Ginger Water Benefits: Adrak Water for Cold, Nausea & Immunity

Ginger Water vs Ginger Tea: What Is the Difference?

Ginger water benefits come from the ginger alone. There is no caffeine from tea leaves. There are no calories from milk and sugar. It is just ginger and water. For the benefits of adrak chai, see our ginger tea benefits guide.

In Hindi, we call it adrak ka paani (अदरक का पानी). In Bengali it is ada jol (আদা জল). In Marathi, people search for adrak pani (अद्रक पाणी). Your mother may have boiled ginger in water when you had a cold as a child. That simple remedy is ginger water. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says ginger has been used in folk medicine since ancient times.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) contains gingerols and shogaols. These compounds give ginger its hot, spicy taste. Fresh ginger has more gingerols. Dried ginger has more shogaols. Most research tested dried ginger powder, not fresh ginger water.

7 Ginger Water Benefits

1. Nausea and Morning Sickness

Nausea is ginger's best-studied use. NCCIH says ginger may help nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Most studies of ginger for motion sickness did not show a benefit. It is not clear if ginger helps nausea from chemotherapy. Most of these studies used ginger supplements, not ginger water.

Research note: A 2014 review of 12 trials with 1,278 pregnant women found that ginger eased nausea more than a placebo (Viljoen et al., Nutrition Journal). It did not clearly cut the number of times women vomited. The authors called the evidence low quality. Most trials gave 1,000 to 1,950 mg of ginger powder a day in capsules.

2. Ginger Water for Cold and Flu

Many Indian families drink adrak ka paani for a cold, along with haldi doodh. A warm drink may feel soothing on a sore throat. But we found no good human trial that shows ginger water prevents or cures a cold. NCCIH lists flu among ginger's traditional uses, not among the uses that research supports. If you have a high fever or a cold that lasts, see a doctor.

3. Anti-Inflammatory

In lab and animal studies, compounds in ginger lower some signs of inflammation. Proof in people is weaker. NCCIH says ginger supplements might help knee osteoarthritis symptoms, but much of that research is of poor quality. No study has tested a daily cup of ginger water for inflammation.

4. Digestion

Ginger may help food move out of your stomach faster. In a 2008 study of 24 healthy adults, 1.2 grams of ginger in capsules cut the time for half the stomach to empty from 26.7 to 13.1 minutes (Wu et al.). That is about twice as fast. The study found no change in stomach symptoms.

5. Weight Loss Support

Ginger may raise the heat your body makes after a meal, and it may cut hunger a little. In a small 2012 study, 10 overweight men had 2 grams of ginger powder in a hot water drink with breakfast (Mansour et al.). They felt less hungry. The extra heat from the meal was about 43 kcal a day. Their total resting energy use did not change.

6. Blood Sugar Regulation

Some studies suggest ginger may lower fasting blood sugar and HbA1c. In a 2015 trial, 41 people with type 2 diabetes took 2 grams of ginger powder or a placebo daily for 12 weeks (Khandouzi et al.). Fasting blood sugar and HbA1c fell in the ginger group. This was one small trial of ginger powder. Do not swap your diabetes medicine for ginger water.

7. Muscle Pain Reduction

Ginger may ease sore muscles after hard exercise. In two trials with 74 adults, 2 grams of ginger a day for 11 days cut arm muscle pain the next day by 23 to 25 percent compared with a placebo (Black et al., Journal of Pain). People took ginger every day. The study did not test one drink after a workout.

How to Make Ginger Water (Adrak Water)

Warm Ginger Water on an Empty Stomach: Is It Good?

Start with a mild cup made from a few thin slices. NCCIH lists stomach discomfort, heartburn, diarrhoea, and mouth or throat irritation as side effects of ginger. If you have acid reflux, try it after food instead.

Warm or cold ginger water? We found no study that compares warm and cold ginger water. The trials on this page mostly used dried ginger powder in capsules. One used ginger powder in a hot water drink. So pick the one you enjoy. Warm water may feel better on a sore throat. For cold ginger water, steep the slices in the fridge for a few hours.

Best Time to Drink Ginger Water

Morning: Many people sip warm ginger water on an empty stomach for morning nausea. If it gives you heartburn, have it after breakfast.

Before meals: In the 2008 study, people took ginger capsules 1 hour before a bowl of soup, and their stomachs emptied faster. No study has tested ginger water at a set time before meals.

When you have a cold: Warm ginger water is a common home remedy for colds in India. A few warm cups a day keep you drinking fluids. They are not a cure.

After exercise: In the muscle pain trials, people took 2 grams of ginger every day for 11 days. One glass after a workout was not tested.

Ginger Water Side Effects: Who Should Be Careful?

• Heartburn: Ginger can cause heartburn in some people (NCCIH). This is more likely with a strong drink on an empty stomach. If you have acid reflux (GERD), start with a mild infusion and see how your body reacts.
• Blood thinner interaction: High doses of concentrated ginger, such as powders or tinctures, may raise bleeding risk by making blood platelets less sticky (Viljoen 2014 review). If you take warfarin, aspirin, or other blood thinners, ask your doctor before drinking ginger water daily.
• Gallstones: If you have gallstones or other gallbladder problems, ask your doctor before drinking ginger water daily. We could not find good human research on ginger and gallstones.
• Pregnancy: NCCIH says ginger supplements in pregnancy "may be safe" and advises asking your doctor. In the 2014 review, most trials gave 1,000 to 1,950 mg of dried ginger a day, and doses under 1,500 mg seemed to work best for nausea. Those were powder doses. We cannot say exactly how much fresh ginger matches them. Always ask your OB-GYN.
• Low blood sugar: If you are on diabetes medication, ginger may enhance the blood sugar-lowering effect. Monitor your levels.
• Surgery: Tell your surgeon if you drink strong ginger water daily or take ginger supplements. Ask when to stop before a planned surgery, because high doses may affect bleeding.

2-in-1 Infuser Bottle for Ginger Water

For ginger slices, spices, and leaves: Insert the full stainless steel infuser. Ginger coins stay inside the mesh. Water flows through. There are no loose bits in your drink. You can refill with hot water for a second round from the same ginger slices.

For fruit slices and large ingredients: Remove the infuser. Add slices directly into the bottle water. Put back only the short top strainer. It filters the drink while you sip.