Health Benefits of Ginger (Adrak)

About Ginger/Ginseng/Adrak

Ginger root is one of the most famous spices used in various Indian dishes and in other ways all over the world. It is also known as the ginseng or most commonly adrak in India. It is specially used as a spice and therapeutic purposes for its great nutritional health benefits. It belongs to the family Zingiberaceae like cardamom, turmeric and galangal. Its cultivation was first started in the South Asia and then distributed to East Africa and other regions of the world.

Benefits of Ginger/Adrak

Ginger has very strong spicy aroma used in many Indian cuisines in any form like fresh, dried, powdered, pickled, juice, oil or other forms.  Ginger tea is one of the most famous teas of the India used for medicinal purposes especially in the winter season. Some of the nutritional health benefits of the ginger are mentioned below:

Benefits of Ginger for Respiratory System

Relieves Cold and Cough

• It provides instant relief from the symptoms of cold, cough and sore throat if one tsf of ginger juice is taken with honey for some days.

Keeps Airway Clean

• It helps in reducing the airway contraction and stimulating proper mucus secretion.

Treats Throat and Nose Congestion

• It is very effective for treating the throat and nose congestion if ginger tea is taken for some days.

Cures Asthma

• Ginger helps in curing asthma if the mixture of ginger juice, fenugreek and honey is taken.

Prevents from Respiratory Tract Infection

• It helps in preventing from the upper respiratory tract infection like bronchitis, throat infections and etc.

Benefits of Ginger for Digestive System

Relieves Digestive Disorders

• It provides relief from the digestive disorders like nausea and vomiting if small pieces of the fresh ginger are chewed.

Cures Loss of Appetite

• Ginger provides relief from the symptoms of the loss of appetite by increasing the frequency of appetite if fresh ginger is eaten just before the meal.

Improves Essential Nutrients Absorption

• It aids a lot in the food digestion, improves the absorption of some essential nutrients by enhancing the secretion of gastric and pancreatic enzymes and protein digestion by breaking down into small parts.

Protects from Stomach Ulcer

• It calms down the upset stomach and protects stomach from ulcers by enhancing the proper mucus secretion.

Relieves Flatulence

• Its carminative property provides instant relief from the bloating and gas problems thus helps in reducing flatulence.

Treats Digestive System Disorders

• Adrak is used in many medications as an essential ingredient like laxative, antacid and anti-gas treating medications.

Relieves Nausea and Vomiting

• It provides instant relief from the nausea, motion sickness, dizziness, vomiting, cold sweating and etc.

Benefits of Ginger for Pregnant women

Relieves Morning Sickness

• It provides relief from the morning sickness (nausea and vomiting, known as hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy) to the pregnant women however it should be consulted by the physician.

Benefits of Ginger for Women

Reduces Menstrual Pain

• It reduces pain during menstruation among women when taken before the occurrence of menstrual period.

Prevents Risk of Ovarian and Breast Cancer

• Ginger helps in preventing from the ovarian and breast cancer to the women by inducing the cancer cells death through the apoptosis process.

Benefits of Ginger for Brain

Relieves Headache

• It provides relief from the headache during migraine (by inhibiting the secretion and synthesis of prostaglandin) if diluted ginger paste is applied to the forehead.

Relieves Stress and Tension

• Adrak makes the mind calm by providing relief from the stress and tension.

Cures Alzheimer’s Disease

• It helps in curing and preventing from the Alzheimer’s disease by reducing loss of brain cells.

Benefits of Ginger for Bones and Joints

Relieves Pain and Inflammation

• Its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties (due to presence of a compound called gingerols) provides relief from the joints pain and joints inflammation during arthritis if taken regularly.

Relieves Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Ginger provides relief from the symptoms of the rheumatoid arthritis if taken on regular basis.

Benefits of Ginger for Cancer

Prevents from Cancer

• Ginger is very powerful antioxidant spice as it contains high level of antioxidants compounds which helps in preventing from the various cancers.

