9 False Facts About Ginger Ale That Everyone Believes

As sodas go, ginger ale is one of the most unassuming ones out there, and it's fair to say that it's slightly less edgy than a lot of other drinks. For a long time, ginger ale has been viewed as a slightly traditional, even homely soda, a reputation boosted by people's assumptions about the drink's supposed medicinal qualities. However, underneath its cosy connotation lie a few mistruths about it, which you may well have bought into -- and its ability to provide benefits to your health is just one of them.

Ginger ale myths stem largely from its content, which most people (fairly) assume has ginger in it. This ginger has been claimed to have many effects, from being able to soothe upset stomachs and nausea to having an energizing effect. There are also plenty of myths out there that only apply to certain ginger ale brands, and a pretty wide confusion about what ginger ale is in comparison to ginger beer. It's kind of a minefield out there, guys, and we decided that it was time to put some of these false facts to bed for good. Let's get debunking.

Read more: What You Need To Know Before You Drink Your Next Diet Coke

Myth: Ginger Ale Will Soothe An Upset Stomach

Perhaps the biggest myth about ginger ale out there is that it should be your go-to drink when you're feeling sick. Plenty of people reach for ginger ale when they're nauseous to this day, because of the belief that the ginger inside it will help soothe their stomach. Unfortunately, this is pretty much totally false, for several different reasons.

It's true that ginger, and the natural compound in it called gingerol, can have a beneficial effect on nausea. It does this by helping to speed along gastrointestinal motility, which can help stop your stomach from feeling uncomfortable and sickly. Sadly, though, a lot of ginger ales don't have the ginger content that you might think. Most commercially-made ginger ales are made with artificial flavorings or ginger extracts that provide no real benefit, and which have no active ingredient.

If your ginger ale does have real ginger in it, its quantity may be too low to have any real effect. As well as this, other aspects of ginger ale may actually increase nausea. Ginger ales are typically high in sugar and heavily carbonated, and both of these traits can make you feel even worse, due to bloating or increasing indigestion. If you are feeling unwell, you're far better off reaching for a homemade cup of ginger tea to ease your nausea.

Myth: Ginger Ale And Ginger Beer Are The Same Thing

The difference between ginger ale and ginger beer can feel pretty much nonexistent -- and because of this, a mistruth has risen which claims that they're basically the same thing. Hey, look, we get it. Both of them taste like ginger, both of them are carbonated, and both of them are named after an alcoholic beverage. Is there really anything between them?

In short, yes. Ginger ale is a completely different drink to ginger beer, and is made using different methods. Many ginger ales are made by mixing carbonated water with a ginger component, which results in a ginger flavor that's often not that pronounced. Authentic ginger beer, on the other hand, is made just like beer is: By being brewed using real ginger. The result is a far stronger, far spicier flavor.

Another difference between ginger ale and ginger beer is in their alcoholic content: Ginger ale is always alcohol-free (despite being called an ale -- we know, it's confusing), while ginger beer can have an alcoholic element. Plus, the difference in flavor and alcohol levels mean that ginger ale and ginger beer have different uses. While they're somewhat interchangeable in cocktails, they won't exactly pass for each other.

Myth: Ginger Ale Has An Energizing Effect

Somewhere down the line, ginger ale got a reputation for putting a pep in people's step. This perhaps comes from the ginger that people assume is in the drink. Ginger can have a dilating effect on our blood vessels, increasing blood flow through our bodies and thereby making us feel brighter and more alert. Some studies have also found that ginger increases thermogenesis, and may essentially increase the body's energy output.

When you couple this with the fact that a lot of people assume ginger ale is caffeinated, as so many other sodas are, you can see why people think that ginger ale gives them energy. However, this likely isn't the case. A lot of ginger ales out there aren't actually made with real ginger, and nor are they caffeinated, so it's hard to see how they'd give you anything more than a placebo effect to your energy levels. This might be slightly different if you're drinking a traditional ginger ale that's made with a higher concentration of natural ginger, but even then there are no proven cases or scientific studies that confirm this. As such, we're calling this one a big old myth.

Myth: Ginger Ale Always Has Real Ginger In It

Up there as one of the biggest myths about ginger ale is the belief that it contains ginger. We mean, it's not that weird to assume: The name literally has "ginger" in it, and so it's fair to think that it's made with the spicy root. Unfortunately, the ginger in ginger ale's name may simply be referring to its flavor, instead of its actual content. Ginger ale, particularly mass-produced or cheaper versions, is more likely to contain ginger extract or syrup than the real thing. This flavoring may not even be natural, either, with some brands using artificial ginger flavor in their drinks.

The grey area around whether ginger ale actually has ginger in it or not has caused a headache for customers and manufacturers alike. In 2019, the claim that Canada Dry Ginger Ale was "made with real ginger" had to be removed from its cans sold in the US, after a class-action lawsuit was filed. In Canada, the cans still have that claim, but the amount of actual ginger in each drink is utterly minuscule. It's worth remembering, therefore, that even if your drink does have ginger in it, the amount may be so low that there's no effect at all.

