Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is widely used in Jamaica, because of the flavour it adds to our meals, especially juices, meats, etc. As a matter of fact, when I was a child, homemade ginger beer was something that our parents made a lot, especially at Christmas time. It is also one of the main ingredients in our popular sorrel drink, which is found in almost every home during the Christmas season.

It makes a good tea as well and most persons will drink this when they have a stomach issue, the flu and other illnesses. They do this because our older folks would recommend it, but most of us do not know the real benefits of ginger.

I decided to find out some of its benefits and came across an article by Medical News Today, that was published on September 11, 2017 titled “Ginger: Health benefits and dietary tips” and decided to share what I found there, so that you too can learn about the benefits of ginger.

BENEFITS:

Scientific analysis shows that ginger contains hundreds of compounds and metabolites, some of which may contribute to health and healing. Of these, the gingerols and shogaols have been most extensively researched.

1. Digestion
The phenolic compounds in ginger are known to help relieve gastrointestinal (GI) irritation, stimulate saliva and bile production, and suppress gastric contractions as food and fluids move through the GI tract.

At the same time, ginger also appears to have beneficial effects on the enzymes trypsin and pancreatic lipase, and to increase motility through the digestive tract. This suggests ginger could help prevent colon cancer and constipation.

2. Nausea
Chewing raw ginger or drinking ginger tea is a common home remedy for nausea during cancer treatment.

Taking ginger for motion sickness seems to reduce feelings of nausea, but it does not appear to prevent vomiting.

Ginger is safe to use during pregnancy, to relieve nausea. It is available in the form of ginger lozenges or candies.

3. Cold and flu relief
During cold weather, drinking ginger tea is good way to keep warm. It is diaphoretic, which means that it promotes sweating, working to warm the body from within.

To make ginger tea at home, slice 20 to 40 grams (g) of fresh ginger and steep it in a cup of hot water. Adding a slice of lemon or a drop of honey adds flavor and additional benefits, including vitamin C and antibacterial properties.

This makes a soothing natural remedy for a cold or flu.

4. Pain reduction
A study involving 74 volunteers carried out at the University of Georgia found that daily ginger supplementation reduced exercise-induced muscle pain by 25 percent.

Ginger has also been found to reduce the symptoms of dysmenorrhea, the severe pain that some women experience during a menstrual cycle.

5. Inflammation
Ginger has been used for centuries to reduce inflammation and treat inflammatory conditions.

A study published in Cancer Prevention Research journal reported that ginger supplements, which are available to buy online, reduced the risk of colorectal cancer developing in the bowel of 20 volunteers.

Ginger has also been found to be “modestly efficacious and reasonably safe” for treating inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

6. Cardiovascular health
Other possible uses include reducing cholesterol, lowering the risk of blood clotting, and helping to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. More research is needed, but if proven, ginger could become part of a treatment for heart disease and diabetes.

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