Ginger: A Wonder Spice That Isn't for Everyone – Check Whether You Might Be on the List of Exceptions

Still, pregnant women, people with bleeding problems, those taking certain medicines and anyone with a very small appetite may want to talk to a doctor or pharmacist before reaching for concentrated ginger shots or supplements.

That ginger shot you drink every morning could be doing something you never expected: it might be quietly changing how a medicine you take works. Ginger is not dangerous. In the vast majority of cases it is quite the opposite. But it is an active plant with real effects in the body, and real effects always come with a short list of people who should be a bit more careful. Experts warn that ginger shouldn't be combined carelessly with some medicines, and that a few groups should check with a professional first. Do you know all four?

When a future queen reached for ginger

Few pregnancies have been followed as closely as those of Catherine, now Princess of Wales. During her first pregnancy she was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of pregnancy sickness, and Prince William later told the public that she had tried to fight the nausea with ginger biscuits, adding that there is only so much ginger can do (TODAY). His remark sums up this article well: ginger is a gentle, helpful helper for many people, but it is not a cure-all, and in some situations it belongs in a conversation with your doctor rather than in a bigger dose.

Ginger is the rhizome (underground stem) of the Zingiber officinale plant, and it has been used in cooking and folk medicine for thousands of years. The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) notes that many studies have looked at ginger, though not all of them are of high quality, and that it can cause side effects such as abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea and irritation of the mouth and throat. The U.S. National Library of Medicine's LiverTox database adds that ginger is generally recognized as safe and is usually well tolerated.

So who should take a closer look? Health professionals most often mention four groups.

1. Pregnant women and women trying to conceive

Older articles, including the original version of this one, claimed that ginger could cause miscarriage or premature birth and that pregnant women should avoid it completely. The research we have today paints a far calmer picture.

Ginger is actually the most widely used herbal remedy for pregnancy nausea, a complaint that affects the large majority of expectant mothers (BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2017). One of the largest safety studies so far, based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort and published in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, followed more than 68,000 pregnancies. Women who used ginger had no higher risk of birth defects, stillbirth, preterm birth or low birth weight than women who did not. A review in American Family Physician likewise concluded that ginger is probably effective for pregnancy-related nausea and found no adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes in the trials it reviewed.

That said, "probably safe" is not the same as "safe for everyone in any amount." A review in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice pointed out that evidence of effectiveness is not the same as proof of safety, mainly because ginger may have a mild blood-thinning effect. Doctors and pregnant women surveyed in the 2017 BMC study agreed that women with a history of bleeding, women close to their due date and women on blood thinners should be told about this possible effect. The UK Committee on Toxicity has also noted that data on ginger supplements in pregnancy remain limited.

The practical takeaway: ginger in normal food amounts, like a slice in tea or a pinch in a stir-fry, is generally considered fine. If you are pregnant or trying to conceive and are thinking about capsules, extracts or daily ginger shots, talk to your gynecologist or midwife first, as NCCIH also advises.

2. Very slim people and those with a small appetite

You may have read that ginger "dissolves fat" so effectively that underweight people could use up their last reserves, damage their organs or even die. There is no scientific evidence for such dramatic claims.

What the research actually shows is far more modest. A meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition found that ginger supplements led to a small decrease in body weight and waist-to-hip ratio, but only in people who were overweight or obese. A larger 2024 review of 27 trials in Nutrition Reviews (Oxford Academic) pointed in the same direction, with the clearest effects seen in people with obesity. In other words, ginger is a mild supporting player, not a fat-burning machine.

Why do we still keep this group on the list? Because the real risk lies elsewhere. People who are underweight, recovering from illness or older adults with a poor appetite should not replace meals with ginger "detox" drinks or slimming shots. If you struggle to maintain a healthy weight, ginger as a spice in nourishing meals is perfectly fine. Using it as a weight-loss tool is not what your body needs.

3. People with bleeding or clotting disorders

Laboratory studies show that ginger can reduce the clumping of blood platelets, the cells that help blood clot. Clinical studies in healthy volunteers, however, have been reassuring: in controlled trials, ordinary doses of dried or raw ginger did not change bleeding time or platelet function (Relias Media review of herb-drug interactions).

For people who already have a bleeding disorder, a history of blood clots, or an upcoming surgery, the picture is different. Even a small extra effect on blood clotting can matter, so these readers should ask their doctor before using ginger supplements or large amounts of fresh ginger juice. Many doctors also suggest stopping herbal supplements some time before planned surgery, and your surgeon can tell you exactly when.

For everyone else, a sensible approach is to enjoy ginger in moderate amounts spread across the day, for example in meals and a cup of tea, instead of taking one large concentrated dose at once. Large single servings are also the most common cause of heartburn and stomach upset.

4. People taking certain medicines

The claim that ginger "neutralizes" a whole range of medicines is an exaggeration. Some interactions are real, though, and worth knowing about. According to Drugs.com, the main medicine groups to watch are:

• Blood thinners and antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin, clopidogrel and warfarin. Ginger might add to their effect and raise the chance of bruising or bleeding. A published case report described a patient on warfarin whose blood-clotting values rose too high after she started a ginger supplement, and returned to normal once she stopped it. The authors also note that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises caution when warfarin is combined with herbal supplements such as ginger and garlic.


• Diabetes medicines. Ginger may slightly lower blood sugar, so combined with diabetes medication it could push levels too low.


• Blood pressure medicines. Ginger may have a mild blood-pressure-lowering effect that adds to the effect of the medicine.

The good news is that ordinary food amounts of ginger, in cooking, tea or baked goods, are much less likely to cause problems than capsules, extracts, powders and shots, which are far more concentrated. The original advice to leave two hours between a medicine and a ginger meal may help with an upset stomach, but it does not reliably prevent an interaction. The safest step is simple: if you take any regular medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you use ginger, especially in supplement form.

What readers tell us

One of our readers, a retired teacher on long-term blood thinners, shared that she had started drinking a strong homemade ginger and lemon shot every morning after seeing it praised online. At her next routine check-up, her doctor asked about any changes in her diet, and together they decided she would keep ginger in her cooking but drop the daily shots. "I had no idea a kitchen spice could matter," she wrote. Another reader, a young mother, told us that small sips of ginger tea were one of the few things that helped her get through the queasy first trimester, after her midwife confirmed it was fine for her. Two different stories, one common lesson: ginger works best when you know where you stand.

How to enjoy ginger wisely

• Use ginger as a food first: fresh slices in tea, grated into soups, stir-fries and dressings.


• Spread smaller amounts across the day rather than having one very large dose.


• Treat capsules, extracts and concentrated shots as supplements, and check with a professional if you are pregnant, take regular medicines or have a bleeding disorder.


• If ginger gives you heartburn or stomach discomfort, reduce the amount or take it with food.

If ginger is a good fit for you, there are plenty of tasty ways to enjoy it. You might like our evening drink in 4 Ingredients, One Evening Glass: A Ginger, Cucumber, Parsley & Lemon Drink That Supports a Healthy Metabolism, read how ginger compared with a migraine medicine in a clinical trial in Five Unexpected Allies Against Migraine — From Coffee to Ginger, try a traditional home remedy in Miraculous Ginger Compresses, or find more ideas for a calmer stomach in Get Rid of Bloating and Excess Water.