Below are 19 health benefits of ginger, nutritional values, side effects of ginger, a ginger detox tea recipe, and finally some fun facts about ginger you never knew about! Ginger is commonly used as a spice in various cuisines throughout the world, it is the rhizome/ bulb of the plant Zingiber officinale in the family of Zingiberaceae. Ginger originated from China then later Spread to India and Southeast Asia.

• Name– Zingiber Officinale
• Origin– Indian subcontinent southern Asia
• Method– gathered, washed & scraped/ dried & ground for powdered ginger
• Plant– flowering plant Zingiberaceae

Health Benefits Of  Ginger

Adding ginger to your diet daily can help prevent stress and DNA damage. This is because ginger contains over 40 powerful antioxidants that are great for skin, hair, nails, aging, and your overall health. Drinking ginger tea can help your body ward off so many diseases due to its active components known as gingerol, Shogaol, and Paradol.

When consumed regularly, these components can help reduce lung diesease, heart disease, fight germs, inflammation, flu symptoms, high blood pressure and promote healthy aging. Ginger is also effective in flushing out toxins from your system, improving blood circulation, and keeping your digestive tract healthy.

Studies shows that people suffering from upset stomach can benefit greatly by sipping on a cup of ginger tea 2 times per day but that’s not all, it also helps strengthen the immune system as well. To consume ginger correctly and prevent side effects, try adding no more than 4 grams of ginger to your diet daily. Ginger has been known throughout history for its various healing benefits such as:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Motion sickness
• Pain management
• Helps relieve a headache
• Muscle and joint pain
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Indigestion
• Inflammation
• Lower blood sugar
• Lower Cholesterol levels
• Reduce swelling
• Prevent blood clots
• Decreases the risk of colon cancer

Side effects of Ginger

Ginger is naturally safe if consumed according to the daily recommended intake amount which is a maximum of  4 g per day. If exceeded symptoms may include the following;

• Gas
• Heartburn
• Upset stomach
• Mouth irritation
• Rash
• Increased bleeding

Who Should Not Eat Ginger

Ginger is not recommended for pregnant women and could interact with certain medications such as;

• Blood Thinners
• Diabetic medications
• High blood pressure medications

Ginger tea for weight loss

• 1 cup 8 fl oz boiled water
• 1/ 2 ground ginger
• 2 slices of lemon
• 1 tsp raw honey

Mix all the ingredients above and let sit for 10 minutes. Best to drink before breakfast. This recipe increases the metabolic rate which results and aids in the weight loss process.

Nutritional values of 100 g of root & 1 tsp powder

• Calories- 80
• Sodium- 13 mg
• Potassium – 415 mg
• Total carbs – 18 g
• Dietary fiber – 2 g
• Protein – 1.8 g
• Vitamin c – 8%
• Vitamin B-6 10%
• Magnesium – 10%
• Iron – 3%

Facts about ginger

• The ginger plant is approximately 30-60 cm tall and is extremely rare to find in the wild.
• Ginger is used to aromatizing the liquid in electronic cigarettes.
• Ginger is a great yang tonic that boosts energy, increases body temperature and vitality.
• Ground powdered ginger has the highest nutritional value than raw ginger.

Conclusion

So there you go, 19 important health benefits of ginger that rocks, why not start adding some to your diet by making a ginger detox tea and drink 3 times daily for a healthy body!