Ginger stems from a flowering plant that originated in Southeast Asia.
It enhances the flavor of both sweet and savory foods while also providing numerous health advantages. It belongs to the Zingiberaceae family and is linked to turmeric, cardamom, and galangal.
The rhizome (underground portion of the stem) is widely used as a spice. It is typically referred to as ginger root or just ginger.
Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, as an oil, or juiced. It is used in a variety of recipes, processed foods, home treatments, and cosmetic products.
However, the goal of today’s listicle is to explore seven of the best health benefits of ginger.
1. Can treat morning sickness and other forms of nausea
Ginger may help with nausea, including pregnancy-related nausea, sometimes known as morning sickness.
It could ease nausea and vomiting in persons undergoing some types of surgery, as well as chemotherapy-induced nausea.
Also, it is important to state that ginger should not be consumed by people who are nearing the end of their pregnancy or have a history of pregnancy loss or vaginal bleeding.
It is also not appropriate for people with clotting issues.
2. Can help treat chronic indigestion
Ginger may help with indigestion by speeding up the transit of food through your stomach.
Functional dyspepsia occurs when a person experiences indigestion with symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, feeling overfull, belching, and nausea for no apparent reason.
It is typically associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Ginger appears to speed up stomach emptying, which can be beneficial for persons suffering from indigestion and related stomach discomfort.
3. Ginger helps reduce cancer risk
Ginger may have anticancer benefits since it contains gingerol and other antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances.
These substances may assist in lowering the risk of gastrointestinal, colorectal, pancreatic, and liver cancer.
4. Can help fight infections
Gingerโs 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), is responsible for a range of diseases.
Escherichia coli (E. coli), is a cause of intestinal infections.
Candida albicans (C. albicans), which causes fungal infections in the mouth, vagina, and so on.
5. Reduces menstrual pain
Ginger can help treat dysmenorrhea or period pain. Essentially, it is a good treatment for menstruation pain.
6. Contains gingerol, which has potent medicinal properties
Gingerol is the primary bioactive ingredient in ginger. It accounts for many of ginger’s therapeutic benefits.
Gingerol contains potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may help reduce oxidative stress, which is caused by an excess of free radicals in the body.
7. May help with weight loss
Studies on humans and animals suggest that ginger may help in weight loss.
Ginger’s ability to promote weight loss may be attributable to several processes, including its capacity to lower inflammation.