Health Benefits of Ginger

Ginger's Health Benefits

Ginger has been used in cooking and traditional Asian medicinal practice for thousands of years. The Chinese are the first recorded users of ginger for health purposes. They regularly gave ginger to help with digestive disorders, diarrhea, and nausea.

The health benefits of ginger come from chemicals called volatile oils, specifically gingerols and shogaols, that also give ginger its spicy, pungent taste. Those oils stimulate your body to produce more digestive juices and help neutralize the stomach acids that cause cramping, nausea and diarrhea. Ginger is also a natural decongestant and antihistamine, which makes it a natural treatment for head colds.

The benefits of ginger have been well researched as modern science is discovering more and more therapeutic applications for this powerful herb. Ginger is a favorite medicinal as well as culinary herb. Unlike most spices, the part that has the most medicinal value grows under ground. Often mistakenly called “ginger root” this is actually the rhizome of the plant which is more of a subterranean stem than a root.

Although you can use dried ginger and powdered ginger for health benefits, fresh ginger is preferred. It is readily available in most supermarkets. Pieces of the rhyzome can be sliced off for use and the remainder stored in the refrigerator where it should keep for about 3 weeks as long as it is not fully peeled.

Some of the Many Health Benefits of Ginger are:

1. Aids in Digestion - Ginger are perhaps the best herb for digestion. It prevents indigestion and abdominal cramping. Ginger also helps digest fatty acids and break down proteins, aiding the digestion process. It is excellent for reducing gas.
2. Alleviates High Blood Pressure - Ginger improves and stimulates circulation and relaxes the muscles surrounding blood vessels, facilitating the flow of blood throughout the body.
3. Treats Nausea and Morning Sickness - Ginger has been widely shown to prevent as well as treat motion sickness. Ginger relaxes the stomach and relieves the feeling of nausea. In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps. Note: Excessive ginger can have negative results so pregnant women should consult with a health care professional prior to using.
4. Lowers LDL Cholesterol - Recent studies show that ginger might also have a role in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body as it impairs the absorption of cholesterol, instead helping convert it to bile acids and eliminating it from the body, that is, reducing the risk of developing heart disease. It has also been shown in animal trials to help slow or even prevent cancerous tumor growth.
5. Reduces Pain and Inflammation - Ginger can be used to treat any disease that is caused by inflammations such as arthritis or ulcerative colitis. So, it is a powerful natural painkiller. Some studies show that it can even help inhibit the replication of the herpes simplex virus.
6. Heartburn Relief - Ginger has long been used as a natural heartburn remedy. It is most often taken in the form of tea for this purpose.
7. Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment - Being a warming herb, ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu. This property also makes it effective in stimulating circulation of the blood. It can also help relax muscles around the blood vessels and is said to help prevent blood clots from forming. The warming effects make it a natural decongestant as well as an antihistamine, making it the perfect remedy for colds. Many people also find ginger to be helpful in the case of stomach flus or food poisoning, which is not surprising given the positive effects ginger has upon the digestive tract.
8. Migraine Relief - Research has shown that ginger may provide migraine relief due to its ability to stop prostaglandins from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels.
9. Menstrual Cramp Relief - In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.
10. Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy - A study done on diabetic rats found that those rats given ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).

As an added benefit, ginger may help fight potentially harmful intestinal bacteria like staphylococcus and E. coli. At the same time ginger encourages the growth of the helpful bacteria Lactobacillus. It can also help kill certain parasites. Because of its antibacterial properties ginger may help reduce the occurrence of ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori. It accomplishes this by increasing the stomach’s protective components limiting the ulcer’s ability to develop.

To discover the health benefits of ginger for yourself, simply make a tea by steeping about 5 slices of ginger in hot water. If you prefer it in your food, ginger is excellent in many dishes and is perfect when combined with garlic.