Ginger is  very popular in my kitchen. I add it in my morning cup of green tea, in my curries and I also have ginger infusion water. Ginger tea is a childhood favorite. In  green tea or milk tea, I love my ginger.

With milk tea, adding too much ginger early on can curdle the milk. But with green tea, no such problem. Raw ginger has several amazing benefits. But it can be difficult to chew it raw. Adding it to my glass infusion water bottle, helps me have my raw ginger water without trouble.

Can you grow a ginger plant?

Yes. It’s easy. The only thing you need is a piece of ginger root. Just make small nicks, on a piece of ginger tuber and plant it in a little soil. The green shoot will appear and there will be several small ginger tubers appearing below it. Harvest when the green shoots die.

Ginger powder: is it any good?

Nothing like the natural and dried powder is used if you don’t have access to the real thing.

What are the active chemicals in Ginger?

The active ingredients in ginger root are gingerols, shogaol, and paradols. Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Benefits of ginger 

Antioxidant and anticancer effect

Ginger and some of its components are effective antioxidants in vitro. Due to the antioxidant property, it is considered to exert an anticancer effect. It has potential action in colon cancer. In humans in vivo action needs further research.

The cognitive improvement and neuroprotective effects occur due to the antioxidant effect.

Even dried ginger may have beneficial effects in treating dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease  (Ghayur, Gilani, Ahmed, Khalid, Nawaz, Agbedahunsi, Choudhary, Houghton 2008). But this effect in Alzheimer’s disease is not conclusive.

Better digestion and prevents nausea

Several research data show that active ingredients of ginger accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract. But the exact mechanism of action is still not clear.

Ginger also reduces cholesterol and improve lipid metabolism. This makes its role in the prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases significant.

A survey of a group of obstetricians and gynecologists: Most recommend taking an antiemetic (71.3%), and specifically ginger (51.8%), to patients with moderate to severe nausea (Power, Holzman, and Schulkin 2001).

Ginger has been recommended to combat nausea associated with chemotherapy.

Gingerol in ginger helps maintain orodental health by its antibacterial activity.

Ginger is used in many illnesses, such as colds, nausea, arthritis, migraines, and hypertension since ages.

Even when we see the safety profile of ginger, there is an incomplete understanding of the mechanism of action. Thus you need caution while trying any therapeutic uses. But including ginger in your diet will only enhance the taste. Do you include ginger in your diet?

Other posts in this series

Asparagus: Also a medicinal plant

Beetroot: Benefits and worries

What’s in a Carrot?

Disclaimer: This post is meant for spreading healthcare information and not meant as a replacement for a professional medical opinion. Always consult a medical professional before taking any decision related to health and healthcare. Healthcare information is a rapidly evolving field. While all attempts are made to keep this website updated, the author/s and or website disclaim all responsibility for any inadvertent omission/commission.   Read my full disclaimer.

Reference:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/

Sharma and Gupta 1998Grant and Lutz 2000

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5008850/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665023/