There must be some benefits of ginger that we have heard before. Not just a spice to add flavor to dishes, ginger also has health benefits. Naturally, this type of rhizome has been used as a traditional medicine for a long time.
Ginger contains many important nutrients. Vitamin C and B are the main vitamins whose levels are quite high in ginger. Minerals such as potassium and magnesium are also naturally contained in it.
What’s more, ginger also contains phytochemicals consisting of: gingerol, shogaol, paradolAnd zingerone. This compound is what gives us the spicy and warm sensation we feel. Some of these compounds also have many pharmacological effects (prevention and treatment of disease) which we will discuss further in this article.
Here are 7 benefits of ginger for the body that you must know
1. Reducing Nausea
One of the benefits of ginger that is commonly known by many people is to reduce nausea. Nausea that usually occurs in pregnant women or other conditions such as seasickness and landsickness, post-surgery, or side effects of chemotherapy can be treated with ginger.
Ginger accelerates gastric emptying and stimulates contraction of the antrum of the stomach so that food can be immediately distributed to the intestine. This anti-emetic (anti-vomiting) effect is caused by gingerol And shogaol contained naturally in ginger.
To overcome nausea, we can make ginger tea by grating a small piece of ginger (approximately 2 knuckles) brewed with warm water. We can also add lemon juice or honey to taste.
2. Regulating Sugar and Fat in the Blood
In addition to reducing nausea, content gingerol in ginger is also known to increase insulin sensitivity and glucose absorption so that blood sugar can be controlled.
A significant decrease in fasting blood sugar (GDP) and HbA1C (hemoglobin A1C) levels is a sign of diabetes which decreases after consuming ginger. Improvements in lipid profiles were also seen because ginger was able to lower bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
People with diabetes mellitus are advised to drink ginger tea every morning to help regulate blood sugar levels.
3. Benefits of Ginger to Prevent Cancer
Content gingerol, shogaol, paradolAnd zerobone in ginger is anti-tumor. All of these compounds can activate various enzymes that can prevent the growth of cancer cells.
Not only preventing, the active compounds in ginger can also control the severity of various types of cancer such as colon (colon), stomach, ovarian, liver, skin, breast and prostate cancer.
4. Prevent and Treat
Inflammation Inflammation such as gastritis, arthritis, esophagitis and hepatitis is not only caused by biological factors such as viral, bacterial or parasitic infections, but also physical factors such as heat, cigarette smoke or other foreign objects.
The benefits of ginger have long been known as a natural immune booster that can fight inflammation experienced by the body.
5. Pain Relief
One of the “sensors” in the body that regulates pain, namely TRP-1, is known to be sensitive to foods that have “hot” properties such as ginger. This makes ginger can be used as a pain reliever that is safer to consume for a long time.
Content gingerol And zingerone in ginger is responsible for reducing pain, especially dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain). Consumption of ginger two days before menstruation is known to reduce the pain felt during menstruation.
Not only during menstruation, ginger can also be used to reduce migraines and headaches, lower back pain, to chest pain caused by heart disease.
6. Anti-microbial
Another benefit of ginger for the body is suppressing the growth of various harmful bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenesAnd Helicobacter pylori. Not only that, the bioactive compounds in ginger can also increase the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs in treating disease.
7. Help Lose Weight
Ginger has an anti-obesity effect that can help you lose weight. You do this with several mechanisms such as increasing thermogenesis, breaking down fat (lipolysis), suppressing the formation of fat tissue (lipogenesis), inhibiting fat absorption in the intestine, and controlling appetite.
Several studies have shown that consumption of ginger can reduce weight and reduce waist circumference.
Now we know more and more that ginger is good for health. But that doesn’t mean we only rely on ginger to keep our bodies fit. Keep living a healthy lifestyle by managing a balanced diet and exercising regularly. The GGL application can help us live it.
Also keep in mind, consumption of ginger is not intended to replace the drugs we usually consume, especially for people with diabetes and cancer. Take advantage of ginger in addition to maintaining our health.
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