The medicinal properties of ginger

The medicinal properties of ginger

Ginger is a tropical plant with long green leaves and a thick underground stem, it is used in many forms, fresh, dried, pickled, crystalized, candied, or powdered. It is one of the most popular spices in the world, it has a strong aroma and spicy taste, and it is used in many dishes, teas, soups, and beverages. Ginger was used for medicinal purposes even in the times of ancient China and India, thousands of years ago.

For a long time, ginger has been associated with multiple health benefits for the body, like alleviating stomach difficulties, diarrhea, nausea, pregnancies, or different kinds of inflammations. Today it is often used as a supplement in the form of its dried root, pills, or extracts.

Ginger has many medicinal properties:

- Alleviates nausea, gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger and is responsible for most of its medicinal properties. It improves the mobility of the digestive tract, which helps efficient digestion and alleviates nausea caused by all kinds of factors like chemotherapy, pregnancy, or bloating.

- It helps with inflammation, gingerol also has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It helps with reducing oxidative stress caused by free radicals in the body.

- It helps with strengthening the immune system, studies suggest that consuming ginger every day can strengthen the immune system. This can be the cause of the positive effects that ginger has on coughing and colds.

- It can help with cardiovascular health, studies suggest that consuming ginger every day can help coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, cerebrovascular disease, steatosis, and other chronic conditions. It can have preventive effects.

- It can lower cancer risk, because of its antioxidant properties it helps with oxidative stress caused by free radicals, and toxic substances that are created due to metabolism and other bodily processes. Free radicals and oxidative stress can play a key role in the development of cancer. Studies suggest that ginger can have positive effects when concerning cancer of the digestive tract, colon, stomach, pancreas, or liver cancer.

Ginger is considered generally safe for consumption, still, in some people it might cause drops in blood pressure, hypoglycemia, stomach irritation, ulceration, heartburn, and irritable bowel syndrome in sensitive patients. This can happen with pregnancies, especially if antiarrhythmic drugs are being used or other complications exist.

This text is intended for informational purposes only. If you experience any symptoms, it is recommended to seek advice from your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional.

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Bode, A. M., & Dong, Z. (2011). The Amazing and Mighty Ginger. Herbal Medicine - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/

Fletcher, J. (2023, December 22). Ginger: Uses, benefits, and nutrition. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265990#risks

News-Medical. (2019, February 27). Ginger: health benefits. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Ginger-Health-Benefits.aspx