Unexpected Advantages to Ginger for Your Health You Might Not Be Aware Of
Ginger, a popular culinary spice, is not just a flavour enhancer in your kitchen. Recent research and traditional knowledge have revealed that this humble root offers a multitude of health benefits, making it a versatile addition to your wellness routine.
According to WebMD, ginger can help alleviate pain associated with menstruation. The recommended dosage is 1500mg daily over the first three days of the period. Beyond this, ginger boasts at least ten additional health benefits.
- Easing Motion Sickness and Nausea: Ginger has been traditionally used to relieve symptoms such as motion sickness, morning sickness during pregnancy, and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
- Improving Heart Health: Ginger may support cardiovascular health by improving blood circulation and reducing risk factors like high blood sugar, triglycerides, and cholesterol.
- Aiding Weight Management: Ginger can promote weight loss by increasing thermogenesis, enhancing fat breakdown, suppressing fat accumulation, inhibiting fat absorption, and controlling appetite.
- Improving Blood Sugar Control: Studies show ginger can improve glycemic control, lowering blood sugar levels and A1C in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Supporting Digestive Health: Ginger stimulates digestive enzymes, helping break down food, speeding stomach emptying, and relieving bloating, gas, and indigestion.
- Enhancing Thyroid Function: Ginger promotes gut health critical for thyroid hormone recycling and absorption of thyroid medication, and it may slow inflammation-related thyroid damage such as in Hashimoto’s disease.
- Promoting Skin Health: Ginger may help improve skin texture by removing toxins, gently exfoliating, accelerating cell turnover, and combating aging, often used in topical applications like masks and scrubs.
- Boosting Brain Function: Ginger may enhance brain performance by increasing neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, potentially improving reaction time and cognitive function.
- Supporting Respiratory Health: Ginger’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects can reduce congestion, break up mucus, and support clearer breathing in inflamed airways.
- Relieving Menstrual Pain: Ginger is effective in reducing menstrual cramps and associated pain, owing to its muscle-relaxing and anti-inflammatory properties.
In addition, ginger strengthens the immune system to fight infections, soothes sore throats, and can alleviate muscle soreness after exercise. Regular consumption of ginger can lead to a long-term reduction in muscular pain during exercise. Ginger also shows promise in reducing the pain of osteoarthritis, particularly when used with massage therapy on the knees.
A 2015 study showed that ginger reduced fasting blood sugar levels in those with Type 2 diabetes when taken daily in powder form. This also improved levels of HbA1c (marking long-term blood sugar levels) by 10%. Hot ginger tea can help alleviate throat and nasal congestion, a common side effect of colds and coughs. Increasing your intake of ginger, lemon, turmeric, and garlic can help fight cholesterol.
Adding ginger powder to meals or incorporating ginger tea into your daily routine can be beneficial for health. Despite appearing expensive, a little ginger goes a long way. Embrace the versatility of ginger as you transform it from a simple spice to a powerful health promoter.
- With its potential to improve blood sugar control, ginger can be a valuable supplement for those dealing with chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes.
- Beyond enhancing the flavor of dishes, fitness enthusiasts might consider incorporating ginger into their routines for its role in reducing muscle soreness after exercise.
- For those looking to maintain a healthy diet, ginger, a popular component in healthy diets, may provide additional benefits such as fighting cholesterol and supporting digestive health.
- In terms of health and wellness, therapies and treatments incorporating ginger, such as topical applications or hot ginger tea, can help alleviate symptoms like throat and nasal congestion associated with medical-conditions like colds and coughs.
- CBD and ginger, both plants offering unique health benefits, can be combined for holistic fitness-and-exercise and healing, as both have been known to reduce chronic-diseases related inflammation and promote overall wellness.
