Photo of ginger in its raw root form (http://sites.udel.edu).
Benefits:
- Alleviates various types of nausea like motion sickness and morning sickness in pregnant woman
- Anti-inflammatory- reduce joint pain and swelling (primary benefit)
- Treats cardiovascular conditions
- Lowers blood sugar
- Reduces coughs and other cold symptoms
- Lowers cholesterol
- Fights infections and inhibit growth of bacteria
- (Leech, 2015)
Forms:
- Raw or Pickled added to hot water with other helpful ingredients can cute a sore throat
- Cooked into your food helps with arthritis pain
- Tea that is made with ginger is helpful for nausea
- Powder can be added to food to help a persistent cough or headaches
Risks:
The most common side effects of ginger occur when taken in very high amounts. When taken in high dosages, side effects include heartburn, diarrhea, and burping. Ginger should not be taken along with blood thinning medications, due to gingers notable effect of slowing the blood clotting process.
Active Ingredient:
The active ingredient if ginger is Gingerol which is a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and antioxidant.
Additional Information:
Ginger is a flowering plant that originated in Southeastern Asia and is very popular in asian cuisine. Ancient Romans started importing the ginger spice from Asia, despite the expensive cost that it used to have, and eventually the popularity grew to middle-eastern, Indian, and Mediterranean countries.
For a recipe click here.