ginger is a flowering plant that originated in southeast Asia. it is one of the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet.
it belongs to the ginger family and is closely related to turmeric, cardamom, and galangal.
the rhizome (the underground part of the stem) is the part that is commonly used as a spice. it is often referred to as a ginger root, or simply ginger.
ginger can be fresh, dried, ground into powder, or used as an oil or juice. it is a very common ingredient in recipes. it is sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics.
here are 11 health benefits of ginger supported by scientific research.
1. Contains gingerol, which has a strong medicinal value
Ginger has a long history of use in various forms of traditional and alternative medicine. it is used to aid digestion, reduce nausea, help fight the flu and the common cold, and for a few purposes.
ginger's unique aroma and flavor come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol.
Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger. it is responsible for most of the medicinal properties of ginger.
according to research, gingerol has a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect. for example, it may help reduce oxidative stress, which is the result of too many free radicals in the body (1, 2).
Summary: Ginger is rich in gingerol, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
2. It can treat many forms of nausea, especially morning sickness
Ginger seems to be very effective against nausea (3).
it may help relieve nausea and vomiting in people undergoing certain types of surgery. ginger may also help with chemotherapy-related nausea, but larger human studies are needed (4, 5, 6, 7).
however, it may be most effective when it comes to pregnancy-related nausea, such as morning sickness.
according to a review of 12 studies, including 1,278 pregnant women, 1.1-1.5 grams of ginger significantly reduced nausea symptoms.
however, the review concluded that ginger had no effect on vomiting episodes (8).
while ginger is considered safe, if you are pregnant, consult your doctor before taking it in large amounts.
pregnant women who are close to childbirth or who have had a miscarriage are advised to avoid eating ginger. ginger is contraindicated in people with a history of vaginal bleeding and coagulation disorders (9).
Summary: Just 1-1.5 grams of ginger can help prevent various types of nausea, including chemotherapy-related nausea, postoperative nausea, and morning sickness.
3. May help with weight loss
according to studies conducted on humans and animals, ginger may help with weight loss.
a 2019 literature review concluded that ginger supplementation significantly reduced weight, waist-to-hip ratio, and hip-to-hip ratio in overweight or obese people. （10）。
A 2016 STUDY OF 80 OBESE WOMEN FOUND THAT GINGER ALSO HELPED LOWER BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) AND BLOOD INSULIN LEVELS. HIGH BLOOD INSULIN LEVELS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY.
study participants received a relatively high daily dose of 2 grams of ginger powder for 12 weeks (11, 12).
a 2019 review of functional foods also concluded that ginger has a very positive effect on obesity and weight loss. however, additional research is needed (13).
in animal studies, there is stronger evidence that supports ginger to help prevent obesity.
the weight of rats and mice or ginger extracts consumed with ginger water continued to decline, even in cases where they were also fed a high-fat diet (14, 15, 16).
ginger's ability to influence weight loss may be related to certain mechanisms, such as its potential to help increase the number of calories burned or reduce inflammation (13, 16).
Summary: Based on studies on animals and humans, ginger may help improve weight-related measurements. these include weight and waist-to-hip ratio.
4. Can help treat osteoarthritis
OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) IS A COMMON HEALTH PROBLEM.
it involves the degeneration of the joints of the body, leading to symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness.
One literature review found that pain and disability were significantly reduced in people who used ginger to treat OA (17).
only mild side effects, such as dissatisfaction with the taste of ginger, were observed. however, the taste of ginger and stomach upset still prompted nearly 22 percent of study participants to quit.
Study participants consumed 500 milligrams (mg) to 1 gram of ginger daily for 3 to 12 weeks. Most of them were diagnosed with knee OA (17).
Another 2011 study found that a combination of topical ginger, frankincense, cinnamon, and sesame oils could help reduce pain and stiffness in people with knee OA. （18）.
Summary: Some studies suggest ginger is effective in reducing the symptoms of osteoarthritis, especially knee osteoarthritis.
5. May significantly lower blood sugar and improve heart disease risk factors
this area of research is relatively new, but ginger may have powerful anti-diabetic properties.
in a 2015 study of 41 participants with type 2 diabetes, 2 grams of ginger powder per day reduced fasting blood glucose by 12% (19).
It also significantly improves hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), a marker of long-term blood glucose levels. HbA1c decreased by 10% over 12 weeks.
The apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein AI ratio was also reduced by 28 percent, malondialdehyde (MDA) was also reduced by 23 percent, and malondialdehyde was a byproduct of oxidative stress. Two major risk factors for heart disease are high apolipoprotein B/A-I ratio and high MDA levels (19).
however, keep in mind that this is only a small study. the results are incredibly impressive, but they need to be confirmed in larger studies before any recommendations can be made.
Encouraging news is that a 2019 literature review also concluded that ginger significantly reduced HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes. However, it also found that ginger had no effect on fasting blood sugar (20).
Summary: Ginger has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and improve various heart disease risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes.
