Ginger belongs to the same family of plants with turmeric and cardamom, i.e Zingiberaceae. The rhizome(underground stem) of this plant is rich in nutrients and frequently used as a spice in South Asian cuisine. Many studies revealed that adding ginger to your diet has great medicinal value. The medicinal benefits of ginger have been documented in ancient Roman, Arabic, Chinese, Greek, and Sanskrit texts.
There are many ways to add ginger to your diet. You can buy ginger spice, fresh ginger roots, ginger oil, and ginger capsules. If you don’t like adding ginger to your meals, you can even consume ginger as tea.
Modern research outlined numerous health benefits of consuming ginger.
Table of Contents
Treat nausea and motion sickness
Ginger is well known for its ability to cure motion sickness and nausea. It is used as a remedy to treat nausea and relieve the suffering of patients undergoing cancer treatment.
12 studies conducted over a total of 1278 pregnant women have shown that administering 1.1-1.5 grams of ginger can effectively relieve nausea without any side effects.
Relieve joint pain
Degeneration of joints in your body can lead to illnesses like osteoarthritis. People who have such illnesses suffer from severe joint pain and stiffness.
A controlled study conducted over 247 individuals with osteoarthritis has found that consuming ginger extract regularly can relieve joint pain. It can also reduce the intake of pain medication.
Reduce muscle pain and soreness
About 14 bioactive compounds are present in fresh or dry ginger. Gingerol is one of the major bioactive components of ginger. It has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. 1
It was found in a study that consuming 2 grams of ginger per day for 11 days can help you to treat exercise-induced muscle pain.
Cure chronic indigestion
Delayed emptying of the stomach can cause chronic indigestion(dyspepsia). This can cause discomfort or recurrent pain inside your stomach.
Studies show that consuming 1.2 grams of ginger before a meal can accelerate the emptying of the stomach by as much as 50%.
Ginger Helps Control your blood sugar level
A study conducted in 2015 on 41 individuals with type 2 diabetes has found that regularly consuming 2 grams of ginger powder lowered their fasting blood sugar level by 12%.
It also improved HbA1c (a marker for long-term blood sugar levels) levels by 10% over a period of 12 weeks.
Lower cholesterol levels
Another benefit of ginger is the ability to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. A study conducted over a period of 45 days on 84 patients with high cholesterol levels found that 3 grams of ginger powder significantly reduced cholesterol markers and blood triglycerides.
Improve your brain function
Ginger has bioactive compounds and antioxidants which can protect your body from chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. A study conducted on 60 middle-aged women has shown that ginger can improve your working memory and reaction time.
Reduce menstrual pain
A study conducted on 150 women going through a menstrual period showed that taking 1 gram of ginger reduced their pain. It was as effective as taking drugs like ibuprofen and mefenamic acid.
Prevent cancer
Ginger has a substance called 6-gingerol which has anti-cancer properties. A study conducted on 30 individuals found that taking 2 grams of ginger extract every day was effective in reducing pro-inflammatory signaling molecules in the colon.
Fight infections
Ginger is known to inhibit the growth of infection-causing bacteria in the mouth. Thus, consuming ginger can lower the risk of diseases like periodontitis and gingivitis.
Treat cold and flu
Hot and fresh ginger tea has been used as a remedy for cold since ancient times. This is because ginger is a diaphoretic. It warms your body and promotes sweating, which helps you to get rid of cold more easily.
Summary
Ginger contains about 115 constituents as identified by different analytical processes. Gingerols are the major compounds of fresh ginger, they are a bit low in dry form. The Flavor to a moderate extent peppery and a bit sweet. The use of ginger seems to be safe, its effects are amazing in its many use.
