Benefits of Ginger

by suranee69

Ginger is an ancient herb with healing properties and its use in food and medicine dates to as far back as 5000 years or more. Learn more about this amazing herb in this wizzle.

Ginger is an ancient herbal stem which was first grown and used in Asian countries such as India and China in food and medicine.

Ginger is the underground stem (rhizomes) of the Zingiber officinale plant and has been highly prized for its healing properties for over 5000 thousand years. In ancient China the herb was used to treat a variety of illnesses such as nausea, diarrhea, stomachaches, and rheumatism to name a few.

Teas Ginger Health

What does Ginger Contain?

Ginger is packed with antioxidants and the main benefits we get from ginger can be attributed to the main oils (gingerols and shogaols ) and  compound zingerone. All three are credited for giving ginger its fragrance and strong pungent taste as well as some of the herb’s healing and medicinal properties.

Fresh ginger contains large amounts of gingerols but only a small concentration of shogaols. When ginger is cooked the heat lessens its strength and spiciness and converts the gingerols and shogaols into zingerone. 

Fresh ginger does not give off a strong pungent aroma or taste as when it’s dried. Fresh ginger is claimed by some to be the best to use since the dry form is not as strong in its therapeutic abilities as the fresh kind. 

What Type Of Research Has Been Done on Ginger?

There has been a lot of research done over the years on ginger and some of the findings confirm the herb to be effective in reducing motion sickness and to hold anti-inflammatory properties.

You can find many articles on the internet claiming ginger is ideal to treat diabetes (lowers blood sugar), assists in reducing feelings of nausea after chemotherapy, treats motion sickness including nausea in pregnant women, reduces inflammation due to osteoarthritis, etc. Such information can be damaging if followed without the advice of your health care provider/doctor. The University Of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) has an excellent article about ginger and the research that has been done to confirm some of its healing capabilities. For those of you who are interested in reading about these experiments you can do so here.

What are some Home Remedies using Ginger?

In ancient Indian Ayurveda ginger was a popular herb used to bring relief to coughs and colds as well as digestive and inflammatory problems. Today many of the same treatments are used as home remedies to treat these conditions not only in India but also in a few places in other parts of the world. 

How to Make Ginger Tea to Treat Coughs and Colds

Ingredients;

  • ¼ piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 cup hot boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Method:

Finely chop the ginger into tiny pieces. Add into the cup of boiling hot water. Cover with saucer and steep for two minutes. Strain and stir in the honey and drink.

Take ginger tea for 3 to 5 days in the morning and at night before going to bed to treat coughs and coughs. The ginger and honey will help to loosen the mucous. 

How to Make A Ginger Pack for Reducing Inflammation in Joints and Muscles

Ingredients:

  • 3 8” by 6” white flannel pieces or cheese cloth
  • 2 8” by 6” clean white cotton fabric
  • 100 grams fresh grated ginger /1 tablespoon ginger powder
  • String
  • water
  • Steamer

Method:

First lay the white flannel pieces over each other so that there are three layers and then lay the 2 pieces of white cotton fabric on top. Place the ginger into the middle of the cloth and pull the sides of the fabric to the center and tie with a string.

Pour enough water to fill the steamer half full. Place the bag into the steamer, cover with lid and heat the water on medium-high and bring to boil. Remove the steamer from the fire and place in on a table/stool near the patient. Make sure the surface is covered with a few layers of newspapers to prevent it from getting burnt. Remove the lid and take out the bag. Place the bag on the inflamed muscle or joint and compress until there is no more heat left in the bag. Place the bag again into the steamer for 1 to 2 minutes to reheat. Make sure to cover the steamer with the lid to prevent any heat from escaping. Compress the affected area with the bag in this manner 5 to 6 times. If the water has turned cold and needs to be reheated place the steamer with the bag in it back on the fire.

 

 

Updated: 12/23/2012, suranee69
 
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suranee69 on 11/18/2012

That's wonderful Katiem2 :) I use a lot of ginger in my cooking. It helps to keep the colds and coughs at bay to a certain extent.

katiem2 on 11/18/2012

I tried Yogi ginger tea this weekend and it was really pleasing. I'm now working the healthful benefits of ginger into my lifestyle. :)K

suranee69 on 11/09/2012

You are welcome Katiem2 :) If the need does arise for you to use the treatments mentioned I do hope you will let us know if it was a success :)

suranee69 on 11/09/2012

Glad to hear Mira :) Good to know your cough is getting better :)

Mira on 11/09/2012

Yes, ginger seems to work already for me.

katiem2 on 11/09/2012

I will remember the other uses for ginger when the need arises, it is that time of year. Thanks :)K

suranee69 on 11/07/2012

You are most welcome for the article Mira and I hope you get well soon :) Thank you for visiting :)

Mira on 11/07/2012

I love ginger in my tea, and as I have a cough, now is the time to use some :-). Thank you for your article about the health benefits of ginger!

suranee69 on 11/06/2012

Ginger is also one of my favorite spices 2uesday :) We use it a lot here in Sri Lanka in our cooking and in medicines. Thank you for stopping by :)

suranee69 on 11/06/2012

That's wonderful news Katiem2 :) I usually use ginger to treat coughs and colds including in packs to ferment joints which are painful and swelled up (I suffer from arthritis). Has worked quite well. Will definitely try ginger the next time I suffer from motion sickness. Thank you for the tip and for stopping by :)


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