Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Ginger may have many health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, and other properties. It may help you lose weight, manage arthritis, reduce menstrual symptoms, and more.
The rhizome (underground part of the stem) is the part commonly used as a spice. It’s often called ginger root or, simply, ginger.
Health benefits of ginger:
- Contains gingerol, which has potent medicinal properties. It’s been used to aid digestion, reduce nausea, and help fight the flu and common cold, to name a few of its purposes.
- Ginger may be effective against nausea, including pregnancy-related nausea, commonly known as morning sickness.
Ginger may help relieve nausea and vomiting for people undergoing certain types of surgery, and it may also help reduce chemotherapy-related nausea.
- Ginger may help improve weight-related measurements. These include body weight and the waist-hip ratio.
- May help reduce pain and stiffness/disability associated with osteoarthritis.
- May lower blood sugar and improve heart disease risk factors.
- Can help treat chronic indigestion.
- May reduce menstrual pain.
- May help lower cholesterol levels.
- May help reduce cancer risk. However, more studies are needed.
- Some research suggests that 6-shogaol and 6-gingerol — compounds in ginger — may help prevent degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.
- Ginger’s antimicrobial properties could make it useful for fighting bacterial and fungal infections.
