Feeling sick? Why not give ginger a shot? This spicy root has been used to ease nausea and relieve menstrual pain for millenia. If you aren’t a fan ginger tea, why not try a firey shot of fresh ginger, lemon and honey or even home made ginger beer?
Ginger is no one trick pony, did you know there is scientic evidence that points to anti-cancer properties and even memory boosting powers? Let’s take a look at the top 10 reasons to keep ginger in your fridge.
- Relieves nausea
- Eases muscle pain
- Aids Digestion
- Boosts bone health
- Reduces oxidative stress
- Strengthens the immune system
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Mitigates obesity
- Prevents cancer
- Improves memory
What is Ginger anyway?
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a well-known herbaceous plant that has been used as both spice and herbal medicine for centuries.
This spicy root can be consumed in many ways, including fresh, dried, powdered, and in the form of juice, each of which may have health benefits. Ginger is a common ingredient in Asian cuisines and is also used in sweets and alcoholic beverages, such as ginger biscuits, ginger beer, ginger shot and wine.
What gives ginger its healing properties?
Most of the clinical health benefits derived from ginger are due to the bioactive compound gingerol.
In addition to this powerful compound in ginger, it is rich in vitamins and minerals including – sodium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin C, folate, and vitamin B6, which benefit health in multiple ways.
Health benefits of ginger:
1. Relieves nausea
Ginger may be an effective remedy for nausea and the symptoms associated with nausea, including dizziness, vomiting, and cold sweating. Just one gram of fresh ginger can significantly help prevent numerous types of nausea, including morning sickness, motion sickness, chemotherapy-related nausea, and nausea after surgery.
Interestingly, ginger has been found to be more effective in relieving the severity of nausea than vitamin B6.
Anh, N.H., et al. (2020). Ginger on human health: a comprehensive systematic review of 109 randomized controlled trials. Nutrients, 12(1), p.157. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019938/
Hardi H, Estuworo GK, Louisa M. Effectivity of oral ginger supplementation for chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in children: A systematic review of clinical trials. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. 2024;15(4):100957. doi:10.1016/j.jaim.2024.100957
Li Z, Wu J, Song J, Wen Y. Ginger for treating nausea and vomiting: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2024;75(2):122-133. doi:10.1080/09637486.2023.2284647
2. Reduces muscle pain
Ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory properties as it is rich in volatile oils that contain the potent compound gingerol. Due to this, regularly adding ginger to your diet may lead to reduced muscle pain (particularly following exercise-induced muscle injury) and improved mobility.
Additionally, ginger has been found to provide effective relief for pain related to periods, cramps, menstrual disorders, and migraines.
Moshfeghinia R, Salmanpour N, Ghoshouni H, et al. Ginger for Pain Management in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Integr Complement Med. Published online May 21, 2024. doi:10.1089/jicm.2023.0799
Chen L, Cai Z. The efficacy of ginger for the treatment of migraine: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2021;46:567-571. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2020.11.030
3. Aids digestion
It is usually beneficial to eat ginger or drink ginger tea if you are suffering from an upset stomach or diarrhea. Sipped ginger is known to be a digestive enhancer since it alleviates pain and discomfort in the stomach, soothes the intestinal tract, and aids with digestion.
Ginger provides relief for gastric dysfunction and indigestion as it speeds up the digestion process, leading to a protective effect on the gastrointestinal system.
1.
Lazzini S, Polinelli W, Riva A, Morazzoni P, Bombardelli E. The effect of ginger (Zingiber officinalis) and artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) extract supplementation on gastric motility: a pilot randomized study in healthy volunteers. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2016;20(1):146-149.
4. Boosts bone health
Ginger consumption may improve bone health and relieve joint pain. For this reason, ginger can be used to provide relief for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Due to the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger, it can reduce swelling and improve movement.
1.
Fares S, Omar M, Laurence A, et al. Over-the-Counter Anti-inflammatory Supplements for Adjunctive Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy: A Comprehensive Narrative Review. Aging Dis. Published online February 3, 2024. doi:10.14336/AD.2024.0131
Baek HI, Shen L, Ha KC, et al. Effectiveness and safety of steamed ginger extract on mild osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Food Funct. 2024;15(18):9512-9523. doi:10.1039/d4fo01640h
5. Reduces oxidative stress
Ginger extract may help reduce oxidative stress as it is rich in antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are compounds that prevent stress and DNA damage.
Oxidative stress occurs due to an excessive level of free radicals in the body and can lead to chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Ginger may help overcome the impact of free radicals on the organs and promote brain functioning.
Velayati A, Vafa MR, Sani’ee N, Darabi Z. Therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action of ginger and its bioactive components on inflammatory response, oxidative stress, the immune system, and organ failure in sepsis: a comprehensive systematic review. Nutr Rev. Published online December 15, 2023:nuad156. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuad156
6. Strengthens the immune system
As ginger is high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, its regular intake may strengthen the immune system.
The gingerol compound found in ginger has antimicrobial and antifungal properties to help fight infections.
Ginger can also be used to treat colds and flu and regain lost energy.
A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that fresh ginger appears to show antiviral activity against respiratory tract infections.
San Chang, J., et al. (2013). Fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale) has anti-viral activity against the human respiratory syncytial virus in human respiratory tract cell lines. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 145(1), pp.146-151.
7. Reduces the risk of heart disease
Ginger consumption may support blood health and circulation, as well as lowering blood sugar levels and total blood cholesterol. This can reduce the chances of developing blood clots and severe heart complications, such as heart disease, heart attacks, aneurysms, and strokes. Looking to improve your heart health? Why not give ginger a shot?
Dietary ginger intake may also decrease the levels of lipids in the bloodstream, reducing the possibility of heart attacks.
Using ginger in combination with a healthy and balanced diet can help maintain cardiovascular health.
8. Mitigates obesity
It may be possible to reduce your risk of obesity and accelerate weight loss through ginger consumption. Ginger boosts metabolism and can help manage certain risk factors for obesity, such as lipid levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, and metabolic syndromes.
A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition found that ginger supplements had a minor benefit on weight loss in obese women.
Attari, V.E., et al. (2016). Changes of serum adipocytokines and body weight following Zingiber officinale supplementation in obese women: a RCT. European Journal of Nutrition, 55(6), pp.2129-2136.
9. Prevents cancer
There is some evidence that ginger provides protection from certain cancer types, especially colorectal, pancreatic, ovarian, and breast cancers.
It has been suggested that gingerol has anticancer activity and inhibits the proliferation of cancer cell types.
A study published in PloS One found reduced tumor growth of pancreatic cancer cells due to the consumption of ginger extract.
Additional studies are required to confirm the implications of ginger on preventing cancer.
Akimoto, M., et al. (2015). Anticancer effect of ginger extract against pancreatic cancer cells mainly through reactive oxygen species-mediated autotic cell death. PloS One, 10(5).
10. Improves memory
Ginger consumption actively improves memory and cognitive function, as well as the risks associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
Ginger acts by reducing both inflammation and oxidative stress. A study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that ginger significantly enhanced the cognitive function of healthy, middle-aged women.
Saenghong, N., et al. (2011). Zingiber officinale improves cognitive function of the middle-aged healthy women. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2012(383062).
If you made it through to the end, you are probably gasping for a drink… why not make it a ginger shot?
Although ginger is relatively safe and recommended for many complaints (such as these 10 claimed benefits of ginger), it is a potent herb that acts pharmacologically so may be unsuitable for some people.
Always consult your doctor before taking any supplements, such as ginger, to see if they are safe for you.
Updated Novemeber 2024
