There are numerous reasons why ginger is good for health. It offers a lot of benefits and has been used in traditional medicine for its medicinal benefits. Originating in Southeast Asia, it belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. Its close relatives are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal.
Ginger is known to be an effective cure for nausea, flu, and the common cold, and indigestion. It’s also an effective relief for chronic diseases like depressions, ulcer, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and cardiovascular disease. Its most popular property is gingerol, an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound that aid in the reduction of oxidative stress.
Health Benefits of Ginger
Eases pain from arthritis & osteoarthritis
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Several studies have shown that ginger is very effective in reducing swelling and relieving pain due to arthritis and osteoarthritis. It also helps in reducing inflammation after knee surgeries. Additionally, ginger has been found effective for relieving muscle pains due to workout-related injuries.
There are several ways you can use ginger for this purpose. One way is by taking the ginger extract. The only known side-effects for this method are intolerance of the taste and a mildly upset stomach. Another way is to ingest the recommended grams of raw or heated ginger. You can also use it as a skin patch, or apply it as a cream or gel on the affected area.
Helps soothe nausea
Ginger is an effective and inexpensive relief for nausea caused by motion sickness, chemotherapy, surgeries, as well as pregnancy. Gingerol breaks up built-up gas in the stomach and gets rid of them. To get the most amount of gingerol, it’s best to take fresh and unpeeled ginger over peeled and dried ones. That’s because the amount of gingerol is higher in the former.
Just 1–1.5 grams of ginger is enough to fight away nausea. You can either chew on fresh ginger or make a tea with grated or powdered ginger. Also, if possible, take ginger before you get even sick. You can do this when you’re expecting nausea anytime soon.
Enhances oral health
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Ginger’s gingerols also work as an antibacterial compound. This is great for preventing oral bacteria — those that cause cavities, periodontal disease, gingivitis, and other oral diseases — from growing. Aside from that, ginger strengthens gum tissues around your teeth and is a great cure for toothaches.
Using this herb for dental purposes is very easy too. First, make sure that you clean the ginger thoroughly. Then, slice a portion about half an inch and bite down on it using a tooth next to the aching one. When you do so, you will feel (and taste) the juice coming from the ginger. When it’s starting to soften, chew on the ginger for five minutes. You can either swallow the ginger or spit it out once you’re done. Repeat the process several times as needed.
Helps in the production of testosterone
The most surprising reason why ginger is good for health is that it can help enhance the male’s testosterone. Aside from gingerols, ginger is also very rich in antioxidant compounds such as zingerone, zingiberene, flavonoids, and volatile oils. All these compounds reduce oxidative stress, which in turn enhances the biosynthesis of testosterone.
While most studies claim there are still no direct links found between ginger intake and testosterone production, scientists found that ginger root supplements do help enhance certain antioxidant enzymes in the epididymis, prostate, and the testis – where testosterone and sperm are produced.
As you can see, ginger does offer a lot of health benefits. And the best part is that it is easy to find and inexpensive. There also numerous ways you can take advantage of this herb. You can take it orally, drink it as tea, use it as a skin patch, or even apply it as a cream. Whatever method you choose, it’s always best to always choose fresh ginger to extract the most amount of gingerols as possible.
Learn more about other natural ways to improve your health here.
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