Ginger bread, ginger bread men, ginger snaps - all of these are delicious ways to consume ginger. Besides just tasting good in baked treats, ginger is really healthy and easy to incorporate into your diet without getting a sugar overload.
It can be added to smoothies, cooked into stir-fries and made into tea. If you don't like the taste of ginger, you can get it in powder form in capsules to take instead. Check out these 7+ benefits of ginger that might get you scheming about how to add it into your diet.
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1. Morning sickness. For those who suffer from morning sickness when pregnant, you'll try just about anything to help settle your stomach. According to Healthline, ginger is one of the best items for settling the stomach due to pregnancy. Make a cup of tea in the morning or whenever morning sickness hits.
2. Nausea. Besides morning sickness, Healthline states that ginger helps with nausea caused by chemotherapy, sea sickness or operations. Place 1 tablespoon of thinly sliced ginger into 1 cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes and then strain out the ginger.
3. Digestion. According to Medical News Today, ginger is great for reliving gastrointestinal irritation. It helps stimulate saliva and bile and suppresses gas all at the same time.
4. Heart disease. If heart disease and cholesterol are problems, Women's Health shares that ginger may help with reducing the risks. It lowers LDL and thins the blood so that it won't clot as much. This means that ginger reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
5. Menstrual pain. Once a month, women suffer with menstrual cramps and backaches. Healthline shares that taking 1 gram of ginger powder for the first three days of your period can significantly reduce the menstrual pain you experience.
6. Diabetes. Taking in your ginger through tasty desserts will negate any good you try to do through it, but according to Good Housekeeping, ginger has been linked to chemicals that help regulate insulin. Ginger also helps regulate your metabolism.
7. Cold and flu. During cold and flu season, Medical News Today says that grabbing a cup of ginger tea may be just what the doctor ordered. It is a diaphoretic, causing the body to heat from within and raising your temperature. Slice 20 to 40 grams of fresh ginger and place it in boiling water to steep. Add a little honey and lemon to help break up any congestion that may be plaguing you.
8. Anti-inflammatory. Surprisingly, ginger appears to have anti-inflammatory properties. Good Housekeeping states that ginger is a phytonutrient, helping to reduce cell damage. You want to consume the ginger over time to get the effects you desire as it won't work immediately like popping a pain pill.
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9. Muscle pain. If you like to exercise hard, but don't want to pay for it, Healthline recommends taking some ginger to reduce the muscle pain. Take 2 grams for 11 days to get the best effect.
Ginger is good for so much more than adding flavor to food. See how you can work it into your diet.