Ginger can not only taste delicious, it can also strengthen your immune system and aid digestion. Gingerol and shogaol compounds found in ginger increase gastrointestinal motility – the speed at which food moves through your digestive system.
Clinical studies demonstrating ginger’s expected functions showed it significantly alleviated nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy compared to placebo groups and vitamin B6 groups. Unfortunately, many trials were small scale and employed unstandardized evaluation systems.
Anti-Nausea Properties
Ginger has been demonstrated as a safe and effective antiemetic, which means it helps prevent nausea and vomiting. More randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes must be completed to confirm these results.
One study demonstrated that ginger ale can reduce nausea caused by surgery or chemotherapy in cancer patients. Its carbonation could stimulate nerves in the esophagus and stomach to alleviate feelings of queasy stomach, while another theory holds that its phenolic compounds directly impact digestive motility.
Studies have also demonstrated that ginger can effectively curb the spread of Helicobacter pylori. Ginger’s active ingredients, gingerols, were shown to significantly inhibit cag A+ strain of this bacterium responsible for ulcers. Furthermore, ginger improved pulmonary function and reduced mechanical ventilation duration in adult patients suffering acute respiratory distress syndrome as well as helping improve symptoms associated with asthma in children.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Ginger’s phenolic compounds, specifically gingerol, have been shown to effectively suppress inflammation throughout the digestive tract and beyond, providing relief for people living with arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or other chronic inflammatory conditions. For this reason alone it may provide added support by including more ginger in diet.
Gingerols and shogaols play an integral role in protecting cells against oxidative stress by mitigating its related damage, acting to reduce LPS-triggered inflammation by suppressing activation of NF-kB, MAPK, and mTOR signaling pathways in macrophages; inhibiting production of IL-1 by the NLRP3 inflammasome; as well as encouraging autophagy by upregulating Beclin1 expression on human DCs.
Studies examining ginger’s thermoregulatory, thrombotic and respiratory functions have been performed. Although results were encouraging, due to inconsistent evaluation systems and small sample sizes in randomized trials. More standardized research in terms of design and reporting will enable accurate data integration and integration. Recent findings suggest ginger as having cardioprotective properties by decreasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels while simultaneously increasing HDL-C levels.
Increased Digestion
Ginger can aid physical digestion by increasing gastric emptying time. Furthermore, one study demonstrated that drinking ginger-based beverages significantly reduced gastrointestinal symptoms associated with functional dyspepsia.
Pregnant women suffering from morning sickness may find ginger to be an effective natural treatment, while studies have demonstrated its use as an anti-nausea medicine without the adverse side effects associated with other anti-nausea drugs.
Although many expected functions of ginger were confirmed through clinical trials, some limitations have been identified. Poor trial quality, inconsistency with evaluation systems or parameters and small populations are among these drawbacks in existing research on its pharmacological properties; as a result, more standardized and adequately designed clinical investigations must be conducted to confirm these effects.
Boosts Immunity
Ginger contains many immune-enhancing properties due to its strong anti-inflammatory and digestive qualities, helping strengthen immunity by improving gut motility, absorption of essential nutrients, and decreasing free radical activity.
Ginger can also aid those suffering from autoimmune conditions by stopping white blood cell activity that causes inflammation. Research has demonstrated its efficacy by decreasing symptoms in those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis by stimulating FOXP3 gene expression.
Ginger can help women suffering from morning sickness avoid nausea and vomiting with daily dosage, without experiencing side effects associated with pharmaceutical anti-nausea drugs. Furthermore, chemotherapy patients taking ginger supplements experience reduced nausea without suffering side effects from their anti-nausea meds.
Add ginger to your diet by brewing it into tea or using it as a garnish, grating or finely chopping it and adding to stir fries and curries as a zesty ingredient, as well as making ginger shots or taking tonics with lemon, honey or other flavors for a zesty health-boosting experience.
