Why Ginger Should Be In Your Diet

Ginger is a plant that has origins in Southeast Asia. It’s been used for ages as a fragrant and delicious ingredient in recipes. It’s also been historically used for medicinal purposes. Ginger is the ingredient responsible for the flavor you love in ginger ale, ginger candies, gingerbread, and so much more.

Positive Health Benefits of Ginger
Ginger contains gingerol, which occurs naturally in the root of the plant. Gingerol is great for gastrointestinal motility. Gastrointestinal motility is the rate at which food is processed through the stomach and continues along the digestive tract.

So, ginger encourages healthier digestion through its positive impact on gastrointestinal motility. However, that’s not all ginger can help with!

Ginger is reported to have several medicinal uses, including:

  • Nausea relief. Ginger’s stomach emptying effect can quell upset stomach and nausea. Particularly, ginger works wonders in treating nausea in chemotherapy patients and pregnant women.
  • Gas and/or bloating. Ginger can cut down on bloating or gas caused by inefficient digestion.
  • Improved cell health. Ginger contains antioxidants, which are compounds that help protect and prevent cell damage.

Ginger has speculative medicinal uses as well. Namely, a 2019 study points to the idea that ginger supports weight loss and maintaining a healthy BMI. In 2019, a scientific literature review established that ginger supplements considerably reduced the subject’s body weight and waist-to-hip ratio in participants who were overweight or obese.

Ways to Consume Ginger
Ginger is delicious and is jam-packed with health-boosting antioxidants and nutrients. There are several ways to consume ginger and reap the benefits of this superfood.

To start incorporating more ginger into your diet, you might:

  • Eat fresh ginger root. Ginger root can be grated, chopped, or sliced for consumption. This can be added to smoothies, salads, or stir fry.
  • Use dried or powdered ginger root. When cooking, you can use dried or powdered ginger root in your recipes to add flavor and nutrition.
  • Make ginger tea. Ginger tea is delicious and widely available at grocery stores. You can add some sugar or honey to make ginger tea extra tasty.
  • Make or buy ginger kombucha. Ginger kombucha packs an extra health-boosting punch. Kombucha is regarded as a healthy food because of its powerful probiotics, while ginger adds zest and antioxidants.

Conclusion
Ginger has several widely used medicinal purposes. Its most common use is to quell nausea and improve digestion. However, many studies show ginger helps weight loss, immune function, and more. There are many ways to eat delicious ginger and enjoy its benefits!

Sources:
Ginger Benefits | Johns Hopkins Medicine

11 Health Benefits of Ginger: Effect on Nausea, the Brain & More (healthline.com)

6 Best Ways To Eat Ginger (Make The Most Of It) (foodhow.com)