The benefits of ginger include more than just adding a kick of flavor to some of your favorite dishes. As it turns out, the herbaceous plant is commonly used in herbal medicine to help with many ailments (think upset stomach, pain relief, menstrual pain, arthritis, and more). The most common species of ginger that we’re familiar with is the zingiber officinale Roscoe, and as Katrina Hartog, MPH, RD, CDN, director of clinical nutrition at Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai, explains, it contains compounds that have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiemetic effects.
So how does one take advantage of these benefits? Beyond the infamous ginger shot that anybody wellness-obsessed loves, below, the experts break down what ginger can do for the body and how to incorporate it into your diet.
The Benefits
The health benefits of ginger are numerous—and something you should consider if you’re feeling a bit off and looking for a homeopathic way ease the pain. Experts say that ginger has the ability to relieve the following:
Nausea
The most common use of ginger is to help with nausea. Lisa-Marie Haberstroh, dietitian at Lanserhof Sylt, explains that ginger contains ingredients that help block the pain-transmitting receptors in the stomach that can cause nausea and vomiting. For this reason, regular administration of ginger is known through studies to help alleviate those symptoms associated with chemotherapy.
Ginger may also be known to help with morning sickness in the early stages of pregnancy. Hartog points to a study that showed ginger to be effective in relieving the severity of nausea in those who are pregnant (though it is important to note that it doesn’t actually decrease the number of times one will vomit, she says). But this is a tricky balance as having too much ginger can cause even more nausea and can even lead to heartburn, so excessive consumption is not recommended. Ginger might also have a labor-inducing effect and, says Haberstroh, so consult with your doctor first before consuming any large amounts of it.
Bloating and Other Digestive Issues
Haberstroh explains that ginger makes it easier for food to digest. The root’s compound, gingerol, stimulates the production of stomach acid, saliva, and bile to help the stomach empty out quicker. Bloating occurs when there’s a delay in gastric emptying, so many believe that making this process easier will help decrease the likelihood of bloating and indigestion. She adds that the essential oil found in ginger can reduce painful flatulence.
Those who have a sensitive stomach or sensitivity to spicy foods should be careful when consuming ginger, she says. Hartog adds that more studies need to be done to conclusively say that ginger does indeed help with bloating and other digestive issues.
Colds
To boost your immune system, Haberstroh says that ginger can help protect against infections thanks to its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The root contains gingerol and shogal, which improves blood circulation in the mucous membranes and loosens mucus to remove it quickly. The essential oils in ginger are also pain-relieving, which she says can have a positive effect on dry coughs and sore throats.
Pain
As mentioned above, ginger has anti-inflammatory properties. This is especially helpful when wanting to reduce pain in different parts of your body. Hartog says that research has shown that those with osteoarthritis had reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are a group of proteins that are responsible for regulating joint movement. When inflamed, cytokines are responsible for the development and progression of osteoarthritis. Studies also show that ginger can be effective when dealing with dysmenorrhea, the pain one feels before menstruation and can help minimize menstrual cramps.