I am planning to write a series of topics covering various natural foods that have healing properties. The idea is to improve my own understanding while - hopefully - improving yours as well and foster a discussion. I will try to be as detailed as possible and will link to original sources when applicable.
The first in the series is about Ginger.
Ginger
Ginger - Wikipedia
I love my Ginger Beer, Ginger Shots and of course Masala Chai. I find the smell and the strong taste of Ginger very appealing. It is no wonder that Ginger was the first natural food that came to my mind while writing this series…
Plant
The root of the Ginger plant is called Ginger.
How it is used
As fresh Ginger, as dried Ginger powder or as Ginger Oil.
Active Components
Ginger is made up of Phenolic and Terpene compounds (Terpene in Ginger oil).
Fun Fact
India produces a major portion of Ginger.
Medicinal Effect
The benefits of Ginger are not 100% established, but, it has been used for 1000s for years as a medicine. So, to me it feels like more studies need to be conducted to establish the pros and cons. It is best to consult a doctor and monitor/track the effects of Ginger using my Diary and tracker app: App Ananda.
Antioxidant
Ginger has shown to reduce oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo. In theory at least Ginger should be highly effective treating diseases that are caused due to oxidative stress.
Fun Fact
The antioxidant activity of different gingers had a tendency to be the following: dried ginger (greatest antioxidant effect) > stir-fried ginger > carbonized ginger > fresh ginger.
Anti Inflammatory
Gingers active compounds are known to reduce inflammation especially against bowel related diseases. There are other claims such as able to treat arthritis, but, these claims are not without contradictions.
Anti Nausea
This is the most famous use-case for Ginger. The Anti Nausea effects of Ginger are well studied and the results point to Ginger being very effective treating Nausea. It is used to treat Sea sickness, nausea during pregnancey, nausea during chemotherapy etc.
Cardiovascular
Ginger has been known to help with Cardiovascular protection by reducing hypertension and by managing Cholesterol levels.
Anti Carcinogenic
Ginger has been found to be effective against various GastroIntestinal cancers such as gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and cholangiocarcinoma.