Ginger: Tasty Little Spice With Big Health Benefits

Ginger could be considered one the most used holiday spices. Everything from Granny’s homemade cookies, to holiday cocktails, to side dishes that compliment your holiday feast may contain ginger. It’s a good thing because during the season of giving, ginger provides the gift of health.

Here are some scientifically proven health benefits of the tasty superfood and ways you can use it in your kitchen.

Why Is Ginger Such A Potent Spice?

Ginger has historically been considered a healing plant. Its root has been used for over 5000 years medicinally, as a delicacy, and as a spice. Today it is most popular as a spice used in foods and drinks, but it still packs a healthy punch for those who use it frequently. Its uses for fighting disease are still constantly being researched.

According to WebMD (2016), ginger possesses chemicals that could reduce nausea and inflammation. The chemicals are believed to work primarily in the stomach and intestines, and they may also work in the brain and nervous system to help control different types of nausea. WebMD also attests that it can help with upset stomach, IBS, colic, gas diarrhea, and other stomach issues.

Here are some more amazing health issues that ginger can help tackle:

Ginger Has Cancer Fighting Properties

Mankind has been searching for a cure for cancer for decades. It’s one of the most frightening diseases of this century. The National Cancer Institute (2016) stated, “In 2016, an estimated 1,685,210 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 595,690 people will die from the disease.”

READ Cancer is a Fungus: Treating Cancer with Baking Soda

Researchers have also looked to ginger as a promising natural way to battle cancer. Any agent that helps prevent, suppress, or reverse the development of cancer is called a chemopreventative. 6-Gingerol is recognized as being a chemopreventative according to a review of research. Researchers say that the  major pharmacologically-active component of ginger, 6-Gingerol, possesses anti-cancer activities (Poltronieri et al., 2014).

Ginger Lowers Blood Sugar For Type 2 Diabetics

Have you been struggling to get your A1C levels where they need to be despite being on prescription medication? A study by Mozaffari-Khosravi et al. (2014) showed that ginger can lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. 

According to the research, patients successfully lowered their blood sugar by taking 1 gram of ginger three times daily over a period of 8 weeks. Talk to your doctor about adding ginger to your daily regimen if you still struggle with high blood sugar. If your doctor approves, they may need to adjust your prescription medication because ginger can interact with certain medications.

READ Want To Stop Type 2 Diabetes? Go Nuts!

Reduce Muscle Pain And Soreness

Just starting to work out again? Work out two hours plus a day? Whatever type of muscle soreness you are experiencing, it can be soothed with the help of ginger.

Researchers from the University of Georgia found taking a daily dose of ginger reduces muscle pain brought on by exercise. Di Leonardo (2010) reports that the study even found that heating ginger may release additional benefits.

Use ginger as an ingredient in your next meal or take one to two drops of ginger oil orally to help alleviate muscle pain and soreness.

Additional Ways Ginger Helps, Uses & Precautions

Ways Women Find Relief With Ginger

Women may really want to keep ginger handy. It has ways of helping us through certain times in our lives that are inevitable. However, those times don’t have to be uncomfortable if you look to ginger for relief.

Treating Morning Sickness

National Institutes of Health (2012) states, “Studies suggest that the short-term use of ginger can safely relieve pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting.”

If you are suffering from mild to severe morning sickness, treat it in a natural way that you can feel safe about for you and your unborn child.  Ginger can be taken in capsule form, oil form, or enjoy a warm, homemade cup of ginger tea.

To make the tea:

• Grate fresh ginger into a cup
• Pour boiling water over the ginger
• Allow steeping for at least 15 minutes (you may want to add honey to sweeten it)
• Enjoy

Reduce Menstrual Pain

Dr. Tori Hudson (2012), a naturopathic physician, reported on a study of the use of ginger in 105 Iranian women for menstrual cramps. Hudson states that it does have a profound impact when it’s used consistently starting a few days before menstruation. The anti-inflammatory properties of the ginger are what help the body.

Keep track of your cycle; start taking some form of ginger the week before you expect it to begin. That way you prevent the awful cramping and pain that is associated with it. It would be easy to take a capsule in the morning while you are taking your daily multi-vitamin to make it a habit before you start your day.

READ Best Home Remedies For Menstrual Pain

Other studies report that if you take 500 mg of ginger three times per day during your cycle that it works as well as ibuprofen or other over the counter medications (WebMD, 2016). If you are one of the many people who don’t like to take medications, you can use ginger as a natural was to alleviate pain.

Ways to Consume Ginger

Throughout this article, there are suggestions on how to consume ginger including: taking ginger oil, consuming capsules, and making ginger tea, but there are many other ways ginger is used and eaten including:

• Pickled ginger
• Drinks – ginger ale and alcoholic beverages
• Ginger candy – Try the Prince of Peace soft chew candies linked at the end of the article.
• Ginger wine
• In some cultures, the juice is used for cooking or to treat burns
• Ginger powder is also available for cooking

Precautions

Before changing your daily dietary routines, it’s always a good idea to consult your doctor. You never know when something as seeming harmless as a spice can have adverse effects when mixed with any medications you may be taking.

Every body is different. Some people have skin reactions to ginger; others may need to have their medications adjusted due to the addition of ginger, and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s always best to consult your doctor first.

Better safe than sorry!

READ Health Benefits of Ginger: Ginger as Medicine

Conclusion

Ginger is used a lot during the holidays, and maybe that’s why we are in such good spirits. Our bodies feel good from consuming it. However, you don’t have to limit the use of this spice to a few months per year. It is clinically proven to be good for you to use as part of your regular dietary intake.

Spice up your life and see if ginger helps you.