Ginger is a spice with a thousand virtues and properties, but how to use it to enhance the benefits? And what exactly happens to our body by taking in the right amount of ginger every day?
Ginger is a truly precious treasure and, like turmeric, it is rich in properties and health benefits that science is gradually deepening. Natural and folk medicine has known ginger as a marvelous natural remedy for centuries. In particular, it is a spice that revitalizes, rejuvenates and has a 360 ° action on our body.
Taking it every day therefore helps to make us feel better in a completely natural way and without great effort, just simply make sure a sufficient quantity of ginger and learn how to use it in different ways, experimenting a little in the kitchen even if the flavor may seem very far from those to which our tradition has accustomed us.
If you get into the habit of consuming ginger on a daily basis, you may experience a number of health benefits and your body will thank you!
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Properties and benefits of ginger
This spice is endowed with anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antioxidant, digestive and antibacterial power, all characteristics that ensure that ginger, consumed in the right doses, is able to:
- Calm nausea and promote digestion: this spice is probably the most effective natural remedy against nausea but also able to help the stomach work. For this purpose it is advisable to chew small pieces of root after meals or to sip the ginger-based herbal tea.
- Keep blood sugar and cholesterol at bay: excellent effect of ginger in regulating some important parameters of our health including the level of glucose and fats in the blood. In both cases, this spice consumed in powder in a quantity of 2-3 gr has been shown to be able to lower blood sugar and harmful fats in the blood. An effect not to be underestimated if you are among those people who have blood tests that are not exactly perfect.
- Improve pain or inflammation: an advantage that a daily use of ginger offers is to see pain or inflammation significantly improve, whether they are muscle, joint or due to the menstrual cycle. Research has even come to compare the pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effect of ginger to that of a drug such as ibuprofen. Its benefits can therefore be highlighted on headaches, arthritic pains, menstrual pains, muscles, etc.
- Support the immune system: inserting ginger into your diet every day also means helping the immune system to defend itself from seasonal ailments and beyond.
- Fighting coughs, sore throats and colds: precisely because it supports the immune system and given its antibacterial and anti-infective qualities, ginger (especially in the form of herbal tea) is excellent for calming sore throats, sedating coughs and fighting cold symptoms.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of ginger, read also:
- Ginger: 10 Amazing Health Benefits
- Ginger: all scientifically proven properties
Lose weight with ginger
Ginger is an excellent natural remedy that helps those who want to lose weight, this is due to the fact that this spice is able to speed up the metabolism by acting as fat-burning food. To have interesting qualities in this sense is gingerol, an active principle present in the spice with thermogenic effects, that is, it allows to increase the body temperature and therefore burn even more fat.
To learn more, read also: How to lose weight with ginger
Ginger, calories and nutritional values
Nutritional values per 100 grams of ginger root:
- Calories 80
- 0,8 g fat
- Saturated fatty acids 0,2 g
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids 0,2 g
- Monounsaturated fatty acids 0,2 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Sodium 13 mg
- Potassium 415 mg
- G carbohydrates 18
- Dietary fiber 2 g
- Sugar 1,7 g
- Protein 1,8 g
- Vitamin A 0 IU
- Vitamin C 5 mg
- Calcium 16 mg
- Iron 0,6 mg
- Vitamin D 0 IU
- Vitamin B6 0,2 mg
- Vitamin B12 0 μg
- Magnesium 43 mg
How much ginger to take each day
But how much ginger should you take each day to get the most benefits? A fresh root quantity is generally recommended and can vary between 10 and 30 grams per day. It is not a little, especially if you are not already used to using it, but slowly experimenting with different recipes it is not so difficult to reach these quantities.
If, on the other hand, the dried powder is consumed, the recommended quantity is much lower and is around 3/4 grams per day. Higher dosages of both fresh roots and powder are generally not recommended because they could become counterproductive, in some cases creating heartburn, intestinal discomfort or skin rashes.
Read also: GINGER: HOW MUCH TO TAKE IT TO ENHANCE ITS PROPERTIES
Ginger supplements
In some cases, ginger supplements may be recommended. However, we remind you that these products are not intended as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
Always read the leaflet to know all the characteristics of the product and take it only under the indication and following the advice of your doctor to obtain the desired results and avoid contraindications.
These products could in fact cause side effects to appear if you suffer from certain diseases or interact with any medications you take. So, more than ever, it is important to consult a doctor before taking any product, even if natural, to avoid any unexpected events.
Read also: GINGER SUPPLEMENTS
How to include ginger in your daily diet
Now that we have discovered how good ginger is, all that remains is to have it always available in our kitchen and learn how to use it. The easiest way to consume it is to grate some of it directly after cooking over rice, pasta, main courses or vegetables. But with ginger you can also prepare desserts, thirst-quenching drinks, herbal teas or infusions and an excellent oil to flavor your favorite dishes quickly and easily.
It would be better to consume as much fresh rhizome as possible but alternatively, those with less time can buy ready-to-use dry ginger powder at any time.
Here are some recipes from which you can take inspiration to enjoy ginger in many different ways:
- Ginger: 10 ideas to add it to your daily diet
- Ginger: 10 recipes to make the most of it
- 10 Recipes to enrich with… a touch of ginger!
Recipes with ginger
- Ginger herbal tea
- Homemade curry
- Ginger punch
- Homemade Ginger Drink
- Ginger biscuits
- Ginger oil
- Apple and ginger smoothie
- Ginger and lemon
- Cream of pumpkin soup with ginger
- Spiced ginger lentils
- Sweet and sour marinated ginger
- Homemade candied ginger
- Centrifuged with ginger and carrots
- Ginger water
- Ginger and lemon cake, without butter
- Ginger decoction
Ginger, use as a natural remedy
Ginger is a natural remedy to always keep on hand even when traveling, for example in case of nausea, vomiting and to aid digestion. You can:
- Chew a small piece of fresh ginger
- Take two tablets of dried ginger powder about 30 minutes before traveling
- Buy or prepare candied fruit with fresh ginger at home to be consumed before or during the trip
- Breathe in the aroma of ginger from a handkerchief by pouring two drops of essential oil on it before leaving
- Drink ginger tea against coughs, colds and sore throats.
- Do ginger oil massages to loosen sore muscles
- Use ginger essential oil for aromatherapy.
Ginger, tips for buying and storing
If you decide to buy ginger to use as a natural remedy, choose the best product you find on the market and keep it in the most suitable conditions to preserve its properties. Our suggestions are:
- Preferably choose organic ginger
- Store fresh ginger in the refrigerator
- Store the powdered ginger in a dark, non-transparent container
- Store the ginger powder in a cool, dry place
- Choose candied ginger with a lower refined sugar content
- Wash the fresh ginger well before using it in the kitchen
Ginger, contraindications and side effects
A fairly high daily consumption of ginger even if only for food use is not recommended for people who take certain types of drugs, in particular anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents, would in fact risk enhancing their effectiveness too much.
Also be careful not to use doses higher than those recommended, in this case, in fact, gastrointestinal problems can be accused, thus obtaining effects exactly opposite to those hoped for.
To learn more about the properties, benefits and uses of ginger, watch our video with the advice of Dr. Loreto Nemi.
You might also like:
- Ginger detox bath: benefits and how to prepare it
- Ginger: origins, legends and “magical” properties attributed to the root
- Ginger: 5 tips to keep it longer
- Ginger essential oil
- Ginger, a remedy to take on the go
- Ginger and lemon, what happens to the body by taking them every day
