Health Benefits of Ginger - All You Need to Know

Ginger comes from a flowering plant originating in Southeast Asia. It adds flavor to food and has a variety of health benefits. You can use ginger fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice. It is included in many recipes as well as processed foods, home remedies, and cosmetics. Ginger contains gingerol, which has potent medicinal properties. Ginger has a long history of use in various forms of traditional and alternative medicine. It’s been used to aid digestion, reduce nausea, and help fight the flu and common cold. The unique fragrance and flavor of ginger comes from its natural oils, the most important is gingerol. Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger. It’s responsible for many of ginger’s medicinal properties. Gingerol has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, according to research. For instance, it may help reduce oxidative stress, which results from having an abundance of free radicals in the body. Ginger is effective in treating morning sickness and other forms of nausea, including pregnancy-related nausea. Ginger may help relieve nausea and vomiting for people undergoing certain types of surgery, and may also help reduce nausea resulting from chemotherapy. While generally safe, it’s best to talk with a doctor before taking large amounts if you’re pregnant. Ginger may not be suitable during pregnancy for people who are close to labor and those with a history of pregnancy loss or vaginal bleeding. It may also be unsuitable for people with clotting disorders. Ginger may play a role in weight loss, according to both human and animal studies. One 2019 review concluded that ginger significantly reduced body weight, as well as the waist-hip ratio in people who were overweight. Ginger’s ability to influence weight loss may be due to certain mechanisms, such as its potential to reduce inflammation. Ginger may lower blood sugar. Research suggests ginger may have anti-diabetic properties. In a 2015 study, 41 people with type 2 diabetes took 2 grams of ginger powder per day. And found a significant reduction in fasting blood sugar and HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes after taking ginger supplements. Anthor review analyzed results collected from 10 trials, in which participants took 1,200–3,000 milligrams (mg) per day for 8–13 weeks.

After 12 weeks:

their fasting blood sugar was 12% lower

their hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were 10% lower

their apolipoprotein B/ apolipoprotein A-I ratio was 28% lower

their (MDA) levels were 23% lower

Ginger may help manage indigestion by speeding up the passage of food through the stomach. Functional dyspepsia is when a person has indigestion — with symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, feeling too full, belching, and nausea — for no clear reason. It often occurs with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In one study, scientists found that consuming ginger before eating a main meal significantly improved the symptoms of indigestion in people with functional dyspepsia. Ginger may help relieve dysmenorrhea, also known as menstrual pain. Research has suggested that ginger is more effective than acetaminophen/caffeine/ibuprofen (Novafen) in relieving menstrual pain. Ginger May help lower LDL cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol, which is linked to heart disease. In a 2022 review of 26 trials, researchers found that ginger consumption significantly reduced triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, while increasing HDL cholesterol which is good cholesterol. It may be hard to include such high doses of ginger in your diet, particularly if you don’t like the taste of ginger. Supplementation may help with this. Ginger may have anticancer properties due to gingerol and various other antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds. There’s evidence that these compounds may help reduce the risk of gastrointestinal cancers, such as colorectal, pancreatic, and liver cancer. Ginger may improve brain function and protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Some research suggests that the compounds in ginger — may help prevent degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation may be key factors of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related cognitive decline. Studies suggest the antioxidants and bioactive compounds in ginger can inhibit inflammatory responses that occur in the brain. This may help prevent cognitive decline. Ginger’s antimicrobial properties could make it useful for fighting bacterial and fungal infections.

Laboratory studies have found it may be effective against:

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which is responsible for a range of diseases

Escherichia coli (E. coli), a cause of intestinal infections

Candida albicans (C. albicans), which causes fungal infections in the mouth, vagina, and others