ottawasun.com · Feb 16, 2026 · Collected from GDELT
Published: 20260216T144500Z
Skip to Content Subscribe FAQ My Account Manage My Subscription News Ottawa Ontario Canada World True Crime Crime Weird Money Health Healthing Technology Tech Essentials Gadgets Gaming Weather Opinion Editorials Columnists Editorial Cartoons Letters Send Letter to the Editor Olympics Sports Ottawa Senators NHL PWHL More Hockey Junior Hockey Atlético Ottawa Ottawa Redblacks CFL NFL Baseball Basketball Other Sports Curling Golf MMA Motorsports Tennis Entertainment Celebrity Movies Music Stage Television TV Listings Life Diet & Fitness Eat Fashion & Beauty Relationships Sex Files Homes Travel Travel Ontario Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Savings Contests Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Ottawa Sun Store Healthing Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Browse Notices Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place an Ad Business Card Directory Celebrations Working Business Ads This Week's Flyers ePaper SUNShine Girls Become a Sunshine Girl Puzzmo Diversions Comics Puzzles Horoscopes Newsletters More Special Sections Contests National Contests Advice Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Opinion Olympics Sports Entertainment Life Shopping Ottawa Sun Store Healthing Driving Obituaries Classifieds ePaper SUNShine Girls Puzzmo Newsletters Manage Print Subscription NewsLocal NewsIs cutting ginger ale from hospital menus going too far?Some patients aren't happy with The Ottawa Hospital taking the soda off of menus as it pushes toward healthier food and drinks.Published Feb 16, 2026 • Last updated 4 hours ago • 4 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Does ginger ale have medicinal benefits? Photo by JEAN LEVAC /POSTMEDIAAmid long waits in emergency departments, hallway medicine, and other indignities of modern healthcare, the removal of a fizzy golden drink from menus at The Ottawa Hospital is proving to be a discomfort too far for some patients.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive sports coverage by Bruce Garrioch, Ken Warren and Tim Baines, in-depth crime and news from Gary Dimmock and city life coverage from arts writers Lynn Saxberg and Peter Hum. Plus, daily newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to Ottawa Sun and 15 news sites with one account.Ottawa Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive sports coverage by Bruce Garrioch, Ken Warren and Tim Baines, in-depth crime and news from Gary Dimmock and city life coverage from arts writers Lynn Saxberg and Peter Hum. Plus, daily newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to Ottawa Sun and 15 news sites with one account.Ottawa Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe hospital took ginger ale off its menus last fall as part of its push toward offering only “health-promoting” food and beverage options for patients and families, said hospital spokesperson Rebecca Abelson.Recommended Videos“As part of our ongoing review, ginger ale was determined to have limited nutritional value and a high sugar content,” she said.Few dieticians and health professionals would argue with that assessment. But there is growing pushback from patients and even some health workers against the removal of what many consider liquid comfort – something their mom used to give them when they felt sick.At a time when there are so many problems associated with spending time in the hospital, many view ginger ale as playing an outsized role in improving their experience. And there may be a good reason for that, according to a neurologist who has looked at the ubiquitous consumption of ginger ale in hospitals and why so many insist it makes them feel better.“When I woke up from surgery last October and the nurse offered me a ginger ale, it was like an angel had come down directly from heaven to bless me with a sweet treat,” wrote one person on Reddit. “I had never been closer to crying tears of joy than in that moment.” Ginger ale. Does ginger ale have medicinal benefits? Photo by JEAN LEVAC /POSTMEDIAGinger ale is also having an Ottawa-specific cultural moment, just as the city’s largest hospital has stopped serving it. Ginger ale plays a key symbolic role in Heated Rivalry, the smash Canadian hit about the secret romantic relationship between two superstar professional hockey players. It is the favourite drink of Shane Hollander, the main character from Ottawa, and acts as a plot device.Beyond Heated Rivalry, ginger ale plays a key role in some people’s lives – especially when they are under the weather. That is reflected in its common use in many hospitals.Ginger ale has been a staple at hospitals across North America for decades, harkening back to a time when it was considered a medicinal tonic – containing real ginger, which has anti-nausea properties – rather than a sugary soft drink. Canada Dry ginger ale was developed by a Toronto pharmacist in the early 1900s as a lighter and less sweet version of existing syrupy ginger drinks.But modern ginger ale contains few, if any, of the properties of the early drinks. Canada Dry was forced to remove the “Made from Real Ginger” claim from its packaging in the United States following a 2019 class-action lawsuit settlement. The lawsuit alleged there was only a tiny amount of ginger extract in the drink, which made the claim misleading because it did not provide the health benefits consumers associated with ginger. That label remains in Canada.“Most commercial-brand ginger ales have at least 10 teaspoons of sugar,” wrote family physician Dr. Matthew Goldman in an article written for the U.S.-based Cleveland Clinic titled “Is ginger ale good for nausea and upset stomachs?” (TLDR: The answer is no.)“Ginger ale may not contain natural ginger. It could be an artificial flavouring. And if it does have real ginger, it may not have enough to offer significant relief. Even then, most ginger ale won’t help. It could even make matters worse,” wrote Goldman.For upset stomachs, Goldman said there are far better alternatives, including ginger tea.Still, for many patients, ginger ale offers something that is in short supply during many hospital stays – comfort.“My dad is getting treated for cancer at the General and on every infusion day, every person in the chemo ward is drinking ginger ale,” wrote another person on a Reddit thread about ginger ale being cut from hospital menus. “It’s something small people can enjoy in their hardest times. This feels so unnecessary.”And despite its clear shortcomings as a healthy drink, patients might be on to something when it comes to associating ginger ale in the hospital with feeling better, wrote New York state neurologist Dr. Paul Wright recently.The placebo effect is key to the way people associate ginger with comfort and feeling better, Wright explained.“When patients sip ginger ale in a hospital, their brains may release endorphins – the body’s natural painkillers – simply because they associate the drink with relief. This can lead to a genuine reduction in the perception of nausea, even if the ginger ale has no pharmacological effect.”He also said the carbonation and sweetness of ginger ale can play a role, including the quick energy boost from sugar, which can help distract from feelings of nausea.“Additionally, the brain’s reward pathways light up when consuming sweet substances, releasing dopamine, which can enhance the feeling of comfort and well-being.”Is that enough to get it back on the menu at The Ottawa Hospital?Probably not.The hospital’s growing focus is on providing healthy food and beverages to patients. Part of that is a collaboration with Ottawa restaurateur Steven Beckta to revamp food at the hospital from the ground up.“As we work toward our new food service model, we’re always reviewing our current food and beverage options and looking for ways to reduce ultra-processed foods and added sugars where we can,” said spokesperson Abelson.Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. From fine dining to bedside trays: How Stephen Beckta helps transform food at The Ottawa Hospital From the 'Garage' to the hallway, this is the new reality of hospital stays Join the Conversation Local News Olympics Sunshine Girls News News This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.