Is your daily ginger shot an immunity essential or pricey wellness fad?
Share:
These colourful little bottles make big claims about helping the immune system and improving gut health – but are the benefits worthy of the often extravagant price tag? Katie Rosseinsky takes a closer look at this new wellness obsession. Recently, I’ve taken to knocking back a shot in the mornings. It’s pungent enough to make my eyes run, has a fiery taste and I’m convinced it’s doing wonders for my health. The secret ingredient? Ginger.
![[Ginger’s health benefits have been touted for thousands of years]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/20/14/newFile-9.jpg)
They’re spicy, mildly unpleasant and a dubious shade of yellow. Head to any supermarket juice aisle and you’ll see the colourful little bottles, emblazoned with slogans making big claims about helping out the immune system and improving our gut health. On social media, wellness influencers chug them on camera to kick off their health-enhancing daily routines. I first started to buy into the hype last winter, when I wanted to stay healthy in anticipation of a family wedding (matching my pink bridesmaid dress with equally pink, feverish cheeks and a runny nose didn’t feel like a great look). Then, as the wintery quadruple threat of Covid, flu, RSV and norovirus loomed in the run-up to Christmas, they seemed especially appealing. Naturally, I’ve carried this habit into January, the season of health-related smugness.
This pungent root contains active compounds, such as gingerol, which “have been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties,” says Hamilton. This is important, she explains, “because chronic inflammation and oxidative stress can impair [our] immune function over time, and foods like ginger may help counteract these effects”. Plus, ginger can help support our gut health, which is important because “a large portion of our immune system resides [there]”, Hamilton adds. “Supporting digestion and reducing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract can have a positive ripple effect on immune resilience.”.
