Fact Check: Can lemon-ginger combo improve gut health? Here’s the truth
An instagram video is viral with claims of ginger, lemon and green apple mixture reducing inflammation, improve gut health and immunity.
By Neelambaran A Published on 16 Dec 2024 5:15 PM GMT
Claim: he claims are misleading. Long-term use of the combo can increase stomach acid and worsen gastritis.
Fact: An Instagram video claims a drink prepared with lemon, ginger and green apple can improve immunity, detox the body and reduce inflammation.
An Instagram video has gone viral for suggesting a recipe that allegedly detoxes the body, boosts immunity, cleanses the gut and relieves overall inflammation in the body.
The recipe advises blending ginger, lime and green apple and consuming the mixture twice a day for the health benefits, which will be noticeable ‘within a week’.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading. Although the ingredients have medicinal benefits when consumed individually in limited amounts, more research is needed.
Gingerol in ginger and Vitamin C in lemon possess medicinal properties which could help in improving gut health and reduce inflammation.
However, Dr Tejaswini Tumma, a consultant gastroenterologist and therapeutic endoscopy surgeon from Kamineni Hospitals warned about the negative effects of consuming the combination for a prolonged period. “The continuous use of this combo can increase stomach acid production and may worsen gastritis. It is better to consult a healthcare expert before using this combination for a long time,” she said.
Benefits of gingerol
Gingerol is the active component in ginger and is also one of the phenolic compounds present. It has medicinal benefits including its ability to improve digestion, besides possessing the potential to reduce inflammation.
“It (gingerol) also stimulates digestion enzymes and feeds good bacteria supporting gut health and improving digestion,” Dr Tejaswini said.
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of lemon
Another ingredient mentioned in the video, lemon, has certain medical properties. Lemon contains around 35 mg of Vitamin C, twice the requirement for humans.
“Lemon has a high quantity of Vitamin C which is an antioxidant and reduces inflammation. Its anti-microbial properties help combat bad bacteria in the gut,” Dr Tejaswini added.
Vitamin C can also help produce collagen for the skin, helps in the absorption of iron and has a role in building immunity. However, prolonged use of the combo can adversely affect gastritis by increasing the generation of stomach acid.
Therefore, we conclude that the claim is misleading.
