Ingredient Deep-Dive: Ginger
With its distinctive flavor and fragrant aroma, ginger is a staple in many savory and sweet dishes around the world. But it’s also well known as a nutritional powerhouse, packed with health benefits galore. Read along to learn more about what makes ginger so beneficial to your health and well-being.
What is ginger?
Ginger, or Zingiber officinale, comes from a flowering plant that is native to southeastern Asia and is a close relative to turmeric and cardamom. Its underground stems, which are the fat, knobby rhizomes that you see when you pick up ginger at the grocery store, are what’s most prized for eating and healing purposes.
You can use ginger in various forms: fresh, dried, ground, and preserved. It adds a nice touch of flavor to savory dishes such as curries, soups, and stir-fries, and also adds a warmth and spice to tea, baked goods, and other sweet treats (like gingerbread).
What are the benefits of ginger?
Here are 7 benefits of ginger, which are supported by scientific research.
1. It contains gingerol, which has strong medicinal properties.
Ginger has long been used in various forms of traditional and alternative medicine, for various purposes such as helping with digestion, reducing nausea, and fighting the flu and common cold. Its benefits are largely linked to the presence of gingerol, a bioactive compound that has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, according to research.
2. Can help treat chronic indigestion
Because of the magic gingerol compound, ginger can help speed up the passage of food through the stomach and move it through the digestive process. It can help treat symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and nausea. A 2015 study found that participants who consumed a ginger and artichoke supplement before eating a main meal reported a significant improvement in symptoms of indigestion.
3. Can help fight germs and infections
Ginger is packed with anti-microbial properties, which help equip it to fight off bacterial and fungal infections. It’s especially effective at stopping growth of bacteria like E.coli and shigella, as well as oral bacteria that can cause periodontal disease (a serious gum infection).
4. May help with weight loss
Oxidative stress is caused by damage from free radicals in the body, but ginger’s antioxidant properties help control these free radicals and may help stabilize blood sugar levels. Keeping blood sugar stable can be key to losing weight.
5. May reduce menstrual pain
Ginger may help relieve menstrual pain, and some research has suggested that ginger can be as effective as ibuprofen in relieving menstrual pain.
6. May help lower cholesterol levels
The risk of heart disease is increased with the presence of high levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. But in a 2022 study, researchers found that consuming ginger significantly reduced triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, while increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
7. May help reduce cancer risk
Because of gingerol and its various anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, ginger may have some anti-cancer properties. There has been some evidence that these compounds may help reduce the risk of gastrointestinal cancers (such as pancreatic and liver cancer).
Adding ginger to your diet
If you want to add more ginger to your diet, you can do so in many ways! You can brew yourself a cup of ginger tea by peeling and slicing a fresh knob, pouring boiling water over it, and letting it steep for 10 minutes before enjoying.
But don’t limit yourself to just that! Below are a few recipes that I’ve previously shared which feature ginger as either the star component or a supporting cast member:
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