TAKE A SCROLL through FitTok and you’ll fine people choking down a shot of pungent liquid ginger, raving about its health benefit. These ginger shots are gaining traction on the internet and in supermarket aisles alike, offering an alleged dose of wellness and vitality in one quick swig.

This modern health craze isn’t anything new, though—ginger has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. But, do we really need to be choking down shots of it?

Dietitians explain if ginger shots are worth the hype.

What’s in a ginger shot?

‘Ginger shots are small, concentrated beverages made from fresh ginger root,’ says Romane Guerot, R.D.N. ‘They have become popular recently due to their purported health benefits, which include aiding digestion, reducing inflammation, and boosting the immune system.’

Sometimes other health-promoting ingredients go along with the ginger, Guerot says, including water, lemon juice, honey, turmeric, and black pepper.

Perri is a New York City-born and -based writer; she holds a bachelor’s in psychology from Columbia University and is also a culinary school graduate of the plant-based Natural Gourmet Institute, which is now the Natural Gourmet Center at the Institute of Culinary Education. Her work has appeared in the New York Post, Men’s Journal, Rolling Stone, Oprah Daily, Insider.com, Architectural Digest, Southern Living, and more. She’s probably seen Dave Matthews Band in your hometown, and she’ll never turn down a bloody mary. Learn more at VeganWhenSober.com.

Cori Ritchey, NASM-CPT is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men’s Health and a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.