Final verdict on ginger is still out

In the realm of food as medicine, many people swear by ginger to tickle their taste buds while it settles their stomachs.

It's a practice that dates back thousands of years in China, India and the Middle East, spreading to parts of Africa and the Caribbean and only recently hitting supermarkets and kitchens here at home.

So, what is ginger?

Ginger is a plant that grows in tropical climates around the world. It has an underground stem or rhizome with a distinctive flavor and aroma caused by volatile oils it contains. Ginger is a good source of potassium, other trace minerals and vitamin B6.

The stem is cut up and used fresh, dried, or as a powder in cooking and for medicinal purposes, including to treat nausea, stomach ache and diarrhea, relieve joint and muscle pain and ease discomfort from colds and flu.

Interest in the health effects of ginger has resulted in more ginger-infused products -- tea, candy, lozenges, cookies, bread, soup, crackers -- in supermarkets and greater availability of ginger supplements such as pills, capsules and liquid extracts. Ginger supplements are unregulated in the U.S. and not officially recognized or approved for treatment of any diseases or conditions.

So what does the science say? The evidence is incomplete.

Ginger is safe and effective over short periods of time for the relief of nausea and vomiting for women who are pregnant, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a unit of the National Institutes of Health. The evidence isn't as clear, though, for motion sickness and nausea caused by surgery or chemotherapy.

And even though ginger has been used since ancient times for relief of arthritis pain and other forms of joint and muscle pain, the science base isn't strong enough yet to conclude that ginger is actually effective for these purposes.

More research is needed to determine how and why ginger affects health, and money is being invested by NCCAM to study some particularly promising questions:

• Does ginger interact with certain drugs or other medications? It's possible that ginger supplements, for example, could diminish or enhance the effect of certain drugs. (It's important to let your health care provider know about any herbal or other supplements you may be taking).
• Is ginger useful in alleviating nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy? If so, it could be a cheaper, healthier and more pleasant alternative to other medications.
• How safe and effective is ginger in treating other diseases and conditions, including arthritis and muscle pain?

Until we know more about how and why ginger works its magic -- if it does -- it's best to avoid concentrated doses found it supplements. Instead, enjoy ginger as a potentially beneficial flavor agent or spice in foods and drinks. Gingered vegetable or rice dishes, ginger lemonade, candied ginger, and gingered carrots or sweet potatoes, for example, are delicious. My favorite way to cook fresh kale is with minced garlic, onions and a big splash of ginger soy sauce.

People who use ginger in reasonable amounts have reported few side effects. When they do occur, they tend to include such symptoms as gas, bloating, nausea and heartburn.

More information about ginger can be found online at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ginger/.

Hot drink update

Last month I reported on the surprising number of calories contained in many hot specialty drinks, including the ubiquitous latte. A spokesman for Starbucks contacted me to say that starting this month, the coffee company is adding to its menu a nonfat latte made with sugar-free syrup. A tall (12 oz.) "Skinny" Caffe Latte or Caffe Mocha ordered with steamed, nonfat milk, sugar-free syrup and foam contains 90 calories, a savings of up to 90 calories for a Caffe Latte or 200 calories for a Caffe Mocha.