Ginger ale is carbonated soda that contains a ginger flavor. Aside from being an enjoyable beverage, ginger ale is also recommended by many as a quick fix for an upset stomach. Ginger ale even makes its way into alcoholic beverages with cocktails like a whiskey ginger and a Pimm’s Cup. 

Regardless of how you enjoy ginger ale, you may be wondering how healthy it is to consume. In this post, we are going to look at a complete breakdown of ginger ale, go over its nutrition facts, and discover its caffeine content.Looking for a different soda? We’ve got several soda breakdowns that you can check out [here] (hyperlink to future content here)

A Brief History of Ginger Ale

According to Mary Bellis, the author of The History of Ginger Ale, ginger ale originally began as ginger beer in Yorkshire, England. She writes, “Around 1851, the first ginger ales were created in Ireland” (Bellis, 2020). Then in 1907, a Canadian pharmacist named John McLaughlin created Canada Dry. Canada Dry became one of the most popular versions of ginger ale due to McLaughlin’s refinement of the Canada Dry recipe over the years. 

Does Ginger Ale Have Caffeine?

A majority of ginger ale products do not contain caffeine. There are a small handful of brands that contain caffeine like Bawls, but the odds are that you won't find caffeinated ginger ale in your local supermarket. 

Ginger Ale Caffeine Content

This is the caffeine content for a 12 ounce serving of Canada Dry ginger ale. 

Like Sierra Mist's caffeine content, you won't find any caffeine in ginger ale. 

Ginger Ale Nutritional Facts

This is the nutritional information for a 12 ounce serving of Canada Dry ginger ale. 

What Sodas Are Caffeine-Free?

The following is a list of other popular sodas that don’t contain caffeine:

• Fanta
• Sprite
• Caffeine-free Coke
• Caffeine-free Dr Pepper
• 7up
• A&W Root Beer

Is Ginger Ale Good For You?

Ginger Ale is known to have some medicinal properties such as reducing nausea due to the ginger extract present in the soda. According to a 2018 clinical study, “ginger could be considered a harmless and possibly effective alternative option for women suffering from the symptoms of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy”(Bodagh et al., 2018).

This study can be used to confirm that ginger ale containing real ginger extract can ease symptoms of an upset stomach in a pinch. 

Though it may help with an upset stomach, ginger ale is still a soft drink that contains sugar. Similar to other sugary drinks like Powerade, any boost of energy you might feel comes from the replenishing of glucose in your system. 

Some brands of ginger ale have more added sugar than other brands, so make sure that you check the nutrition facts to see which brands are healthier.

Overall, ginger ale made with real ginger extract can help an upset stomach, but shouldn’t be considered a healthy alternative to other sugary sodas.  

References

Bellis, Mary. (2020, August 26). The History of Ginger Ale. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-ginger-ale-1991780

Nikkhah Bodagh, M., Maleki, I., & Hekmatdoost, A. (2018). Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food science & nutrition, 7(1), 96–108. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.807