Know2eat

Ground ginger

Zingiber officinale

What ground ginger has been studied for

3 associations assessed — 3 with at least some human evidence behind them. Strongest first.

  • 2 Moderate
  • 1 Limited
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About ground ginger

Dried and milled ginger rhizome. Drying converts much of the gingerol content into shogaols, so it is hotter and less bright than fresh ginger and not a direct substitute in cooking. This dried powder, rather than the fresh root, is the form used in most ginger trials.

Also known as ground ginger, dried ginger, ginger powder, sonth

Gut & Digestive HealthWomen's HealthJoint Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Moderate

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Digestive comfort

Gut & Digestive Health
Moderate evidence

Trials of dried ginger powder report reduced nausea after surgery and during chemotherapy, and reviews generally find a small favourable effect. Results are less consistent than in pregnancy and doses vary widely between trials, most of which use capsules taken to a schedule rather than ginger in food.

What may be going on: Gingerols and shogaols act on gut serotonin 5-HT3 receptors and may speed gastric emptying.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Pregnancy nutrition

Women's Health
Moderate evidence

Systematic reviews of randomised trials consistently find that ginger reduces nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy compared with placebo. This is the rare case where the studied material and the kitchen ingredient match: the trials use dried powdered ginger at around one gram a day, which is roughly half a teaspoon. It is still a deliberate dose rather than casual seasoning, and anyone pregnant should confirm the approach with their midwife or doctor.

Moderate evidence. Several human studies point the same way, with real caveats.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Joint comfort

Joint Health
Limited evidence

A handful of trials of ginger powder in knee osteoarthritis report small reductions in pain scores. The trials are small and short, several used standardised extracts rather than the spice, and dropouts for stomach upset complicate the results.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Ground ginger

Ask about Ground ginger

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories335 kcal17%
Protein8.98 g18%
Total fat4.24 g5%
Carbohydrate71.6 g26%
Fibre14.1 g50%
Total sugars3.39 g—
Water9.94 g—
Fats
Saturated fat2.6 g13%
Monounsaturated fat0.479 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.929 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
ALA (omega-3)0.223 g—
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.706 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A2 µg0%
Vitamin C0.7 mg1%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0 mg0%
Vitamin K0.8 µg1%
Thiamin (B1)0.046 mg4%
Riboflavin (B2)0.17 mg13%
Niacin (B3)9.62 mg60%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.477 mg10%
Vitamin B60.626 mg37%
Folate13 µg3%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline41.2 mg7%
Minerals
Calcium114 mg9%
Iron19.8 mg110%
Magnesium214 mg51%
Phosphorus168 mg13%
Potassium1320 mg28%
Sodium27 mg1%
Zinc3.64 mg33%
Copper0.48 mg53%
Manganese33.3 mg1448%
Selenium55.8 µg101%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene18 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash5.22 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Spices, ginger, ground (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170926).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • driedChanges gingerol and shogaol content

    Drying and heating convert gingerols into shogaols, which are more pungent. Fresh and dried ginger therefore differ in compound profile, and research using dried ginger powder does not automatically describe fresh root.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Heartburn and mouth burning at gram doses

    Doses around a gram a day and above commonly cause reflux, burning in the mouth and abdominal discomfort. These are the usual reasons people drop out of ginger trials.

  • Worth knowing

    Pregnancy dose ceilings

    Trials in pregnancy generally cap intake at around one gram of dried ginger a day and run for a few weeks. Higher or longer dosing has not been adequately studied in pregnancy, so it is a conversation to have with a midwife or doctor rather than something to escalate alone.

  • Interaction

    Antiplatelet activity and additive effects with medication

    Ginger inhibits platelet aggregation in laboratory work and at supplement doses, and has been reported to lower fasting glucose and blood pressure slightly. Concentrated ginger capsules are commonly stopped before surgery and should be mentioned alongside anticoagulants or diabetes medication.