Is Ginger Ale Really The Cure For Hangover Nausea?

A night on the town, complete with drinks can be fun in the moment, but quite costly, and we're not talking dollars spent. Someone experiencing a rough hangover may have had a little too much prosecco, which can cause some of the worst, or they were a victim of one of the numerous mistakes folks make when mixing cocktails, or they simply did not hydrate enough while the alcohol was flowing. Whatever the reason, when someone finds themself at the mercy of a hangover, they'll want to do whatever they can to put the fatigue and throbbing headache to an end. 

When it comes to nausea, specifically, there are a few known remedies that can supposedly cure, or at least help curb, the revulsive sensation. Drinking ginger ale is one of the most common. The spiced bubbly beverage is at the top of the remedy list for many, but does it actually do anything to combat hangover nausea? The answer is not as straightforward as one experiencing that queasiness would hope.

Ginger root was used in traditional medicine, and its capacity to relieve nausea has the confidence of some of the highest health authorities. According to the Mount Sinai Health System, enough studies have suggested the effectiveness of ginger that healthcare professionals will recommend it to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting. Gingerol, a naturally occurring compound in ginger root, aids in digestion by moving food out of the stomach and along the rest of the digestive tract. Clearing out the stomach can help alleviate the sensation of nausea.

The problem, however, is that most ginger ale brands bottle scant amounts of actual ginger, and some don't have any real ginger at all. You'd probably have more luck with a product more potent in ginger, like ginger chews or ginger beer (yes, there is a difference between ginger ale and ginger beer). If you want to get the most out of the healing properties of the root in ginger ale specifically, be sure to check for the real deal on the label. 

Unfortunately, ubiquitous options like Canada Dry, Schweppes, and Seagram's ginger ales contain no ginger among its list of ingredients, meaning they synthesize the spicy flavor. Reed's Real Ginger Ale (it's right in the name) and Bruce Cost's four ingredient version do have pressed ginger and thus some amount of gingerol. QMixer's Ginger Ale contains ginger extract, rather than pressed juice, but the brand is well known for its use of only natural ingredients. 

If your household does not contain real ginger, and your nausea is keeping you from going out for more, there is still some potential merit to the beverage you have on hand. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that carbonated drinks can help alleviate nausea. Additionally, by nature of being a soft drink, ginger ale is hydrating. Since dehydration is a major contributor to the symptoms of a hangover, hydration is an important combatant. 

It is also important to recognize that every body responds differently to certain remedies. If you do not like the taste of ginger, the potential benefits will probably not outweigh the discomfort of forcing it down, especially if you are already experiencing nausea. Instead, you may find it helpful to consume bland foods like soda crackers and electrolyte-enriched drinks like Gatorade. Of course, the most effective hangover cure is time. As dreadful as the nausea may feel in the moment, rest assured that it too will pass.