Ginger belongs to the ginger family (the same family as turmeric). Generally, we eat its roots. Because of its special spicy taste, it is often used for seasoning or side dishes. It can be said to be an indispensable food perfume in the kitchen.
Do you know the benefits of ginger supplements?
Confucius once mentioned in the Analects: Don’t sprinkle ginger food, don’t eat too much, it means that Confucius must eat an appropriate amount of ginger in every meal, and Confucius can enjoy a long life 73 years ago when the average life expectancy was 30 years old. Years old, absolutely can not be separated from eating habit.
For thousands of years, ginger has also been an important medicinal plant in human history. About 70% of the common prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine contain ginger. Modern science has discovered that the efficacy of ginger comes from its special phytochemicals (gingerol, gingerol, etc.), which has excellent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-viral effects, so it can be used to prevent and improve a variety of disease.
Table of Contents
- What are the benefits of ginger?
- Are there any side effects of ginger?
- Where to buy high-quality ginger supplements? (recommend)
What are the benefits of ginger?
1. Good for type 2 diabetes
Diabetes was called a rich disease in the past. It refers to a disease that only rich people who have a rich diet and a good life will get. But today, the work style is changed from labor-intensive to mental work, resulting in how much movement to eat, so the number of people affected is Countries all over the world have skyrocketed, causing a serious burden on medical treatment.
Long-term high blood sugar will cause oxidative stress in the body to rise. The most common damage is to cause abnormalities of vascular endothelial cells, causing atherosclerosis and greatly increasing the incidence of cardiovascular disease.
In a randomized double-blind test, diabetic patients were given ginger powder (2 g per day for 12 consecutive weeks) and it was found to reduce fasting blood sugar by 12% and HbA1c by 10% (glycated hemoglobin).
Another important finding of this study is that taking ginger powder can reduce the apo B/Apo AI ratio by 28%. This indicator can predict the degree of cardiovascular damage, which is better than traditional cholesterol and triglyceride. The index more accurately reflects the risk of cardiovascular disease.
2. Ginger and inflammation
Inflammation is the external defense response of the body’s immune cells. It is beneficial in itself. If the body loses the inflammation reaction, it means that it loses its immune function. It has no resistance to foreign bodies such as bacteria and viruses. It is as deadly as AIDS.
But everything is too late. Uncontrolled chronic inflammation is associated with a variety of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, dementia, lung disease, and autoimmune diseases.
A systematic review (including 9 randomized controlled studies with a total of 449 participants) and meta-analysis pointed out:
Oral intake of ginger (dose between 1 and 3 grams per day) can help reduce systemic inflammation factor C-reactive protein (C-reactive protein), and other indicators such as blood lipids, blood sugar, and glycated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1c) also have varying ranges Improvement.
The underlying mechanism is related to the phenolic and flavonoid compounds contained in ginger (such as gingerol), which has the effect of reducing cyclooxygenase (COX-2, the main enzyme involved in the inflammation mechanism), inhibiting NF-kB and tumor necrosis factor ( TNF-alpha) and other potential effects.
3. Improve indigestion
The gastrointestinal tract is an important organ for maintaining vital functions. Daily nutrition is required to digest and transmit nutrients through the gastrointestinal tract. It is also an important base for immune function (the intestine occupies 80% of immune cells), which can help fight invasion Pathogens.
But walking on the street, full of various food temptations, often overeating in order to satisfy the appetite of the appetite, coupled with the usual negligence of maintenance, indigestion has become the most common gastrointestinal disease.
The rate of gastrointestinal emptying is currently known to be one of the main causes of functional dyspepsia, and ginger has the effect of accelerating gastrointestinal emptying and improving dyspepsia.
A small study found that taking 1.2 grams of ginger powder before meals can speed up the gastrointestinal emptying rate by 50% Note 3; another randomized double-blind study also found that taking ginger powder after meals can also empty the gastrointestinal emptying time from 16 Minutes reduced to 12 minutes (using ultrasound observation).
4. Relieve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy
Morning sickness is one of the problems of many pregnant women (the cause is related to hormonal changes), affecting about 50% to 80% of pregnant women. It usually occurs between 4 and 8 weeks of pregnancy, and usually relieves itself by 14 weeks.
Morning sickness may cause malnutrition in pregnant women and trigger an imbalance of water and electrolytes in the body, which can have an adverse effect on the fetus. In addition, it may also cause depression, powerlessness, and inability to work.
A literature review and meta-analysis (including 12 studies involving 1278 pregnant women) pointed out that ginger (less than 1500 mg per day) can help reduce nausea-related symptoms without any significant side effects (but the number of vomiting and No significant association).
*However, patients close to childbirth, with a history of miscarriage, vaginal bleeding, and coagulopathy should avoid excessive use of ginger (as it may increase the risk of bleeding)
*Conclusion: Ginger has the effect of relieving mild to moderate nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy, but more large-scale studies are still needed to confirm the appropriate dosage and efficacy.
5. Improve premenstrual syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome is a common problem of women’s reproductive age, generally, during the luteal phase (from ovulation to menstruation), various physical and psychological discomforts begin. It is estimated that about 80% of women have mild to moderate symptoms, and 5 % Presents severely and seriously affects the quality of life and interpersonal relationships.
In a 6-month study of women with premenstrual syndrome, it was found that taking ginger powder (take 250 mg 7 days before the start of menstruation/every 12 hours until the 3rd day after bleeding) can significantly improve various premenstrual discomforts Symptoms (for example irritability, anxiety, headache, gastrointestinal upset, nausea, fatigue, inattention, etc.).
This study also pointed out that the mechanism by which ginger can relieve premenstrual syndrome is related to the inhibition of pro-prostaglandins, and prostaglandins are one of the culprits currently considered to cause premenstrual discomfort. Note 7.
6. Relieve osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease that occurs in the elderly. The incidence rate increases almost linearly after the age of 50. By the age of 60, almost 30% of the population suffers from knee and finger joint degradation.
The World Health Organization also estimates that by 2025, due to the aging population in most countries around the world, 25% of the population will suffer from degenerative arthritis, and you and I may become one of them.
A study on osteoarthritis drug treatment found that the use of ginger (340 mg daily) can improve the discomfort symptoms of osteoarthritis, and the effect is not lost to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (diclofenac), but the key point is that ginger is not brought by drugs Gastrointestinal side effects (eg damaged gastric mucosa, indigestion).
Are there any side effects of ginger?
Ginger has been used as an edible and medicinal material for thousands of years in various countries around the world. It is an extremely safe herb. It was found in a case study that the ginger (dose 0.5-1.0 g) was ingested 3 times a day for 3 From month to 2.5 years, no serious side effects were found.
Despite the high safety of ginger, taking too much may still cause mild heartburn, diarrhea, belching, headaches, and other symptoms, so it is recommended to evaluate the physical condition, ingestion in moderation, or mix with other foods to reduce the irritating sensation of fasting.
Precautions for use
Abnormal coagulation function, take anticoagulant drugs and do not use it 2 weeks before surgery (ginger has anticoagulant effect).
People with abnormal blood pressure or blood sugar should not consume large amounts (ginger has the effect of lowering blood sugar and blood pressure).
Where to buy high-quality ginger supplements?
In recent years, food safety problems in various countries have exploded, and it is not healthy but black-hearted products that everyone spends on. Therefore, European and American products with relatively strict quality control have become popular products.
And iHerb.com is a large-scale medical cosmetics e-commerce company in the United States. It has a high satisfaction rate of 97% in the evaluation of Google customers. It provides global home delivery so that you can buy it without risking buying fakes through purchasing high-quality health products.
