Ginger is a spice that is most common in Southeast Asia but is used all over the world for its unique features. The root of ginger is generally used in food items to deliver a delicious and spicy taste to some food items. Besides its taste and smell, ginger has numerous health benefits and is considered a medicinal herb in some parts of the world. The effect of ginger is not just limited to one system of the body but it can influence the brain, immunity, digestion, heart, lungs, muscles, bones, joints, and the reproductive system as well.
Nutritional value of ginger:
100 grams of ginger powder contains 80 calories, constituting sodium, potassium, carbohydrates, proteins, and multivitamins. There is a negligible quantity of fats also present.
Medicinal properties of ginger:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antivirus
- Laxative
- Analgesic
- Anti-hypertensive
- Cosmetic
Uses of ginger:
- Respiration:
- Due to its anti-inflammatory properties it is used for treating upper respiratory tract infections.
- Helpful in treating cough and acute bronchitis.
- It helps dislodge the mucous in the lungs and provides airway clearance in COPD patients.
- Musculoskeletal:
- As an anti-inflammatory agent it helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
- When taken in combination with milk it improves bone growth and helps heal the injured connective tissues.
- Due to its analgesic properties it can effectively resolve delayed onset muscle soreness after a tiring job.
- It also acts as a muscle relaxant and relaxes the smooth and skeletal muscles.
- Helpful in low back pain.
- Cardiovascular system:
- Work to increase the metabolic rate of the body and hence increases the circulation of blood.
- Keeps the heart in a good condition.
- By improving circulation reduces the chances of high blood pressure.
- Digestive system:
- Prevent nausea
- Digest food easily
- Resolve GIT problems like heartburn, bloating, diarrhea, loss of appetite, gas, and dyspepsia.
- Stomach pain can also be treated with ginger.
- Reproductive system:
- Helpful in reducing menstrual cramps.
- As it improves circulation, and helps the smooth muscles to relax, it can help prevent erectile dysfunction in men which is the inability to achieve a normal erection. Generic Cialis Apcalis is a medicine commonly used in Australia for treating erectile dysfunction.
- Studies suggest that ginger improves sperm health and can treat male infertility.
- Cosmetic:
- Fresh juice of ginger has been shown to treat skin burns.
- It is used as a fragrance in soaps and cosmetics.
- Hormonal influences of ginger:
- It increases insulin sensitivity and prevents diabetes, but in patients who already have diabetes it helps keep the blood sugar within a normal limit.
- Gingerol, an antioxidant present in ginger fights with the chemicals that causes psychological stress and help improve mood.
- According to researches ginger is good for testosterone production and helps beat infertility in men.
- Weight loss:
- Ginger lowers the level of low-density lipoproteins and increases the levels of high-density lipoproteins in the body, thus it helps in weight loss.
- The heat production due to ginger can also melt down the adipose storage and help the stomach digest the bad cholesterol.
- Immunity:
- It is an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agent and is good for immunity boosting purposes.
- By enhancing immunity works to keep the environment of your mouth clean and prevent infections like gingivitis and periodontitis.
- Brain:
- Higher mental functions like cognitive, memory, and reaction time can be improved by taking daily ginger supplements.
- By reducing inflammation and oxidative stress can prevent the occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegenerative problems.
Making ginger a part of your daily meals can make you immune and strengthen your systems to provide high functionality. This is the reason why ancient people used it as a sacred medicine and treated a wide range of problems with just the use of ginger.