Curious about the health benefits of eating ginger?
It seems everywhere you turn these days you hear about the benefits of ginger, and with good reason. Ginger root, which is actually part of the same plant family as cardamom and turmeric, has been used and traded as a hot commodity for thousands of years because of its incredible medicinal attributes.
So, what makes ginger such an extraordinary addition to one’s health regimen? In a word, gingerol. This oily resin has been widely researched because of its potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. While ginger is famous for soothing upset stomach and helping pregnant women who are suffering from morning sickness, there are also many ginger benefits for men.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of ginger that anyone can profit from:
- Pain reliever – Dealing with joint and body pain? It may be time to eat a small amount of ginger or make some fresh ginger tea. Gingerol, mentioned above, works on the body’s vanilloid receptors that are situated on sensory nerve endings. It can help relieve pain and will also fight inflammation in the body.
- Help with Diabetic Issues – Studies have shown that gingerols can help improve diabetes, naturally. In fact, a Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry study that came out in 2006 highlighted how ginger can help prevent diabetes and also protect against certain diabetic complications.
- Stomach Upset – When looking at the health benefits of eating ginger, one must talk about its incredible digestive upset relieving qualities. Anyone who deals with motion sickness, or is suffering from nausea from chemo, or morning sickness from pregnancy, should keep ginger in his or her home at all time. Studies have shown it can reduce the severity of nausea from chemotherapies, can relieve and reduce vomiting, and is also an antispasmodic agent (which can soothe the intestinal tract). Incredibly, it can also inhibit H. pylori!
- Help Those with Compromised Immunity – For thousands of years, Ayurvedic medicine has celebrated ginger’s ability to help give the immune system a boost. It is believed to cleanse the lymphatic systems and clear out toxins within the body with its anti-bacterial, antiviral and anti-parasitic properties.
Now that you are more aware of just a few of the benefits of ginger, you might be wondering what are some of the best ways to consume it. Here are a few ideas you can try:
- You can add fresh ginger – a piece about an inch long – to your juicer when making fresh fruit and vegetable juices.
- Try slicing a piece of ginger and adding it to your morning smoothie.
- Try warm ginger tea! There are many medicinal ginger tea brands on the market, or you can take an inch-wide nub and grate it directly into a mug (take the skin off first!). Add hot water, and top with fresh lemon and honey.
- Use ginger essential oils. This is the best way to get the highest levels of gingerol into the body in order to take advantage of the root’s medicinal properties. It can be taken orally or put directly on the skin (combined with a carrier oil).
- Add a bit of ginger power when cooking. The spice can help flavor a wide variety of dishes and is an easy way for you to add it to your daily regimen.
With so many ginger benefits for men and women, there is no reason not to incorporate this root into your life because the benefits of ginger are so great. It may take a time or two to get used to its spicy kick, but with repeated use you may become one of the many fans of this incredibly powerful root! To learn more about ginger, diet and recipes, visit www.BetterHealthKare.com
