Ginger Ale: Not So Great at Calming Upset Stomachs

Posted June 4, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Denise Musumeci

Section: In The News, His Health, Physical Health, His Nutrition, Healthy Eating

Remember when you were sick as a child and your mother would feed you a bowl of chicken soup and a glass of ginger ale to calm your upset stomach? Turns out that drinking flat soda causes more harm than good. A recent study, recently highlighted in the New York Times, finds that flat soda has no value when it comes to curing an upset stomach.

Since the 1950’s, people thought that a glass of ginger ale or flat soda would help your upset stomach because it gives back some of the glucose and electrolytes that the body loses while you’re vomiting or having diarrhea. According to Anahad O’Connor of the New York Times, British researchers investigated this claim and found no concrete evidence to support it. After comparing soda to over-the-counter drugs, soda had much lower amounts of electrolytes, including sodium and potassium and much higher levels of glucose than what is recommended by the World Health Organization. This has caused many doctors to not approve of soda as a cold remedy. Soda also causes additional dehydration, aside from throwing up and having diarrhea.

Water or natural juices are much better substitutes for ginger ale as a cold remedy. Drinks like orange juice carry many of the minerals and electrolytes that the body needs to stay balanced. Next time you’re feeling sick, take some cold medicine, get some rest, and keep the soda in the refrigerator until you’re feeling better. Substituting soda with juice may help cut down on the amount of time it takes to feel better after being sick.