Ginger is one of the most familiar and essential ingredients in our kitchens, used in curries, fish, meat and almost every dish. Besides adding flavour and aroma, it has many health benefits and has been used as a natural remedy for many years.

Ginger helps digestion, reduces nausea, eases colds and coughs, and helps strengthen the body's immunity. It also helps reduce inflammation and pain. When the throat is scratchy, many people chew ginger or drink ginger tea, which can bring quick relief.

Like any food, ginger should be eaten in moderation. Many think that because it is healthy, the more they eat the more they benefit, but in reality the opposite is true. Too much ginger can cause a range of side effects.

According to experts, some active compounds in ginger can harm the body's normal functioning when taken in excess, so it is important to know the right amount.

The most common side effect of too much ginger is stomach discomfort. Eating a lot of ginger can raise acid in the stomach, causing heartburn, gas, acidity and bloating. In some cases it can cause diarrhoea, and some people may suffer constipation or other digestive problems. Regularly eating large amounts of ginger should therefore be avoided.

Although ginger helps control blood sugar, too much can cause the opposite problem by lowering blood glucose abnormally. For people taking diabetes medicine in particular, too much ginger may create a risk of blood sugar falling too low, so care is needed.

An important property of ginger is that it thins the blood somewhat. But too much ginger can disrupt normal blood clotting. People taking blood-thinning medicine should not eat extra ginger without a doctor's advice, as it may increase the risk of bleeding.

When they have a cold or a scratchy throat, many people keep a piece of ginger in the mouth and chew it. This gives temporary relief, but keeping ginger in the mouth for a long time can cause allergic reactions in some people. If you feel burning, itching or discomfort in the mouth, stop eating ginger. People who already have allergies should be even more careful.

According to doctors, up to 5 grams of ginger a day is safe for a healthy adult, and eating more than that regularly is not advisable. Eaten in moderation, ginger delivers its health benefits; eaten in excess, it is more likely to do harm than good.

Sources cited: WebMD and the Times of India.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.