Well my little guy has had GI issues from the start. He was diagnosed with Gastric Reflex as an infant and shortly after his pediatrician prescribed him baby zantac. He seemed to grow out of it until we introduced Cow’s milk into his diet and then slowly his GI issues became incredibly worse. I changed him to lactose free milk which seemed to help but ultimately we went dairy free. Since then almost all of his symptoms have improved and he is finally gaining weight well again. However, he still complains that his stomach is upset almost everyday. Our next consideration is to try eliminating gluten from his diet but in the meantime I looked into the therapeutic effects of ginger.

Ginger is a spice or something grandma would give you whenever your stomach was upset. Actually, she would get me ginger-ale and it worked. Ginger has long since been known to help with nausea and vomiting. Have you ever tried it or used it for an upset stomach?

(Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. This article has not been approved by the FDA. Always consult with your primary care physician or naturopath doctor before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine.)

Ginger for Stomach Upset

Ginger has most commonly been used for nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal upset. Research from the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health states, “The best available evidence demonstrates that ginger is an effective and inexpensive treatment for nausea and vomiting and is safe.“(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

“Ginger stimulated gastric emptying and antral contractions in patients with functional dyspepsia.” (PubMed)

“In relation to its antiemetic properties, ginger (and its constituents) acts peripherally, within the gastrointestinal tract, by increasing the gastric tone and motility due to anticholinenergic and antiserotonergic actions.”(PubMed1,PubMed2)

Basically, current research supports grandmas wisdom-ginger improves stomachaches. 

What About Side Effects?

This is something to consider even though it is a spice or herb. Just because something is a natural remedy doesn’t mean it doesn’t have side effects so what are the possible side effects?

Some people have mild side effects such as gas, loose stool, abdominal discomfort, and heartburn.(https://nccih.nih.gov) Ironically what we would be using it for and then some. However, after making my ginger gummies it has only improved my little guys symptoms along with his appetite.

Is it safe during pregnancy?

“Although several studies have found no evidence of harm from taking ginger during pregnancy, it’s uncertain whether ginger is always safe for pregnant women. If you’re considering using ginger while you’re pregnant, consult your health care provider.”(NIH)

Ginger Gummies

After doing that little bit of research I purchased Ginger Juice and offered a serving to my son. He wasn’t having it and described it as, “Too spicy.” I made the juice into a tea and got a “yuck.” Which brought me to my 3 ingredient ginger gummies.

Ingredients

(Holistic Homeschooler is a participant in the amazon services LLC associates program, an associates advertising program designed to provide a means for Holistic Homeschooler to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and associated sites, at no additional cost to you.)

Ginger Juice Certified Organic
Great Lakes Raw Michigan Honey
Knox Gelatin

plus…

Wilton Easy-Flex Silicone Heart Mold

I had to make this extra sweet to make it palatable for innocent taste buds. If you like yours more on the savory side then cut the honey ratio in half. Per the ginger juice bottle a serving is one tablespoon. For every two tablespoons of ginger juice I added one table spoon of honey.

2 Tablespoons of ginger juice

1 Tablespoon of honey

For one batch, which is one full heart mold it equates to ten tablespoons of ginger juice and 5 tablespoons of honey.

Then you cook down the honey and ginger juice, add in a packet of gelatin.

Pour into your heart mold and let them cool in the fridge. I store mine in canning jars. My little guy tolerates them but they have vastly improved his stomach upset. Often times this is a natural remedy expectant mothers like to use.

If you don’t feel up to making your own here are other options:

What do you think of using ginger for an upset stomach? Do you use it?