere with the diabetes medicine doses prescribed to you. Similarly, since ginger acts as a blood thinning agent, it might add to the effect of your existing medicine for hypertension, and cause a low blood pressure. So, it would be best to consult the doctor whether it is safe to include ginger in your diet if you suffer from any of the two of these diseases.(6)
7. Rashes on the Skin
In some people, ginger can cause skin rashes to develop beginning from the face and then on to the rest of the body. They will be characterised by a dry and scaly appearance if they are caused by ginger. They might also be caused by something else but eliminating ginger could be the first step to figuring out the cause behind them, if its not ginger, visit a dermatologist soon to get to the bottom of the problem.(7)
8. Burping, Heartburn and Oral Irritation
In case you think that ginger could be behind the burping, heartburn and/or the oral irritation in your case, it would be better to check if ginger is indeed behind it. If it is then it is advisable to take enteric-coated capsules which will make our system digest ginger only when it enters the digestive tract.(8)
[ Read: Is Too Much Cinnamon Bad for You ]
9. For Pregnant Women
Though many resort to using ginger to treat pregnancy induced nausea, it should not be used too much. Women on the family way must not consume more than a gram of ginger every day as its excess could cause fetal complications.(9)
10. Allergy Symptoms
Some people may experience allergic symptoms on consumption of ginger. These may include symptoms such as swollen lips, tongue, closing of the throat and itching, etc. If you are experiencing any of these then stop eating ginger and consult your doctor as soon as possible.(10)
11. In pregnancy
Generally, many medical practitioners are of the opinion that ginger can possibly harm the fetus by affecting the uterine contractions and by altering the fetal hormone secretion in a pregnant woman. So, they should avoid it as much as possible and even if they are using it to fight off the nausea, not more than a gram of it should be consumed.
We have seen the various possible side effects of using ginger and we are more knowledgeable as to how we can identify them and avoid suffering from any problems arising out of ignorance.(11)
12. Excess Production of Bile in Gallstone Patients
Patients suffering from gallstones must avoid ginger at all costs as it is known to increase the production of bile juice which can be seriously problematic if you suffer from gallstones. So, if you do have gallstones, it’s time to eliminate ginger from your diet.
[ Read: Side Effects of Too Much Garlic on the Body ]
13. More Intense Menstruation
As explained above also, ginger being a blood thinning agent could possibly aggravate the menstrual periods causing them to go on for longer, be more painful and a never ending experience overall. So when nearing the time of the month, better stay away from this herb.
14. Reacts to Anesthetics
Ginger is said to react with several kinds of anesthetic agents. It may lead to slower healing and more bleeding in patients. So the doctors generally recommend removing ginger from our diets a week prior to any kind of surgery we are about to undergo.
15. Sensitivity to light
Though, experiments are still being conducted on the issue, but consuming ginger makes our eyes more sensitive to light. It can in turn cause visual problems and headaches in most cases. So for people with such cases it is better to see if removing ginger from their diet is proving to be helpful. If not, they must go to an ophthalmologist to get their eyes checked.
Scientific Evidence:
- Ginger and Its Constituents: Role in Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancer : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369959/
- Efficacy of Oral Ginger (Zingiber officinale) for Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4871956/
- Effect of gingerol on colonic motility via inhibition of calcium channel currents in rats : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4690175/
- Subacute thyroiditis following ginger (Zingiber officinale) consumption : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2876930/
- Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
- The Effects of Ginger on Fasting Blood Sugar, Hemoglobin A1c, and Lipid Profiles in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5750786/
- Integrative Treatment of Reflux and Functional Dyspepsia in Children : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4928719/
- Which potential harms and benefits of using ginger in the management of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy should be addressed? a consensual study among pregnant women and gynecologists : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5385053/
- ginger : https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ginger
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