Health Benefits of Ginger (2024)

FAQs

What are the hidden health benefits of ginger? ›

Health Benefits of Ginger

Gingerol, a natural component of ginger root, benefits gastrointestinal motility ― the rate at which food exits the stomach and continues along the digestive process. Eating ginger encourages efficient digestion, so food doesn't linger as long in the gut. Nausea relief.

Lowers Blood Sugar and Prevent Heart Disease

Eating ginger every day can regulate the production of insulin in patients with diabetes. Due to the cholesterol-lowering abilities in ginger, it prevents heart-related diseases and strokes. It also prevents the formation of blood clots which can trigger heart attacks.

It's used as a food flavoring and medicine. Ginger contains chemicals that might reduce nausea and swelling. These chemicals seem to work in the stomach and intestines, but they might also help the brain and nervous system to control nausea. People commonly use ginger for many types of nausea and vomiting.

How much ginger should you take daily? Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.

Today, health care professionals may recommend ginger to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting from motion sickness, pregnancy, and cancer chemotherapy. It is also used to treat mild stomach upset, to reduce pain of osteoarthritis, and may even be used in heart disease.

Ginger may help relieve nausea and vomiting and aid digestion . Antioxidants and other nutrients in ginger root may help prevent or treat arthritis, inflammation, and various types of infection. Ginger may also reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, and other health problems.

Many of ginger's vitamins and minerals are heat-sensitive. Accordingly, eating ginger raw is the best way to get the most out of it. Gingerol, the nutritious and spicy compound found in the root, is highly concentrated in its raw form.

Consuming foods and drinks with antioxidants, like ginger water, can help prevent and fight the negative side effects of ROS. One study found that that ginger could prevent or slow down kidney failure.

The most noteworthy concern is for those with bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia, where the blood doesn't clot properly, says Dr. Staller. “Ginger has mild anticoagulant, or blood-thinning, properties, which means it may increase the risk of bleeding,” he says.

Recent studies have also been reported the curing effects of ginger on diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart attack and it was also found that ginger therapy is more effective in detoxification of cadmium and mercury toxicity (Egwurugwu et al. 2007; Vitalis et al. 2007).

Is it better to eat raw ginger or boiled ginger? ›

Eat it raw or cook it—both are healthy: Research suggests that heating raw ginger (i.e., in cooking or making tea) reduces its ability to scavenge certain types of free radicals and increases its ability to scavenge other types—likely due to the conversion of gingerols to shogaols.

Ginger as an important dietary agent which possesses carminative effect, decreases pressure on lower esophageal sphincter, reduces intestinal cramping, and prevents dyspepsia, flatulence, and bloating (Ali et al., ²⁰⁰⁸; Chrubasik, Pittler, & Roufogalis, ²⁰⁰⁵; Lohsiriwat, Rukkiat, Chaikomin, & Leelakusolvong, ²⁰¹⁰).

Ginger was shown to reduce inflammation when taken in high doses for four weeks.

Lemon and ginger are normally good sources of vitamin C, antioxidants, fiber, vitamin B6, magnesium, and potassium. However, dehydrating and boiling the ingredients tend to remove these nutrients, leaving only small amounts in the final tea.

Ginger has been used for thousands of years for the treatment of numerous ailments, such as colds, nausea, arthritis, migraines, and hypertension.

"Ayurvedically dry ginger is considered better than fresh ginger. Dry ginger is better for gas, bloating compared to fresh ginger. Fresh ginger increases Vata while dried ginger balances Vata. Hence chewing fresh ginger or drinking fresh ginger tea for gas, bloating is not a great idea.