Ginger – Health Benefits, Side Effects & Nutrition Facts

Ginger is a superfood and a popular ingredient in every Indian kitchen and Asian cuisines. It has been used for thousands of years as a hot fragrant culinary spice, flavouring agent and a wonderful herbal medicine. It contains a substance called gingerol which has powerful medical properties making it therapeutic and healing.

Ginger can be consumed fresh, powdered, dried as a spice, in oil form, or as juice. It can be used to make tea, chopped or crushed in curries and savoury dishes and dried or crystalized in sweets and confectionary. One must note that the quantity of ginger will differ as per season.

• Helps to boost immunity
• Relieves from cold and flu
• Helps fight infection
• Relieves from nausea caused by motion sickness, pregnancy, and chemotherapy
• Aids digestion relieves from gas
• Reduces menstrual pain
• Relieves Tired Muscles
• Reduces Arthritic Inflammation
• Lowers blood sugar levels and improve various heart disease risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes
• Lowers LDL cholesterol and blood triglyceride levels
• Prevents and treats cancer

In small doses, ginger has few side effects, but high doses of ginger — more than 5 grams a day can cause gas, heartburn. Upset stomach etc. Ginger on the skin may cause a rash for some people.

Ginger provides a variety of vitamins and minerals:
100 grams of fresh ginger root, contains 79 calories, 18 gms of carbohydrate, 3.6 gms of dietary fiber, 3.57 gms of protein, 0 gms of sugar.

It is a rich source of nutrients like vitamin A, C, E and B6 as well as, potassium, sodium calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, folate, beta-carotene, riboflavin, and niacin. In addition, it has anti-inflammatory, ant nausea, antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties which can help treat and prevent health issues.

Ginger is available as a ginger extract, ginger oil, and in tinctures, capsules, and lozenges

Add fresh or dried ginger to herbal or regular tea
Add fresh ginger to smoothie or juice
Add fresh or dried ginger to stir-fry. Curries or salad dressing

I use ginger on a daily basis by adding it in my herbal tea which I start my day with. A great warm breve rage for this season.

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup water
½ tsp fresh grated ginger
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
3-4 tulsi leaves
1 Tbs lemongrass
Lemon to taste

*1 cup = 200 ml

Method:

• In a bow take water and keep it to boil
• Add all the above ingredients and boil well
• Sieve it in a cup, add few drops of lemon
• Have it hot

Ginger is a powerhouse of nutrients and offers so many benefits to protect the entire body. So Incorporate ginger in your diet on a daily basis and start to enjoy its numerous benefits.