Ginger, which has been extensively traded throughout history, has always been valued for its medicinal properties. While it is now found in every supermarket aisle, ginger was once considered a luxury. One would have to be fairly rich to afford a thumb of ginger. The ancient Indians and the Chinese are said to have used ginger to treat common colds and inflammation. Ayurveda, in fact, calls it the “healing spice” and notes its effectiveness in the treatment of joint pain, digestion-related ailments, and respiratory issues.
Drinking fresh ginger juice (that uses no more than 4g of ginger) can not only reduce the intensity of various illnesses but also boost immunity and aid weight loss.1
Ginger For Weight Loss
If you’re aiming at shedding extra pounds, you might want to turn to ginger. Maintaining a weight that is proportional to your height is important, as studies have confirmed that being overweight increases your risk of several health conditions, such as:2
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease and strokes
- Certain types of cancer
- Sleep apnea
- Osteoarthritis
- Fatty liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Pregnancy and delivery related problems
While most people resort to fad diets to drastically drop their weight, it’s not a healthy practice. The effects of these diets are temporary, and the sudden weight loss is harmful to the body. For a healthy way to reduce your weight, drink fresh ginger juice instead. And here’s how it helps.
1. Enhances Thermogenesis
Thermogenesis is your body’s process of converting food to energy and heat. Ginger is a thermogenic food that can boost your metabolism by 4–5%, and burn up to 10–15% more fat than foods that are not thermogenic in nature.3
2. Prevents Overeating
Often, we turn to low-fat foods in the hope of losing weight. However, most of these foods are not filling. This forces you to eat more than what your body requires. The food that’s not digested by the body is stored as fat, which ultimately increases your weight. However, drinking ginger juice before food can reduce excess hunger and prevent you from overeating. Alternatively, you can also add chopped pieces of ginger to your food to achieve the benefits.4
Ginger For Boosting Immunity
A low immunity means a higher risk of conditions like flu, cold, and even cancer. And with an increasing number of people falling prey to compromised immune systems, it’s important that we take measures to boost immunity. And here’s how ginger helps.
1. Reduces Oxidative Damage
The active component of ginger is a compound called gingerol, which is a potent antioxidant. It helps reduce the oxidative damage in the body cells caused by free radicals, thus reducing your risk of developing chronic illnesses.5
2. Treats Inflammation
Inflammation is the root cause of conditions like osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, and asthma. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the swelling in sensitive organs of the body.6 Hence, drinking ginger juice regularly helps reduce the intensity of these inflammatory diseases and prevent them from becoming chronic. Moreover, it also acts as an analgesic and helps reduce joint and muscle pain caused due to intense physical activity.7
Other Health Benefits Of Ginger
Along with managing weight and boosting immunity, ginger also has several other health benefits. Thanks to its antioxidant nature, ginger is effective in the treatment and cure of most health ailments. It is also used, surprisingly, to treat certain skin conditions like sporiasis and eczema. Other benefits of ginger are as follows.
- Reduces nausea
- Treats motion sickness
- Reduces the risk of diabetes
- Reduces the risk of heart disease
- Helps with menstrual pain
- Treats chronic indigestion
- Prevents cancer
- Improves memory
- Boosts brain function
- Reduces cellulite
- Fights dandruff and treats dry scalp
- Promotes hair growth
- Rejuvenates skin
While ginger is highly beneficial to the body, there is such a thing as “too much ginger.” If you consume over 3–4g of ginger in a day, you could experience heartburn, gas, and nausea. Also, avoid ginger if you are undergoing surgery. Before drinking ginger juice regularly, consult your doctor to ensure that will not react with your prescription drugs (if any).
References
