We have looked at alot of different spices so far, and now it’s time for one of the most common ones; ginger. The origins of ginger go back for nearly 2,000 years to when it was exported from India and was used in many different ways. Throughout the years, ginger has primarily been used as a spice, but can also be made with tea and even the smell has some redeeming qualities.
Ginger can be used in many different ways, is pretty easy to find and is cheap like many other spices out there. So why should you be incorporating more ginger into your daily diet? Let’s take a look at all of the great benefits that you can get just from adding a little bit of ginger on a regular basis.
For Sore Stomachs
The main reason that a lot of us will get a sore stomach is because the digestive tract has become inflamed. A common ailment related to this is dyspepsia, which causes chronic pain due to indigestion. Ginger has been shown to help remedy this disease by emptying out the stomach much faster, by up to 50 percent.
If you’re one of those people that feels nausea more frequently, ginger can also be beneficial. Women who are pregnant and people going through chemotherapy have commonly received ginger as a form of treatment. Ginger has also been shown to help relieve menstrual cramps, making it the ultimate tool in the fight against abdominal pain in just about any variation.
Heart Healthy
Many heart diseases can be traced back to a lack of blood flow, which can be treated with more ginger. The magnesium and chromium levels will help to open up your bloodstream for increased flow, which will improve your heart health right away. Not only that, but ginger has been found to help with the blood sugar levels of those with diabetes.
Diabetes is frequently linked to heart disease. Studies have shown that incorporating ginger has helped to lower the fasting blood sugar of these patients by more than 10 percent. In turn, that has allowed patients to see a reduction in their chances of heart disease by about 25 percent, which is a much larger number than it appears.
Ease the Pain
Because it is an anti-inflammatory, ginger can be used to treat a lot of different pains in the body. Starting with the head, ginger has been shown to prevent the prostaglandins from causing migraine headaches, leading to instant relief. The pain relief can be felt throughout the body, and studies have shown what it can do for those that exercise frequently.
Muscle pain is obviously pretty common if you are lifting weights or exercising on a daily basis, and patients were given ginger for nearly two weeks. These people experienced a reduction in muscle and joint pain, making it easier to get through a workout. Even those with arthritis were able to feel pain relief from the chronic bone ailment, which people who have arthritis would consider a godsend.
Brain Food
We mentioned that ginger can be beneficial for those that suffer from migraine headaches, and there are other neurological disorders it can help with, as well. Since it does have anti-inflammatory properties, ginger helps to fight off the free radicals that cause neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Ginger can help prevent these diseases, as well as treat those that already have them. Studies have shown that ginger is beneficial for boosting memory and reaction times for those that have Alzheimer’s while reducing your chances of getting it down the road. You have to be good to your brain so that you can keep using it into your later years, and ginger plays a big part in that.
Cancer and Cholesterol Killer
There are certain types of cancer that ginger has been shown to be great at helping to prevent. The main one is colon cancer, as the digestive benefits you get from ginger will help your body prevent the growth of cancer cells in this area. Other types of cancer that early studies have been conducted on include breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Though it’s too soon to say that ginger can help treat these forms of cancer, the signs are encouraging.
For those that have high cholesterol, you can add some ginger powder to your diet to help bring your numbers down. Studies show that just three grams of ginger per day can help to reduce the LDL (bad) cholesterol levels that cause a lot of heart diseases. There is also evidence that it can lower triglycerides, which is also beneficial. Though it doesn’t appear that ginger will raise your HDL, the positive benefits are there otherwise.
Everyday Medicine
There are many people that just can’t seem to go a week without getting a minor ailment in one way or another. Whether it be heartburn, the flu or the common cold, ginger has been shown to relieve symptoms. Again, we go back to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that are found in ginger. It helps to kill all of the harmful germs that might be making you sick while preventing them from coming back with an immune system boost.
Even infections and oral problems can be treated with ginger powder, swishing it around in your mouth with water for an added bonus. Upper respiratory infections can be quite common, and you can flush out the excess phlegm by using more ginger. The anti-inflammatory properties help your lungs expand, making getting over a cough that much quicker.
Summing it Up
With all of the great benefits that you can get from ginger, there has to be a catch, right? Actually, ginger is one of the safest “superfoods” that you can take, especially in the spice department. You just have to make sure that you’re not clashing with your medication, as ginger can react negatively with certain blood thinners and diabetic medication.
There are some very minor side effects from taking too much ginger, such as gas, heartburn and skin rashes. Since ginger is used to help with heartburn, you really have to take a lot to have the adverse effect. You should be taking under five grams per ginger each day to get the benefits without any of the nagging side effects.
Outside of those minor hiccups, you can add ginger to just about anything. Many people prefer to use ginger powder in their tea, while others simply put it on food. No matter how you are getting more ginger, you are doing yourself a huge favor by increasing your overall health thanks to this wonderful spice.