Ginger has long been a favorite seasoning across the world but it also has the added benefits of supporting good health and providing medicinal purposes. Native to India, China and South-East Asia, ginger was first imported into Europe by the Romans and continues to be a high-commodity to this day, with several thousand tons exported every year.
Not only revered for its taste, but ginger also provides several medicinal properties that have been used for centuries to ease symptoms, side effects and discomfort and further research and studies are being carried out to discover just how far-reaching the effects of ginger can influence. Below we explore some of the common uses of ginger.
Easing the Symptoms of Nausea
Nausea is a common discomfort for many people, either through intolerance to certain food groups or as a side effect of many health treatments such as cancer treatments including radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Proton beam therapy is a relatively new type of targeted cancer treatment that reduces the symptoms of cancer treatment especially nausea and fatigue but is not always readily available. Ginger is recommended by many cancer care groups in the UK for easing the symptoms of nausea that occur due to cancer treatments and can be enjoyed in ginger biscuits, and ginger teas.
Ginger is also recommended as a natural remedy for morning sickness and only 1 to 1.5 grams is required to feel the benefit.
Reducing Joint Pain
The ginger root is often the most commonly used part of the plant for medicinal aid as it contains the active component of gingerol. Gingerol is a strong anti-inflammatory compound and has been proven to ease feelings of pain and improve mobility for individuals suffering from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis when ginger is made a regular part of the diet.
Ginger doesn’t have an immediate effect on joint and muscle pain but studies have shown that introducing 2 grams of ginger into your daily diet can significantly reduce the pain experienced during exercise or rehabilitation.
Assisting Diabetes Patients With Blood Sugar Levels
Further research is being carried out but studies that have already taken place have shown that ginger can have a potent effect on lowering fasting blood sugar levels in diabetic individuals. A 2015 study carried out with 41 patients with type-2 diabetes showed that 2 grams of dried ginger a day dropped fasting blood sugar levels by 12% and in addition, caused a noticeable drop in the markers that typically indicate a risk of cardiovascular issues.
Easing Menstrual Pains
Menstrual pains can be crippling for some women and it’s a frustrating experience to suffer once a month. Fortunately, studies have been carried out into the effectiveness of ginger on pains experienced during menstruation. A study carried out with 150 women, proved that just 1 gram of ginger added to the diet in the first few days of the menstruation cycle can significantly reduce pain levels, with as much or even greater effectiveness than common painkillers such as ibuprofen.
Assist Chronic Indigestion
Ginger has a further property of speeding up the rate at which the stomach empties which can help to ease chronic indigestion and the pains experienced with indigestion. The pains from chronic indigestion occur in the upper part of the stomach and can cause great discomfort. A study carried out on the effectiveness of ginger for chronic indigestion saw 24 healthy individuals take 1.2 grams of powdered ginger before every meal. The effects were extremely positive with ginger speeding up the rate of the stomach emptying by as much as 50%.
These are just some of the benefits ginger can have when enjoyed as a regular part of our diet and it doesn’t require much ginger to reap the effects. Simply enjoying a delicious ginger tea every day or a few grams of powdered ginger before a meal can help with your digestion and improve heart health.
This is a collaborative post supporting our Peace In Peace Out initiative.