John Myers
It cures headaches, relieves colds and gastrointestinal complaints, and helps with diabetes, and aching muscles, and joints – ginger is versatile. Various active ingredients are responsible for the lemon-like, hot-spicy taste and for the healing powers of the healthy root. For example, oleoresin: Like acetylsalicylic acid, this component of ginger inhibits the enzyme cyclooxygenase and is effective against headaches.
The important essential oils such as gingerol, chocolate oil, or borneol can have an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, and anti-swelling effect and thus alleviate the symptoms of rheumatic sufferers. At a dose of four to five grams a day, ginger in tablet form or fresh should also help with arthrosis symptoms. However, the successes have not been proven by scientific studies.
Proven effect of ginger in diabetes
In diabetes, on the other hand, the effect of ginger has been proven: Here, the pungent substances help to control blood sugar by increasing the protein GLUT4 on the muscle surface and allowing the muscle cells to absorb more sugar from the blood. This leads to a drop in blood sugar.
If you eat spicy food, you’ll get warm quickly. Therefore, ginger is also a well-known remedy for colds. If you have a fever, however, it is better to avoid ginger, since the stimulation of the heat receptors by the pungent substances can, in the worst case, cause the temperature to rise.
Also used in chemotherapy
The Asian tuber even seems to prove its worth during chemotherapy. Studies show that cancer patients experience less nausea when they take ginger along with chemical anti-nausea drugs. However, not all patients respond equally to ginger. For some, the hoped-for effect does not materialize.
Since the ingredients in the hot tuber affect receptors in the brain that are involved in vomiting, ginger can also help with motion sickness or other digestive problems. The pungent substances also stimulate the production of gastric acid bacteria, which enable easier digestion, especially after heavy and fatty food.
Pregnant women should be careful with ginger
Ginger is also considered to thin the blood and can thus prevent vasoconstriction and thrombosis. In addition to all its good properties, the effects of ginger should not be underestimated. Pregnant women should avoid the tuber, as it can promote contractions. Complications can also occur during operations due to the blood-thinning effect.
