Ginger, the most common find, herb, or kitchen ingredient of every Indian household, is not confined to just the meal’s taste-enhancing purposes. This mini herb holds massive power through which one can prevent, treat, and heal countless health concerns and even serious disorders.
In fact, that is the actual reason why Ginger has been used as a preliminary element by our ancestors. Even in today’s time, our grandmothers or mothers incorporate this tiny potent herb in our routine diet in different possible forms such as routine meals, salads, raw slices, pickles, pastes, and so on.
In this blog, we have uncovered several meaningful insights related to Ginger followed by its scientific name, medicinal uses, different measures of consumption, necessary precautions, and possible side-effects.
So without any further ado, let’s get started!
Ginger's Scientific Name and Background
The scientific name of Ginger is Zingiber officinale. Being loaded with countless healing traits, the use of ginger helps to heal and cure both acute and chronic health concerns. In fact, that’s the reason why our forefathers made this potent herb a preliminary ingredient of routine meals.
Recognizing ginger benefits, not only in India but countries all over the world, started incorporating this herb into their diet and lifestyle in different possible forms. These days, ginger tablets (vati), churna (powder), juice (rasa), and pickles (acchara), etc, are available in the markets s for consumption.
What does Ginger look like?
Well, most of you might already know how ginger looks, smells, and tastes. But still, for the sake of spreading the word, let’s discuss it again.
- Appearance - Ginger can be described as a thick, knobby, and irregularly shaped underground stem that has a light brown outer layer and a pale yellow texture inside.
- Taste - When it comes to taste, ginger contains a spicy, hot, and pungent aroma that provides warmth to your body and keeps the digestive fire awakened and strong.
- Parts - Every part of the ginger plant, whether it is the root, rhizome, leaves, or flowers, is helpful for your body and mind if utilized effectively.
Nutritional Value of Ginger
Every slice or bite of ginger itself works as a curative medicine due to its high nutritional count and healthy antioxidants. 100 grams of ginger (root) contains the following:
|
Calories |
80 kcal |
|
Water |
79.8 g |
|
Protein |
1.8 g |
|
Carbohydrates
|
17.8 g |
|
Dietary fiber |
2 g |
|
Fat |
0.8 g |
|
Minerals:
|
That’s not all, the nutritional count of ginger goes beyond and it also contains vitamins such as:
- Vitamin C: 5 mg
- Vitamin B6: 0.16 mg
Health Benefits of Ginger
Starting from mild health issues to chronic and serious health conditions or diseases, the use of ginger can be proven highly helpful. Out of countless, some major ginger benefits are detailed below:
Ginger Benefits for Digestive Health
Ginger has several compounds that help stimulate Jatharagni (digestive fire) and reduce complications like constipation, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain, vomiting, etc.
Ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties, nutrient-absorbing efficiency, and healthy enzymes together make a perfect fit for all your digestive issues. Additionally, it contains a compound called gingerol, which is known to improve gastrointestinal motility and digestion.
Ginger Benefits for Skin Health
Ginger tea benefits a lot in improving skin health and glory, that’s the exact feedback from the users who had substituted their routine tea/coffee with the herbal tea prepared using ginger, lemon, honey, and lukewarm water.
The antiseptic, antibacterial, and antibiotic traits of ginger significantly help to reduce skin issues like blemishes, scars, acne, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and fine lines. The usage of ginger is also believed to slow collagen breakdown, which in turn protects the skin from UV damage.
Ginger Benefits for Joint Health
Being a loaded house of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial qualities, ginger serves as a natural antidote for many types of joint problems and diseases. In fact, there are countless medicines that are prepared using ginger as a prime ingredient.
The intake of ginger regularly and in moderate quantity combats oxidative stress and protects cartilage, the tissues that cushion your joints. All this directly contributes to slowing down the progression of joint degeneration and improving joint function.
Ginger Benefits for Hair Health
Not just the digestion and skin, but drinking ginger lemon water benefits your hair too. By improving the circulation of blood to the scalp, ginger assists in delivering the necessary nutrients to hair follicles.
No matter, if you want to enhance your hair growth, or reduce hair loss, dandruff, and scalp irritation, the inclusion of ginger in the routine can help you a lot. By nourishing and strengthening hair strands from the root levels, it will help you to attain beautiful, strong, and long hair.
Ginger Benefits for Sexual Health
If you are confused about whether ginger benefits sexually or not? Then, let us tell you that Ginger is considered a power booster for countless sexual problems.
Ginger Benefits for Men
- Boost testosterone
- Helpful in Erectile dysfunction
- Improve sexual and physical stamina
Ginger Benefits for Women
- Support hormonal balance
- Better blood circulation to the reproductive organs
- Help to Improve fertility
Ginger Benefits for Weight Loss
Ginger can be your perfect partner to kick-start your weight loss journey. Around 8 out of 10 individuals who chose ginger for weight loss were able to cut down all the extra kilos from their bodies.
Ginger tea for weight loss is an effective and also the so-called trending way through which one can burn excessive calories, enhance the metabolic process, and stabilize blood sugar levels, all necessary components for natural weight management. If not tea, one can also opt for lukewarm ginger water for weight loss, as it also works marvellously when it comes to weight management.
Ginger Benefits for Respiratory Health
The use of ginger and honey for cough, cold, fever, sore throat, and similar respiratory issues is a common remedy that is applied in every Indian household.
The inflammation and congestion reducing property, and the mucus loosening ability associated with ginger alleviates respiratory blockages, overcomes shortness of breath and provides a preventive shield against problems such as asthma, sinusitis, COPD, laryngitis, or rhinitis.
Ginger Benefits for Menstruation
Drinking ginger tea for periods can also be a wise choice because it is anti-inflammatory, and pain-alleviating in nature. After getting inside the body, ginger starts to work quite quickly and eventually the ladies experience reduced menstruation pain, discomfort, and cramps.
Well, ginger for periods can be helpful but one should be careful about the intake of ginger in pregnancy because excessive amounts of it can also exacerbate certain health complications.
Ginger Benefits for mental health
Drinking ginger lemon water benefits not only physically but also mentally. Through years of studies, the experts found a direct relation of ginger consumption with improving cognitive function and reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
The moderate and routine consumption of ginger reduces oxidative stress in the brain, and contributes to improving memory, focus, and concentration, which is highly needed in this era of stressful life.
Ginger Benefits for Heart health
The doctors also suggest the inclusion of ginger in the meals of patients who are dealing with or at risk of developing any kind of cardiovascular disease.
By reducing blood pressure and bad cholesterol with its healthy antioxidants and healing properties, it promotes healthy pumping of the heart. Further, ginger also prevents blood clotting, which otherwise can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Usage and Precautions of Ginger
Well, you can use ginger in several possible ways, like adding it to your daily meals, diluting it into lukewarm water, making its herbal tea, or simply chewing a small raw piece of it. In all possible ways, if you take it in a moderate quantity, it will benefit your body.
However, one should be careful about the dosage of ginger because, as we all know, excess of everything is bad and if you consume it in excess amounts, then ginger side effects may also arise. Make sure to consult a physician or dietician who can suggest the proper dosage, manner, and timing of ginger consumption based on your body constitution and medical condition.
Takeaway
Being knowledgeable is of no use unless you actually use it, whether to help or heal. We hope that reading this blog has provided you with significant insights related to ginger, which otherwise you used to consider just a taste enhancing spice or herb.
Add this wonderful herb to your diet today and take one step ahead for a healthy and happy life tomorrow.
