Conquer 6 ailments with this one wonder spice!
It’s peppery and a little sweet. It’s fragrant and it’s spicy. It’s also gnarly and bumpy. But the root of the ginger plant adds such a special flavor to stir-fries, fruits, and vegetables, no one cares what it looks like. Add in the proven health benefits of this wonder spice and you've hit a homerun!
1. Allergies
Soothe nose troubles with a zesty spice. All it takes is a sprinkle of powdered ginger to slow down the production of antibodies that release histamines — the source of many allergy woes. At least it works on animals.
The good news? A recent study, published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, used small amounts of the same kind of powdered ginger you’ll find in your kitchen. Unfortunately, scientists don’t yet have an exact dosage for people. However, other studies that examined the effects of ginger on digestive symptoms, such as nausea, used up to 50 grams of the spice, or just under 2 ounces, with success.
So add a delightfully zingy taste to meat, seafood, vegetables, noodles, and rice. And while ginger is helping your nose, it’s also opening your airways. Breathe easier knowing this spice is hard at word beating back inflammation and clearing up nasal troubles.
2. Back Pain
Calm your aching back with ginger. You know it’s great for treating your queasy stomach, but did you know ginger has also been used for centuries to treat inflammation and sore muscles? Ginger contains gingerol, an anti-inflammatory ingredient that can work wonders on your painful back — from the inside.
TIP: For a comforting cup of ginger tea, simmer fresh ginger root slices in hot water for 30 minutes, and pour the fragrant liquid into your favorite cup. Relax and enjoy.
3. Diabetes
Multiple studies found that over a two-month period, taking from 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground ginger a day after meals significantly lowered blood sugar. Scientists think it’s all the natural compounds in ginger, especially the gingerols, that keep blood sugar under control.
4. Heartburn
Thanks to its natural chemicals, ginger is not only an anti-nausea powerhouse, it triggers movement in your digestive tract, protects your stomach lining, keeps you regular, and breaks up gas. Add it to those gas-producing foods for a zingy taste.
5. Nauseau
Ginger is perhaps best-known as a remedy against digestive complaints, particularly the nausea that accompanies motion sickness. Experts think it’s the gingerol, a powerful compound in ginger, that thwarts that icky feeling. So make sure you reach for a product with real ginger in it.
Surprisingly, ginger ale may not be your best choice — you’ll rarely know how much honest-to-goodness ginger, and not just ginger flavoring, is in a can or a bottle, if any. You’re better off reaching for ginger root powder or capsules, dried ginger slices, or perhaps ginger that’s been pickled, crystalized, or even covered in chocolate.
TIP: Herbalists believe ginger’s spicy fresh scent can also heal churning tummies. Make a simple spritz by combining 12 drops of ginger essential oil with 2 ounces of water in a small, dark bottle. Shake and spray in your car before you hit the road.
6. Osteoarthritis
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, known as NSAIDs, have long been the go-to remedy for OA pain. But maybe they shouldn’t be. Taking these drugs, available with or without a prescription, can raise your ulcer risk as well as your blood pressure. What’s more, COX-2 inhibitors, the newest NSAIDs for arthritis, bump up the threat of heart attack.
When it comes to OA pain, why take something that can hurt you when you can take something that can help — even heal you?
Adding one-fourth to one-half teaspoon of ginger to your daily diet can slash the pain and disability associated with OA, say experts. Plus, ginger heals your stomach lining, unlike NSAIDs that can damage it.
- FC&A Staff Writer
