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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Kate Lloyd

Is it true that … ginger shots boost immunity?

Illustration of a piece of ginger root with a face, arms and legs

Do you find yourself buying tiny bottles of fiery gloop at the first signs of a cold? You’re not alone. Ginger shots have become a trend in recent years, thanks to the perception that they’re good for immunity. But are they?

Dr Emily Leeming, a dietitian at King’s College London, says it’s unlikely they are a miracle cure. She says there has been only a small amount of research that shows that gingerol extracts, the active polyphenols in ginger, may help lower some markers of inflammation (an immune response), but the evidence is pretty weak.

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