Ginger helps relieve nausea associated with pregnancy, travel, chemotherapy, and certain kinds of surgery. Ginger can also ease painful menstrual cramps, help with rheumatic disorders and indigestion, combat insulin resistance, prevent metabolic syndrome, soothe coughs and colds, ease migraines, and work as a blood thinner. It is a mighty herb indeed!
Ginger or Zingiber officinale is a heady herb that can spice up any dish. But that’s not all this humble rhizome can do. Its medicinal properties have, for long, been valued in ancient India, China, and Rome. The oily resin in the roots of the ginger plant contains many bioactive compounds, most prominently gingerols and shogaols, which give it its pungency and beneficial properties.1 Here’s a look at the health benefits of ginger.
1. Relieves Morning Sickness Or Motion Sickness
Studies show that ginger can alleviate nausea caused by various conditions. So whether you’re nauseous because of morning sickness or seasickness, or after chemotherapy or certain surgeries, ginger could be useful for you. 6-gingerol, which gives ginger its unique taste, is thought to be responsible for this property. It has been found to help food move through the stomach and gut.2
How to use:
For morning sickness
Take a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger when you start feeling nauseous for immediate relief. This works for motion sickness too.3
Take 3 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger in a thin cotton towel or cheesecloth and squeeze to extract the juice. Add the juice to a cup of sugarcane juice and stir well. Sip slowly. This concoction works for both pregnancy-related nausea and nausea due to chronic stomach ailments.4
Taking a ginger capsule with 250 mg to 1 gm of ginger daily is also known to help subside morning sickness.
Although consuming ginger is not known to cause any side effects, it is best to check with your doctor during pregnancy. A safe quantity of ginger during pregnancy is between 1–2 gm per day.5
Ginger ale is not a healthy swap for chewing on ginger to treat your nausea. Ginger ale contains 36 grams of carbohydrates and 35 grams of sugar in a 12-ounce can. It may soothe nausea, but you will be getting a lot of sugar. Sugar is inflammatory to the body. Always go straight to the natural source whenever possible. Ginger can not only help your nausea but is also anti-inflammatory. If you don't like the taste of ginger, try diffusing ginger essential oil.
For motion sickness
Taking 500 mg to 1 gm of ginger powder 30–60 minutes before you start traveling can help combat travel sickness. You can take an additional 500 mg after 2 to 4 hours if required.6 7 Children above 2 years of age and below 6 can be given a milder dose, not exceeding 250 mg each time.8
2. Eases Painful Menstrual Cramps
Painful menstrual cramps or primary dysmenorrhea is a bane many women face every month. And if you’re one of them, ginger might be able to help you. One study found that when ginger powder was taken during the first three days of the menstrual period, it significantly reduced the severity of the pain. Interestingly, the study also found that when ginger was taken two days before the period started and continued through the first three days of the menstrual period, the duration of pain was reduced too.Ginger works by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are compounds that activate the body’s natural response – inflammation – to various health problems. Prostaglandins play a role in promoting uterine contractions as well, hence easing menstrual cramps.9 10
How to use:
Ginger powder: As the study above mentioned, you can start taking 500 mg of ginger powder thrice a day two days before your period starts and continue taking it through the first three days of your period for relief from menstrual pain.11
Ginger poultice: Add half a cup of fresh grated ginger to 2 cups of water and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Make sure all the water does not boil away. Strain and place the hot ginger on a cotton cloth or cheesecloth. Squeeze the cloth so that it becomes saturated with the ginger solution. Place this poultice on your stomach exactly around where it cramps. You can place a towel, a hot water bottle, or a heating pad over the poultice too. Leave on for about 10 minutes for pain relief. You can repeat this process several times in a day.12
Ginger, onion, and salt poultice: Another poultice recipe calls for mixing a cup of freshly chopped ginger with half a cup of freshly crushed onion. Add 2 cups of rock salt to the mix. Dry roast the mixture in a pan or wok for about 10 minutes. Pack the hot mix in a thin towel and you have your hot poultice. Lie on the back and apply the poultice on your abdomen twice a day, for about 3 days before your menstruation starts.13
3. Helps With Rheumatic Disorders
According to research, ginger can be effective in reducing pain and swelling caused by rheumatic disorders too. Ginger is thought to work by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis, among other things. In a study comprising 56 patients who were given powdered ginger for a period ranging from 3–30 months, over 75 percent of the arthritic patients reported relief from swelling and pain. Patients with muscular discomfort also reported relief. No side effects were reported.14
How to use:
It’s important to remember that treating pain with ginger is not a quick process – it could take days or weeks before you find complete relief.15
Try taking 250 mg of ginger 4 times a day to lessen pain due to arthritis. This has proven to be effective in a study.16
Other sources advise taking 510 mg of dry ginger powder in divided doses per day.17
Make a paste of ginger and turmeric and apply on the affected areas twice a day.18 Turmeric contains the anti-inflammatory compound curcumin that can help with pain.19
Add ginger to your diet. Either eat a little fresh ginger or whip up a spicy curry using both ginger and turmeric.
4. Works As A Blood Thinner
Blood thinners reduce the formation of blood clots in your arteries and veins and bring down the risk of stroke and heart attack in people with certain heart conditions.20 Ginger is thought to work as a natural blood thinner. In one study, platelet aggregation (the clumping together of blood cells to form a clot) increased in healthy men when they ate 100 gm of butter for 7 days. However, it was observed that when dry ginger was added to the fatty meal, platelet aggregation was significantly inhibited.21
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