Myth: Commercial Ginger Ale Is Healthier Than Other Sodas

Because ginger is an ingredient that feels wholesome and healthy, there are a lot of people out there who assume that ginger ale is good for you -- or, at least, that it's healthier for you than other fizzy drinks. This isn't quite the case. This isn't just because ginger ale often doesn't have any actual ginger in it, but also because the drink can often have a huge amount of sugar in it. One single can of Canada Dry Ginger Ale has a whopping 33 grams of sugar, and all of it is added. This amounts to 66% of your daily value if you're working with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (or FDA)'s guideline of 50 grams per day maximum, but other health bodies may recommend working with a lower daily limit.

Plus, it's not like there's a lot of nutritional content elsewhere: There's no protein in ginger ale, no fiber, and no vitamins or minerals. In short, it looks pretty much like any other soda out there. It's no wonder, then, that gastroenterologist Jamie Bering said to USA Today that "Ginger ale is not classified as a health food and should be consumed in moderation."

Myth: All Ginger Ales Have The Same Nutritional Value

Ginger ales, like so many things in life, are not made equal -- and it's important to remember that many of them have different nutritional values. If you're buying commercial ginger ale, choosing different brands may provide you with differing sugar contents. Zero sugar ginger ales will (somewhat obviously) have no sugar in them, but they may also contain artificial sweeteners or other ingredients.

However, other ginger ales may have a different nutritional profile entirely. We're talking about traditional ginger ale here, which is made using a fermentation method that starts with yeast or a ginger bug. This last thing isn't an insect, but instead an ingredient similar to a sourdough starter, which works in the same way. Once the drink is brewed, extra ingredients may be added in to sweeten or lighten its taste. Traditional ginger ale can therefore have more nutrition overall, and could be slightly more beneficial to your gut health than drinking the ultra-processed canned version. Its brewing method may mean that it also has less carbonation, which could make it easier to drink and cause it to produce less bloating.

Myth: Ginger Ale Is Alcoholic

It's easy to see why some people believe that ginger ale is alcoholic. After all, it has the word "ale" in its name, and ale is a style of beer -- which, of course, has alcohol in it. However, although you can make ginger ale to make versions of cocktails like mint juleps, ginger ale itself is non-alcoholic and always has been. Its very first iteration, sold by Cantrell and Cochrane's in the mid-19th century, was billed as a non-alcoholic drink, and modern production methods don't involve any fermentation process which could produce alcohol.

This is in stark contrast to ginger beer, which is always made via fermentation. Originally, ginger beer had an alcohol content of around 11%, making it way stronger than most beers out there today. Nowadays it clocks in with a lower ABV, with commercial ginger beers generally containing around a 4% alcohol content, although this can vary from brand to brand. Some "non-alcoholic" ginger beers may still have an ABV of 0.5% or so, which allows them to be classified as non-alcoholic but still points towards their fermentation.

Myth: Ginger Ale Served On Planes Is Different To Ginger Ale Served On The Ground

You may not be a fan of ginger ale when you're on the ground, but once you set foot on an airplane, things can change pretty quickly. When you're in the sky, ginger ale can suddenly taste amazing. This has led some folks to assume that the ginger ale served in flights is somehow different to the types you can find back on earth.

Well, this assumption is completely mistaken, folks -- but what is true is that ginger ale can taste different when you're on a flight. When you're in the air, your tastebuds work differently. Researcher Andrea Burdack-Freitag, who has studied the impact of air travel on taste experience, told Health that the low pressure in airplane cabins affects oxygen levels in our bloodstream, and "as a result, some of the olfactory and taste receptors become less efficient." Sweet flavors are less impactful, whereas bitter and earthy ones are way more punchy. This basically means that drinks with a bit more bite to them, like ginger ale, taste much better than sodas that rely on sweeter notes. Pretty wild, huh?

Myth: Zero-Sugar Ginger Ale Is Way Healthier Than Sugary Ginger Ale

Given that regular ginger ale is very high in sugar, it's little wonder that a lot of people prefer to opt for its zero-sugar sibling. After all, it offers a near-identical taste, while seemingly being way healthier. What's not to like? Sadly, though, zero-sugar ginger ale can have its own complications, and like other sodas that are flavored with artificial sweeteners, there are some health considerations you should keep in mind.

Brands like Canada Dry use aspartame to sweeten their zero-sugar ginger ale. Aspartame is a relatively new ingredient which has only been in use since the 1980s, and research is still ongoing about its potential impact on the human body. Although it's authorized by the FDA to be used in foods and drinks as a sweetener, there have been plenty of calls for further study into its link to cancer development. Additionally, aspartame has been found to have a significant effect on your gut microbiome -- and it's not like the zero-sugar versions of ginger ale have much positive nutrition which makes them healthier than the regular version, either. They're a totally viable alternative, but just don't expect to be getting any huge benefits from them.

Hungry for more? Sign up for the free Daily Meal newsletter for delicious recipes, cooking tips, kitchen hacks, and more, delivered straight to your inbox.

Read the original article on The Daily Meal.