Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is a common ingredient adding spice and special flavor to many Asian and stir-fried dishes. It is an underground rhizome that grows in many parts of the world. The plant grows up to three feet and produces up to 2-5 sections of ginger root. Its flesh is yellow, white, or red depending on its variety.
Scientifically known as Zingiber officinale, ginger has been a part of many ancient writings because of its aroma, culinary, and medicinal properties. The name is derived from its Sanskrit name “singabera” which means horn-shaped, a physical characteristic evident to ginger.
Active components of ginger
Different studies have isolated the key components present in ginger that are responsible for its medicinal effects. Chemical analysis shows that ginger contains over 400 different compounds including carbohydrate, lipids, terpenes, phenolic compounds, amino acids, raw fiber, phytosterols, vitamins, and minerals.
What are the benefits of ginger?
Ginger supplement has long been used as a medicinal plant in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Modern scientific research provides solid proof as to its health benefits. Because of its powerful components, ginger is one of the most common ingredients present in many health supplements. It is used as treatment for various diseases and results are backed up by clinical studies.
Cancer
Several studies have explored the role of ginger supplement in suppressing the growth and inducing the death of a variety of cancers including breast, ovarian, colon, liver, pancreatic, prostate, and brain. The ability to prevent and treat cancer comes from its antioxidant and antimutagenic properties. One active ingredient called 6-gingerol induces the death of gastric cancer cells while another ingredient, 6-shogaol reduce the viability of cancer cells by damaging their microtubules. It has been reported in laboratory animals that administration of ginger extract significantly reduces the ulcer area (1).
Arthritis
Probably the most common ginger health benefit is its ability to decrease inflammation and muscle soreness. The plant has been used for decades for the treatment of arthritis. It has been noted that individuals who consume ginger experience significant reduction in joint swelling, pain, and show improvement in their mobility. In laboratory experiments, it has been shown to act in a similar fashion with NSAIDs. Ginger inhibits cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase and lowers the chemical messengers of inflammation (2, 3).
Cardiovascular disease
Another ginger health benefit is its ability to lower the bad cholesterol and triglyceride level makes it a promising health supplement for different cardiovascular diseases. It has been observed that ginger can act as a calcium channel blocker. It also promotes smooth muscle relaxation of blood vessels to help reduce high blood pressure. Animal trials have proven to be effective and the few human trials demonstrated significant anti-platelet activity. With the ability to treat the various aspects of cardiovascular disease, ginger supplement offers a cheaper natural alternative to conventional drugs at even lower side effects (4).
Bacterial Infection
Ginger possesses anti-bacterial components that makes it very effective in dealing with bacterial infection. Extracts of ginger inhibited the growth of many pathogenic microorganisms including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Proteus mirabilis. These organisms have been implicated in many deadly human infections. Since ginger acts in a similar way as regular antibiotics, patients can take the natural remedy at home as the first line of defense against bacterial infections (5).
Because of the powerful health benefits of ginger, we have incorporated the herb into our products. They include:
The amount of ginger in all of these products has been carefully formulated by health experts to maximize its health benefits. When combined with other powerful herbs, each of these works synergistically to boost your overall health.
How much ginger should I take daily?
Whenever possible, one should take the fresh herb. The ginger health benefits can be enjoyed by steeping a few slices in warm water to make a tea. But aside from that, there are other ways to enjoy ginger supplements.
What are the side effects of ginger?
Since ginger is a natural food ingredient, it is considered to be safe and gentle to use when taken by mouth or when applied to the skin. Because our product has been carefully formulated by health experts, even the rare side effects like heartburn, diarrhea, and stomach discomforts have been greatly reduced.
However, for pregnant and lactating women, it is still best to avoid any health supplement for safety reasons.
Conclusion
Nature has always its way of healing the body. Ginger is one of nature’s gift to humans to deal with various health problems. Its long history of medicinal benefits and the modern researches all prove that you can never go wrong with ginger. Take ginger today and experience its healing power.
Bonus: Check out our Facebook Live video, "3 Things to do in the Cold Weather to Stay Healthy", featuring Dr. Ware's ginger and turmeric drink!
References:
- Ginger and Its Constituents: Role in Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancer
- Anti-inflammatory and Anti-oxidant Properties of Turmeric Versus Ginger
- Ginger—An Herbal Medicinal Product with Broad Anti-Inflammatory Actions
- Ginger: A hot remedy for cardiovascular disease?
- Antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity of ginger extract
