Ginger

Ginger Ginger. We either love it or we hate it. Whether we like it or not, we’ve likely heard whispers of it being called a superfood and one we should all consume.

But why? What makes it so powerful? Let’s find out.

What Is Ginger?

We’ve all eaten Ginger at some point in our lives, but do we actually know what it is?

Ginger (zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant and a close relative of turmeric, and quite like turmeric its underground part of the stem or root (rhizome) has been used as a spice and a remedy for various ailments for thousands of years in traditional Indian and Chinese medicines.

In recent years, its use in the western world has dramatically increased, both for its taste and health benefits.

What are the Health Benefits of Ginger?

The whispers aren’t for nothing. Ginger really does have some incredible health benefits.

Here are just some:

Nausea Relief

Nausea. It isn’t nice and we would all like a quick and easy way to relieve it when it comes along. Why does nausea occur in the first place? It’s either due to gastric disturbances or irritation of the vomiting centre of the brain.

Ginger is especially useful against nausea caused by intoxication, that is nausea due to irritation of various brain centres. It’s good for nausea related to seasickness and may also help nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.¹

It can be especially useful for treating nausea and vomiting related to pregnancy, as it is a condition when most of the chemical drugs are not ideal to use. Systematic reviews indicate that Ginger can help with symptoms of nausea, without causing any severe side effects in pregnant women, like increasing the risk of miscarriage. Also it doesn’t cause drowsiness or heartburn.²

Exercise-Induced Muscle Soreness Relief

A study shows that consuming just two grams of Ginger a day may help reduce muscle pain and soreness caused by intensive exercise.³

Why not take some Ginger before your next run or gym visit?

Knee Osteoarthritis Support

Ginger possesses some anti-inflammatory properties and can assist with osteoarthritis. In one of the large clinical trials in two hundred and sixty-one patients, Ginger extract produced statistically significant benefits in knee osteoarthritis.¹⁰ It reduced the need for taking anti-inflammatory drugs.⁴

Improves Blood Sugar Levels and Heart Health

In one clinical trial, Ginger extract demonstrated powerful antidiabetic properties. Two grams of Ginger powder, given per day for 12 weeks, resulted in considerable improvement in blood sugar levels, and a dramatic reduction in HbA1c¹¹ (10% reduction). Further, it lowered the ApoB/ApoA-1 ration, one of the significant markers of heart disease risk, thus indicating that in the long run, it may help reduce the risk of a heart attack. Though the mentioned study was small, and there is still a need for more extensive clinical trials to confirm the results, the initial results are still highly encouraging.⁵

Indigestion Relief

Suffer from indigestion? Ginger may be able to help. Ginger can help improve appetite, reduce recurrent stomach pains, and help treat delayed gastric emptying. Clinical studies show that these effects of Ginger may be due to its impact on gastric motility, as it accelerates gastric emptying.⁶

Menstrual Pain Relief

It seems that Ginger is good for female health too and may help reduce menstrual period pain. So good in fact, that one of the studies indicates that it could be as effective as Ibuprofen or Mefenamic Acid, drugs commonly used to treat the condition.⁷

Lowers Cholesterol

It seems that prolonged consumption of Ginger may help improve all the cholesterol¹² markers; it may help lower LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and may help increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL).⁸

Supports Brain Health

Need a little help remembering things? Numerous studies show that Ginger may help prevent neurodegenerative diseases¹³, and even improve memory and cognition in older adults.⁹

As you can see, Ginger really does have some incredible health benefits. Even better, there are many ways you can use it in your everyday life too. Whether that be adding it to various food products, drinks, or consuming it as a dry powder, or supplement – the choice is yours.

Properties

Anti-Inflammatory⁴
Anti-Nausea¹^,²
Antimicrobial¹
Antioxidant⁴
Arthritis⁴
Brain Function / Neuroprotective⁹
Cholesterol⁵
Colic⁶
Cough¹^,⁴
Diabetes / Blood Sugar⁵
Digestive Function⁶
Fever Reduction⁴
Flatulence⁶
Headaches⁹
Heart Support / Health⁵
Indigestion⁶
Memory Retention⁹
Menstrual Cramps⁷
Muscle Spasms³
Nausea¹^,²
Pain Relief⁴
Vomiting Prevention¹^,²
Weight Loss / Management⁴

References