Ginger is considered to be one of the healthiest as well as most delicious spices on earth. It is full of nutrients and bioactive compounds that are essential for your body and brain. We use ginger in many things like in our morning tea, in drinks and even in food but still we aren’t aware of its incredible health benefits. Hence in this article we will tell you about some proven and amazing health benefits of ginger. So let’s begin!!!
Ginger Benefits:
Treats many forms of Nausea, particularly Morning Sickness
Ginger is known to be highly effective against nausea. For instance, it has a long history of use as a sea sickness remedy & there is evidence that it can be as effective as prescribed medication. This spice can give relieve from nausea & vomiting after surgery & in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. However, it may be most effective when it comes to nausea related to pregnancy such as morning sickness.
Reduces Muscle Pain & Soreness
Ginger has proved to be helpful against exercise-induced muscle pain. In a study, eating 2 grams of ginger per day, for eleven days had considerably reduced muscle pain in people doing elbow exercises. Ginger doesn’t have a quick impact, but could be effective at reducing the daily progression of muscle pain. These effects are said to be mediated by the anti-inflammatory properties.
Lowers Blood Sugar & Improves Heart Disease Risk Factors
In a 2015 research conducted on 41 people with type 2 diabetes; just 2 grams of ginger powder / day had lowered fasting blood sugar by 12 percent. It significantly improved HbA1c leading to a 10 percent reduction over a period of 12 weeks.
In addition, there was a 28 percent reduction in the ApoB/ApoA-I ratio & 23 percent cut in markers for oxidized lipoproteins. The two are main risk factors for heart disease.
Contains Powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects
The unique fragrance & flavor of ginger come from its natural oils and the most vital of which is ‘gingerol’. Gingerol is the key bioactive compound in ginger that is responsible for much of its medicinal properties. It also has powerful anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant effects.
Help Treat Chronic Indigestion
Chronic indigestion or dyspepsia is characterized by recurrent pain & uneasiness in the upper part of the stomach. It is said that delayed emptying of the stomach is a main driver of indigestion. Interestingly, the spice has been shown to expedite emptying of the stomach in people with this condition.
Reduces Menstrual Pain
Menstrual pain is the pain that a woman goes through during her menstrual cycle. One of the traditional uses of ginger is for pain relief that also includes menstrual pain. In a research, 150 women were asked to take 1 gm of ginger powder every day, for the first three days of their menstrual period. Ginger helped in reducing the pain as effectively as the drugs mefenamic acid & ibuprofen.
Lowers Cholesterol Level
High levels of LDL lipoproteins or the "bad" cholesterol are linked to an increased risk of heart stroke or disease. The foods you consume may have a strong influence on the LDL levels. But a study revealed that eating 3 grams of ginger powder had significantly reduced the cholesterol levels.
Nutrition in Ginger
In 100 gms of fresh ginger root, there are:
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79 calories
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86 g of carbohydrate
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57 g of protein
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6 g of dietary fiber
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0 g of sugar
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15 g of iron
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14 mg of sodium
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7 mg of vitamin C
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33 mg of potassium
It also contains magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and folate.
Ginger recipes
Ginger can be used in many recipes especially in soups and curries. Here are some great ways to use ginger in your diet:
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Put some fresh ginger in smoothie or juice
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Add some dried or fresh ginger to homemade salad
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Use fresh or dried ginger to spice up meat or fish recipe
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Add pinch of ginger powder in your morning tea
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Put fresh ginger in chicken soup
Benefits of ginger tea
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Relieve from nausea
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Relieve from stress
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Improves stomach performance
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Reduces inflammation
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Improves blood circulation
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Strengthens immunity
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Fights respiratory problems
