Health Benefits of Ginger

As one of the healthiest and arguably tastiest spices, Ginger comes in two primary forms – fresh and ground. Ground is generally easier to incorporate into a recipe, while fresh ginger allows you to do much more. Whatever ginger you choose, you can count on it doing great things for your health. The root is packed full of different vitamins, minerals and compounds that help your body grow and repair itself, and your brain stay in tip-top shape.

Medicinal use
Ginger has a long history of being used in lots of medicinal treatments, and that doesn’t mean it’s one of those ingredients used in nonsensical medicine. The root or stem known as the rhizome is packed with phenolic compounds that helps improve your digestive system, when consumed regularly. It is also able to reduce the feeling of nausea, and bolster your body’s immune system to combat the common cold, flu and other similar problems. If you’re feeling bad, you can count on ginger to perk you up!
Reduce morning sickness

As well as reducing the feeling of nausea, ginger is particularly effective at reducing the effect of morning sickness in pregnant women. The root has been used for many years to help reduce this feeling, and it can be taken in a number of forms. Ginger tea is particularly effective, as is any food or drink that uses extracts of ginger to provide its unique flavor and boost of minerals and bioactive compounds.
Ginger has even been used to help cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. This treatment is known to cause nausea and sickness, and ginger is extremely effective in making these patients feel more comfortable.
Helps reduce muscle discomfort

Studies have shown that those who consume even as little as 2 grams of ginger every day for at least 11 days will experience reduced pain of up to 25% in their muscles. The test was conducted with participants performing elbow exercises, but it is believed that ginger will help reduce muscle pain and inflammation with any kind of exercise. This makes it a perfect food or ingredient for anybody who engages regularly in exercise.

Help ease osteoarthritis

With its anti-inflammatory properties, ginger has shown that it can help ease the effects of osteoarthritis. Studies have been performed that show how ginger reduces pain, and can even stop patients from requiring excessive pain medication, making this a fantastic natural alternative to man-made chemicals and drugs. The inflammation of joints (the cause of arthritis) can actually be reduced, and stiffness eased, by consuming even small amounts of ginger each day.

 Fight Infections

Gingerol is a bioactive compound found within ginger, and the main component in it, is infection-fighting abilities. When consuming ginger, you can help stop the growth of all kinds of bacteria, making it great for those who want to keep their immune system working well, as well as those who wish to fight away a number of illnesses and infections (including yeast infections, gum inflammation and even the likes of gingivitis).

It’s also been found that due to ginger’s anti-viral properties is can be effective in fighting the RSV virus, which is known to be a major cause of infections within the respiratory system.

Protects against Alzheimer’s disease

The high levels of antioxidants (gingerol, curcumin and zingerone) in ginger have been found to be an effective natural treatment in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. This is a disease that sees the brain aging quickly and memory loss accelerated. By consuming ginger the antioxidants have been shown to inhibit and even reverse the deposition of plaques in the brain which are associated with Alzheimer’s.

In addition it has been proven that consuming ginger extracts can actually improve memory, attention and cognitive function in middle-aged women.

 Aids the fight against cancer

You hear this about every food these days, but ginger really is a wonder food when it comes to the fight against cancer. In a study that involved 30 people, it was found that just 2 grams of ginger extract each day can reduce the amount of molecules in the colon that signal inflammation. There have also been studies that show how ginger can help reduce the chances of developing ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer and breast cancer. More research is required for complete evidence, but it’s widely understood that the antioxidant curcumin has been shown to interfere with cell signaling pathways, which suppresses the growth of cancer cells, while other antioxidants in ginger decrease inflammation, a factor in many cancers.