More than 400 chemical substances have been identified in ginger root
extracts and researchers continue to find new ones, with many having
health benefits.
Ginger has traditionally been used to help
lower inflammation. A 2023 study provided evidence of the biological
mechanism that underlies ginger’s apparent anti-inflammatory properties.
Ginger positively influences your gut by accelerating gastric
emptying, and thus reduces the potential for heartburn. Alongside other
spices, it can increase your gut microbiome diversity and, in turn, help
to suppress long-term weight gain.
Ginger can modulate pain
associated with menstruation, osteoarthritis, migraines and delayed
onset muscle soreness. Research also finds cardioprotective properties,
which may be attributed to antihypertensive and antiplatelet activity.
Roughly
5,000 years ago, ginger (Zingiber officinale) was a luxury item.1 The
root can be eaten fresh, pickled, preserved, candied, powdered or ground
and researchers have now found the mechanism through which ginger helps
reduce the symptoms of autoimmune diseases.2
Ginger is from the
same family as cardamom and turmeric and is indigenous to tropical
Asia. However, since ginger does not grow in the wild, the exact origins
are unclear. It has been used medicinally and in food for at least
5,000 years.3
When the Roman Empire fell, the ginger trade was
taken up by Arab merchants and spread across Europe. It continues to be
used in traditional medicine today. Ayurvedic practitioners promote
ginger to improve digestion and destroy toxins but warn that pregnant
women, people with high blood pressure, skin diseases, gallstones or
peptic ulcers should limit their intake. Data also suggests that adding
ginger to your diet can do more than impact autoimmune diseases....<<<Read More>>>...