6. Can help treat chronic dyspepsia
Chronic dyspepsia is characterized by repeated pain and discomfort in the upper part of the stomach.
delayed gastric emptying is thought to be the main driver of indigestion. interestingly, ginger has been shown to accelerate the emptying of the stomach (21).
in a small study in 2011, people with functional dyspepsia (unexplained dyspepsia) took ginger capsules or a placebo. an hour later, they were all given soup.
it takes 12.3 minutes for the stomach of people taking ginger to empty. it takes 16.1 minutes (22) for people who receive a placebo.
these effects were also observed in people without dyspepsia. in a 2008 study conducted by some members of the same research team, 24 healthy people took ginger capsules or a placebo. an hour later, they were all given soup.
compared with a placebo, the consumption of ginger significantly accelerates the emptying of the stomach. it takes 13.1 minutes for people taking ginger and 26.7 minutes for people taking a placebo (23).
Summary: Ginger appears to accelerate gastric emptying, which is beneficial for people with indigestion and associated stomach upset.
7. Significantly reduces menstrual pain
dysmenorrhea refers to pain felt during the menstrual cycle.
one of the traditional uses of ginger is to relieve pain, including menstrual pain.
IN A 2009 STUDY, 150 WOMEN WERE ASKED TO TAKE GINGER OR NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDS) DURING THE FIRST 3 DAYS OF THEIR PERIOD.
the three groups took four doses of ginger powder (250 mg), mefenamic (250 mg), or ibuprofen (400 mg) daily. ginger manages to be as effective as two nsaidsNSAIDs in reducing pain (24).
Recent studies have also concluded that ginger is more effective than placebo and is as effective as drugs such as mefenamic and acetaminophen/caffeine/ibuprofen (25, 26, 27).
While these findings are promising, higher-quality studies with more study participants are still needed (27).
Summary: Taking ginger at the beginning of menstruation seems to be very effective in relieving menstrual pain.
8. May help lower cholesterol levels
High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
the foods you eat can have a big impact on LDL levels.
in a 2018 study of 60 people with hyperlipidemia, 30 people who took 5 grams of ginger powder per day found that their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels decreased by 17.4% in 3 months (28).
while the decline in LDL was impressive, it was important to consider that the study participants received very high doses of ginger.
Many people cite a bad taste in their mouth as a reason they quit the OA study, in which they received a dose of 500 mg to 1 gram of ginger (17).
doses taken during hyperlipidemia studies are 5 to 10 times higher. most people may struggle to take a 5 g dose for long periods to see results (28).
in an earlier study in 2008, most cholesterol indicators were also significantly lower for people who took 3 grams of ginger powder (in capsule form) per day. their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels dropped by 10% in 45 days (29).
these findings are supported by studies of rats with hypothyroidism or diabetes. ginger extract lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol to a similar degree to the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin. （30）.
total cholesterol from all three study participants also declined. participants in the 2008 study, as well as lab mice, also found that their blood triglycerides were reduced (28, 29, 30).
Summary: There is some evidence that ginger can significantly lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol, and blood triglyceride levels, both in humans and animals.
9. Contains substances that may help prevent cancer
ginger has been studied as an alternative therapy for a variety of cancers.
the anti-cancer properties are attributed to the large amounts of gingerol present in ginger. a form is known as [6]-gingerol is considered particularly powerful (31, 32).
in a 28-day study of individuals at risk of normal colorectal cancer, 2 grams of ginger extract per day significantly reduced pro-inflammatory signaling molecules in the colon (33).
However, a follow-up study of people at high risk of colorectal cancer did not produce the same results. （34）。
there is some evidence (although limited) that ginger may be effective against other gastrointestinal cancers, such as pancreatic cancer and liver cancer. （35, 36）。
it may also be effective for breast and ovarian cancers. overall, more research is needed (37, 38).
Summary: Ginger contains a gingerol substance, which appears to have a protective effect on cancer. however, more research is needed.
10. Improves brain function and prevents Alzheimer's disease
oxidative stress and chronic inflammation accelerate the aging process.
they are thought to be one of the main drivers of Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline.
some animal studies have shown that the antioxidants and bioactive compounds in ginger can inhibit the inflammatory response that occurs in the brain. （39）。
there is also some evidence that ginger can directly help enhance brain function. a 2012 study of healthy, middle-aged women showed that taking ginger extract daily improved reaction time and working memory. （40）。
in addition, numerous animal studies have shown that ginger helps prevent age-related decline in brain function. （41, 42, 43）。
Summary: Animal studies have shown that ginger can prevent age-related brain damage. it can also help improve brain function in middle-aged women.
11. Can help fight infections
gingerol can help reduce the risk of infection.
in fact, ginger extract can inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria (44, 45).
according to a 2008 study, it is very effective against oral bacteria associated with gingivitis and periodontitis. these are inflammatory gum diseases (46).
Fresh ginger may also be effective against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common cause of respiratory infections. （47）。
summary: ginger may help fight harmful bacteria and viruses, thereby reducing the risk of infection.
Conclusion:
rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds, ginger has powerful benefits for your body and brain.
it's one of the few superfoods that really deserves the word.