Ginger is a flowery root found in almost every country. Initially grown in Asia, it has spread and gained popularity throughout the world.
It is a common household ingredient and for good reason. Ginger is used as a spice in a number of dishes, drinks and desserts. It is also proven to boost one’s health due to its medicinal value.
Millions of people the world over swear by the healing power of ginger. You can eat it whole, ground, cooked or raw. Ginger is a spicy root that has proven to be an effective natural remedy for some common diseases.
So what would happen if you started eating ginger every day? Can too much of it be harmful to your health?
Let’s find out.
9 Benefits of Eating Ginger every day
Say Goodbye to Acid Reflux
If you’ve had heartburn before, you know how painful and uncomfortable this can be. Acid reflux/heartburn occurs when stomach acid goes up the food pipe. This causes a burning sensation that can last from minutes or hours.
This condition is caused by certain foods, alcohol or can sometimes be genetic.
What happens when over the counter medication is not helping? Ginger comes in handy! If you experience chronic acid reflux (twice or more times a week), ginger water can alleviate the pain.
Ginger offers relief to the stomach and reduces the production of too much acidity. You can eat raw ginger to keep heartburn at bay or simply make some ginger tea with honey.
Do this every day and acid reflux will be a thing of the past!
Aids in Weight loss
Aids in Weight lossNot big on hitting the gym or dieting? Try eating ginger. This magical root contains properties known asgingerolsandshogaols. These properties aid in the body’s biological activities.
They catalyze the process of metabolism and work to reduce cholesterol levels. You can add crushed ginger root to your meals, eat it raw or take ginger water first thing in the morning.
Note that while ginger aids in weight loss, you must complement it with good nutrition and sufficient exercise.
Natural Remedy for Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is an awful symptom for expectant mothers in the first trimester.
The feeling of constant nausea can slow you down because of the discomfort. Taking some limited amounts of ginger can ease these negative effects.
Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor before using ginger. Eating too much ginger during pregnancy has been shown to cause miscarriages.
Ginger has also been proven to reduce the symptoms of nausea, vomiting and car or sea sickness. It is also effective in relieving nausea and vomiting in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy.
Keeping Cancer at Bay
You and I live in a world that has seen cancer become one of the most pervasive terminal illnesses.
Ginger has been studied carefully and proven to have a compound that kills the root of some cancers. The6-shogaolis a compound in ginger targets the root cause of cancerous cells in the breast. The breast cancer stem cells are inhibited completely or their growth reduced when you eat ginger.
Improved Digestion and Acts as an Anti-Inflammatory
Ever get that nasty pain in the upper section of your stomach? This shows you have indigestion. If the pain is recurring, you’ve got chronic indigestion.
Failure to empty stomach contents in a timely manner is one of the main causes of indigestion. It means your stomach is not working at its optimum capacity.
One of the many benefits of eating ginger every day is that it will speed the process of emptying your stomach. Ensure you only consume reasonable amounts.
Stomach inflammation is often triggered by certain foods, drinks, drugs or medical condition. Taking excessive alcohol can also trigger inflammation.
Eating ginger every day will relieve this inflammation especially if the condition is recurrent.
Reduces Muscle Pain and Soreness
It’s not uncommon to experience muscle pain and soreness, especially after an intense workout session. This can significantly reduce your productivity and proper mobility.
Research has shown that eating raw or cooked ginger in small quantities every day reduces muscle pain.
The study showed that those who ate ginger everyday recovered faster from muscle soreness. Those who didn’t eat ginger took a longer time to heal.
Lowers Blood Sugar and Prevent Heart Disease
Ginger has powerful components that lower blood sugar levels and prevent heart disease.
Eating ginger every day can regulate the production of insulin in patients with diabetes.
Due to the cholesterol-lowering abilities in ginger, it prevents heart-related diseases and strokes. It also prevents the formation of blood clots which can trigger heart attacks.
Reduce Menstrual Pain
Any woman who has gone through periods can attest how painful menstrual cramps can be!
It can be a draining experience considering you have to endure these pains on a monthly basis.
One of the most useful ginger root benefits is a significant reduction of menstrual pain. Taking some water soaked in ginger or some honey infused ginger tea is all the pain relief you need.
It’s recommended to take this just at the onset of your menses and during the period. The more you eat ginger, the more the pain will reduce over time.
Always consult with your doctor when natural remedies do not work.
Lowers Risk of Infection
Thegingerolcompound found in ginger has been known to curb the risks of infections. This compound prevents the multiplication of bacteria by speeding up the healing process.
Some of the infections of ginger prevent you from include gingivitis and respiratory infections.
Ginger tea is very effective in treating common infections and viruses like the flu. Consuming at least 2-3 cups of hot ginger tea with lemon will help you recover from flu faster.
Is Ginger Good For You?
Based on these 9 health benefits, I would say YES, ginger is very good for you.
It’s a delicious, spicy root that is readily available whole or grounded. Incorporating it into your meals, smoothies or tea will significantly boost your health.
What do you think are some other health benefits of ginger?
Do you want to learn how to add ginger in your daily cooking? Check our Asian Cooking Class.
Or learn all the benefits of healthyfoodin our Healthy Eating Team Building Cooking Class.
