The many health benefits of ginger

I'm sure you've head of the old 'drink ginger ale for an upset stomach' home remedy, right? Many people think that it work because of the carbonation which makes you burp, releasing pressure. They're right...sort of. 

What actually works is the ginger in the ginger ale. Of course most commercially available sodas don't contain much (if any) actual ginger anymore so the relief you feel probably is from a combination of burping and adding liquid to your stomach which basically relieves pressure and 'waters down' the acids that are bothering you. 

Thankfully, soda companies are noticing the demand for real ginger and are reverting back to their old recipes which are pretty effective for an upset stomach....you do have to check the label to be sure though.

Real ginger however, will do the trick much more efficiently and do so much more! Ginger is amazing for reducing irritation of your stomach, helping with bile production, and relieving nausea. 

It is often given to people with digestive issues, women with morning sickness, and even cancer patients dealing with nausea. If you have digestive issues, you can definitely benefit from using ginger on a regular basis.

Health benefits of ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a great food to add to your natural healthcare regimen for more then just stomach upsets. It can also help with inflammation, arthritis, pain, circulation and so much more. Gingerols are the active compounds in ginger that are responsible for its anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Here are the reasons I add ginger to my diet daily:

Reduces inflammation and pain including muscle aches and arthritic pain
Reduces migraine pain
Has a warming effect and stimulates circulation 
Reduces symptoms of dizziness
Inhibits several well known bacteria and viruses 
Helps prevent motion sickness and nausea
Helps with vomiting
Reduce bacteria in the body
Reduces gas and intestinal spasms
Supports the digestive system

(There are many more potential benefits of ginger, but in the interest of time & space I'm just listing my reasons)

Ginger for your health

People who are prone to bacterial infections can benefit from ginger by reducing the bacteria in the body. There have been multiple studies done that show that ginger can actually kill some bacteria, including streptococcus and staphylococcus, when used in conjunction with the right antibiotics.

Ginger is going to boost the healing process and the ability to fight those bacterial infections, instead of just being used on its own. Ginger also helps with malabsorption. Help With Malabsorption

Another thing that ginger can do for your body is help you to absorb more of the minerals you consume. This means when you have healthy fruits and veggies, and other foods with important vitamins and minerals, you are able to absorb as many of those nutrients as possible. 

This helps to prevent malnutrition and ensures you get all the vitamins you need even without having to take an additional supplement.

Fresh ginger is best (of course) but studies have been done using powdered ginger in capsule form and have found it to decrease menstrual cramps, joint pain and help with nausea. 

Many people use ginger lozenges or candied ginger and still see benefits. I always add extra ginger to my diet during cold and flu season and rarely get sick. Coincidence?

Ginger can help to lower LDL cholesterol, but it can also help keep your blood from clotting, so check with your doctor before taking Ginger if you're on any blood thinning medications. 

Ginger is one of the most readily available teas and a good place to start if you want toget started using herbal teas for health purposes. It is available in dried root or tea bag form, although fresh ginger works the best.

How to choose and prepare ginger for tea

When buying fresh ginger, look for a firm root with smooth, taut skin. Once the skin starts to wrinkle and feel soft, it's already starting to age. If this is the case, pick a fresher piece. 

Ginger is one of those things that sound expensive, but really isn't. The current price near me is $3.99 a pound. That sounds like a lot, but the piece in the picture on the digital scale was under 3 ounces. That translates to a cost of $.68 and that piece lasted me over 2 weeks. I also grated and froze  the ginger that was left before it started to soften. 

Frozen ginger will last for several months. If I can get a months worth of ginger tea out of a $.68 piece of ginger...I'd say that the cheapest nausea remedy you can buy!

I often drink a ginger tea in winter. It's quite simple to prepare. First peel the ginger root with a spoon. Just hold the root in one hand and drag the spoon along the ginger towards you, scraping off the peel. Only peel what your going to use right away.

Slice the ginger into coins, then slice the coins into matchsticks. Then dice the matchsticks into tiny pieces. Add 1 tsp fresh diced ginger to 2 cups of boiling water. Remove from heat, cover and steep about 15 minutes. Strain (if desired) and drink. You can sweeten with honey to taste. 

Of course you can always buy ginger tea in teabag form to keep on hand for when you can't find fresh ginger in stores.

You can also add ginger to juices, smoothies, homemade salad dressings, baked apples, desserts, stir fry's, fish and pork dishes.

Did you know:

• Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family. Turmeric is also! Now are you surprised that Ginger is so good for you?
• Ginger can be grown at home using store bought ginger root. It's not fond of snow, so in certain climates it would need to be brought in over winter. Ginger does well in containers.
• We actually don't eat the root of the ginger plant, although everyone calls it ginger root. It's actually the rhizome which has small roots. We don't eat those, but if I said ginger rhizome you'd look at me funny so I went with root instead. I knew you'd understand!

Related reading: How to make ginger honey.

~L

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I am not a doctor or other health care professional nor do I claim to be. I am not trained in any medical field. I am simply passing on information that has worked for me. This information is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any medical condition. see a Dr if you are ill. Click for my full disclaimer.

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