Powerful health benefits of ginger

Powerful health benefits of ginger
Ginger is a flowering plant that originated in Southeast Asia. It’s among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet.
It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family, and it’s closely related to turmeric, cardamom, and galangal.
The rhizome (underground part of the stem) is the part commonly used as a spice. It’s often called ginger root or, simply, ginger.
Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice. It’s a very common ingredient in recipes. It’s sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics.
Here are health benefits of ginger that are supported by scientific research.
- Ginger contains gingerol, which has powerful medicinal properties
Ginger has a very long history of use in both conventional and complementary therapies. A few of its uses include helping with digestion, easing motion sickness, and fighting the flu and common cold.
Powerful health benefits of ginger
The natural oils in ginger, of which gingerol is the most significant, are what give it its distinct aroma and flavor.
The primary bioactive ingredient in ginger is gingerol. It is largely to blame for ginger’s therapeutic qualities.
Research has shown that gingerol has potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. For instance, it might assist in lowering oxidative stress, which is brought on by the body having too many free radicals.
- It can treat many forms of nausea, especially morning sickness
Ginger seems to be very useful in preventing nausea.
It might aid those undergoing particular types of surgery in reducing nausea and vomiting. Ginger may potentially reduce nausea brought on by chemotherapy, but larger human studies are required.
It might, however, work best for nausea brought on by pregnancy, such as morning sickness.
This review, however, came to the conclusion that ginger had no impact on episodes of vomiting.
Even though ginger is generally regarded as safe, if you’re pregnant, see your doctor before ingesting significant amounts.
Powerful health benefits of ginger
Ginger is advised to be avoided by pregnant women who are on the verge of labor or who have experienced miscarriages. Ginger is not recommended if you have a history of vaginal bleeding or clotting issues.
- It helps with weight loss
Studies on humans and animals suggest that ginger may aid with weight loss.
According to a review of the research published in 2019 ginger supplements dramatically lowered body weight, the waist-hip ratio, and the hip ratio in overweight or obese individuals.
In a 2016 study of 80 obese women, it was discovered that ginger may also help lower blood insulin levels and body mass index (BMI). Obesity and high blood insulin levels are linked.
For 12 weeks, the study subjects consumed 2 grams of ginger powder every day in relatively high amounts.
A 2019 assessment of the research on functional foods came to the same conclusion that ginger was highly effective in reducing obesity and weight gain. However, more research is required.
Animal studies provide stronger support for ginger’s ability to help prevent obesity.
Even when they were also given high-fat meals, rats and mice who took ginger water or ginger extract continuously exhibited drops in body weight.
Ginger may have a positive impact on weight loss through a number of ways, including its propensity to boost calorie burn or decrease inflammation.
- It can help with osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a widespread medical condition.
It involves the deterioration of the joints in the body, resulting in symptoms including stiffness and discomfort in the joints.
According to one analysis of the research, patients who used ginger to treat their OA reported significantly less pain and disability.
There were only a few minor negative effects, such as a dislike of the flavor of ginger. However, stomach discomfort and the taste of ginger still led to the withdrawal of roughly 22% of the study subjects.
Between 500 mg and 1 gram of ginger were given to study participants every day for three to twelve weeks. The majority of them had been given a knee OA diagnosis.
- Lowers blood sugar
Although research in this field is still in its infancy, ginger may offer potent anti-diabetic capabilities.
In a 2015 study, 2 grams of ginger powder per day reduced fasting blood sugar by 12% in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a measure of long-term blood sugar levels, saw a significant improvement. In a 12-week period, HbA1c was lowered by 10%.
The Apolipoprotein B/Apolipoprotein A-I ratio decreased by 28%, while malondialdehyde (MDA), an oxidative stress consequence, decreased by 23%. High MDA levels and a high ApoB/A-I ratio are both significant risk factors for heart disease.
But remember that this was just one little study. The outcomes are very outstanding.
Powerful health benefits of ginger
- Helps treat chronic indigestion
Recurrent pain and discomfort in the upper section of the stomach are symptoms of chronic indigestion.
It is thought that indigestion is largely caused by delayed stomach emptying. It’s interesting to note that ginger has been demonstrated to hasten stomach emptying.
In a small research conducted in 2011, people with functional dyspepsia—indigestion without a known cause—were given ginger capsules or a placebo. They were all served soup an hour later.
These outcomes have also been noted in individuals who do not suffer dyspepsia. 24 healthy participants received either ginger capsules or a placebo in a study conducted by several members of the same research team in 2008. After an hour, soup was served to everyone.
The time it took for the stomach to empty in those who got ginger was 12.3 minutes. 16.1 minutes were needed for individuals who received the placebo.
These outcomes have also been noted in individuals who do not suffer dyspepsia. 24 healthy participants received either ginger capsules or a placebo in a study conducted by several members of the same research team in 2008. After an hour, the soup was served to everyone.
When ginger was consumed instead of a placebo, the stomach emptying process was noticeably sped up. People who received ginger took it in for 13.1 minutes, whereas those who received a placebo took it in for 26.7 minutes.
- It reduces menstrual pains
Ginger has been used for centuries to treat pain, particularly menstruation discomfort.
For the first three days of their menstrual cycle, 150 women were told to take either ginger or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) in a 2009 study.
The three groups each got four doses per day of either ibuprofen (500 mg), mefenamic acid (250 mg), or ginger powder (250 mg) (400 mg). Ginger was able to lessen discomfort just as well as the two NSAIDs.
Recent studies have also found that ginger is just as effective as medications like mefenamic acid and acetaminophen/caffeine/ibuprofen, and it is more effective than a placebo.
Although these results are encouraging, more thorough research involving bigger study populations is still required.
- It can heal cancer
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