Ginger
ginger, ground ginger, ginger powder, ginger extract, ginger flavouring, ginger root, Zingiber officinale, jengibre, gingembre, Ingwer, zenzero, gengibre
What it is
Ginger is the root of a plant. It is used fresh, dried or ground, and appears in infusions, biscuits, soft drinks and ready meals. On a label it may say ginger, ginger extract or ginger flavouring, and it does not say how much.
Why BOTIA flags it
In clinical trials, ginger relieved menstrual pain about as well as mefenamic acid, a common painkiller. In pregnant women with nausea and vomiting, it worked about as well as vitamin B6. Those trials used a specific product and a specific dose; a food label does not tell you how much ginger it contains.
BOTIA CAN
- Detect ginger, ginger extract and ginger flavouring when they are declared on the label.
- Explain what the clinical trials found and show the Woman information layer.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Determine how much ginger a food contains, or whether it matches the dose used in the trials.
- Tell anyone whether to take ginger, or replace advice from a doctor or a midwife.