Benefits of Drinking Ginger Ale: What the Research Actually Shows

Ginger ale is one of those beverages people reach for instinctively when their stomach is upset. But whether it actually delivers meaningful benefits — and whether those benefits come from ginger at all — depends on factors most people haven't thought through. Here's what nutrition science and research generally show.

What Is Ginger Ale, Really?

Before discussing benefits, it's worth separating two very different products that share the same name.

Traditional or "natural" ginger ale is made with real ginger root, either as an extract, juice, or whole ingredient. Some craft and artisan versions contain meaningful amounts of actual ginger compounds.

Commercial ginger ale — the kind sold in most grocery stores and vending machines — is typically a carbonated soft drink flavored with artificial or highly processed ginger flavoring. Many contain little to no biologically active ginger. The primary ingredients are carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup or sugar, citric acid, and natural flavors.

This distinction matters enormously when evaluating any potential benefit.

The Ginger Connection: What Research Shows About the Root Itself

The potential wellness properties associated with ginger ale trace back to ginger root (Zingiber officinale), which has been studied for its bioactive compounds — primarily gingerols (in fresh ginger) and shogaols (more concentrated in dried or heated ginger).

Research on ginger root itself — not ginger ale — shows generally promising findings in several areas:

Nausea and Digestive Discomfort

This is where the evidence is strongest. Multiple clinical trials and systematic reviews suggest ginger may help reduce nausea, particularly:

• Pregnancy-related nausea (morning sickness) — among the most well-studied applications, with several small-to-moderate clinical trials showing a modest benefit
• Chemotherapy-induced nausea — evidence is mixed, but some studies show a supportive effect
• Post-operative nausea — results vary across studies

Ginger appears to work by influencing serotonin receptors in the gut and speeding gastric emptying — the rate at which food moves from the stomach into the small intestine. Most studies used ginger in capsule, powder, or extract form at specific doses, not ginger ale.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties 🌿

Gingerols and shogaols have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory and animal studies. Some human clinical trials have looked at ginger's effect on inflammatory markers, with modest positive findings — but this research is still emerging, and most studies involved concentrated ginger supplements, not the beverage.

Antioxidant Activity

Ginger contains phytonutrients with antioxidant properties, meaning they may help neutralize free radicals in the body. Again, this research focuses on ginger as a food or supplement, not on commercially produced ginger ale.

The Carbonation Factor

Setting ginger aside, carbonated water itself has some documented effects on digestion. Research suggests sparkling water may:

• Help relieve indigestion symptoms in some people
• Improve the sensation of fullness
• Ease constipation in certain populations, according to at least one small clinical trial

This may explain part of why carbonated ginger ale feels soothing — the carbonation may be doing some of the work, independent of ginger content.

What Most Commercial Ginger Ale Actually Contains

The sugar content in standard commercial ginger ale is comparable to other sodas. Frequent consumption of high-sugar beverages is consistently associated in research with increased risk of metabolic issues, weight gain, and dental erosion — considerations that can offset any incidental benefit.

Who Might Experience Different Outcomes 🧐

Several factors shape whether ginger ale — in any form — is relevant to a person's health:

Amount of real ginger present. A product with measurable gingerol content is not the same as one with artificial ginger flavoring.

Sugar tolerance and metabolic health. For people managing blood sugar, insulin resistance, or conditions like diabetes, the sugar load in standard ginger ale is a meaningful variable.

Underlying digestive conditions. Carbonation can worsen symptoms for people with acid reflux, GERD, or irritable bowel syndrome — even while relieving nausea in others. The same beverage can help one person and aggravate another.

Medications. Ginger at higher amounts may interact with blood thinners (anticoagulants). At the levels found in commercial ginger ale, this is unlikely to be significant — but the interaction exists at therapeutic doses.

Age and population. Pregnant individuals considering ginger for nausea should weigh the available research in that specific context. Elderly individuals with multiple health conditions face a different risk-benefit picture than a healthy young adult.

Diet-soda versions. Sugar-free ginger ales substitute artificial sweeteners, which introduces a separate set of research questions around gut microbiome effects and metabolic response.

The Gap Between Ginger Research and Ginger Ale

Most people who drink ginger ale for a stomach ache are drawing on a reasonable folk tradition — but the research behind it was built on ginger root, not on a sweetened carbonated beverage. Whether the ginger ale a person reaches for contains enough biologically active ginger to do anything meaningful depends on the specific product.

Reading ingredient labels, understanding the difference between real ginger content and flavoring, and knowing how a particular product fits into an individual's broader diet and health circumstances are the pieces that turn general nutrition knowledge into something personally useful — and those pieces look different for everyone.