Reduces Bad Effects of Chemotherapy

• It is very beneficial in reducing the bad effects of chemotherapy.

Benefits of Ginger for Heart

Regulates Blood Pressure

• Ginger helps in regulating the normal blood pressure thus prevents from the hypertension.

Reduces Blood Cholesterol Level

• Adrak helps in reducing the blood cholesterol level thus reduces the occurrence of heart problems.

Benefits of Ginger for Immunity

Strengthens Immunity

• It boosts up and strengthens the immunity system thus prevents body from the various infections.

Contains Unique Phytochemicals

• It contains some unique phyto-chemicals substances which give it a disease preventing ability and health promoting properties.

Benefits of Ginger for Men

Stimulate Sexual Desire

• It aphrodisiac properties stimulate the sexual desire among men thus spice up the life.

Increases Sperm Count

• Regular use of ginger increases the sperm count and quality as well as enhances the production of testosterone hormone.

Treats Erectile Dysfunction

• It is very effective in treating the erectile dysfunction in males.

Benefits of Ginger in Diabetes

Controls Blood Sugar and Insulin Level

• It helps in controlling the blood sugar level and increasing the plasma insulin level among people with type-2 diabetes.

Prevents from Cataract

• Ginger reduces the risk of cataracts among diabetic patients.

Benefits of Ginger Juice

Relieves Burned Skin

• Applying ginger juice directly to the burned skin provides instant relief.

Reduces Joint Inflammations

• Its anti-inflammatory property and antioxidant nature helps in reducing joint inflammations among people suffering from thyroid gland problems or arthritis.

Kill Cancerous Cells

• It has ability to kill cancerous cells in the body thus prevents from the growth of breast cancer cells.

Manage Blood Pressure

• Its blood thinning property helps in managing blood pressure among people suffering from hypertension.

Treats Digestive Disorders

• It is a natural pain killer and solves various digestive disorders.

Cures Seasonal Problems

• Its anti-viral property helps in curing seasonal problems like cold, cough, nausea and flu.

Prevents from Ageing

• Its antioxidant nature because of the vitamin C availability prevents from the free radicals, environmental toxins and thus premature aging.

Benefits of Ginger Oil for Hair, Skin and Tooth

Reduces Muscle and Joint Pain

• It helps in reducing the muscle pain and joints pain if ginger oil is used to massage and bath.

Contains Essential Oils

• It contains lots of health beneficial essential oils (zingerone, gingerol, shogaol, β-phelladrene, farnesene, cineol, citral and etc) which helps in improving intestinal motility, soothes nerves, lower down fever and etc.

Prevents from Infection

• Garlic oil is a very good agent having antibacterial, anti viral, anti microbial and anti fungal medicinal properties which can be used orally and topically to get relief.

Cures Dandruff

• Ginger helps in curing dandruff if garlic oil is massaged to the hair scalp.

Treats Infections

• It helps in treating infections caused by the bacteria, virus, microbes or fungus.

Relieves Toothache

• Applying garlic oil cotton balls to the tooth for 8 to 10 mins provides relief from the toothache.

Boosts Hair Growth

• It is loaded with the lots of nutrient which boosts up the hair growth and prevents hair loss by enhancing blood circulation to the hair roots.

Relieves Fungal Infections

• Adrak provides relief from the fungal infections, itch, ringworm, warts and etc if applied to the affected skin.

Benefits of Ginger Tea

Relieves Cold Symptoms

• Ginger tea provides immediate relief from the symptoms of cold, cough, sore throat and blocked nose.

Provides Relief from various Disorders

• It soothes nerves, prevents vomiting, headaches, relief from stomach discomfort, reduces inflammations, looses phlegm and expands lungs, improves blood flow, prevents fever, enhances immunity and etc.

Benefits of Ginger Tea for Weight Loss

Burn Extra Fat

• It has fat burning property which burns excess fat of the body and helps in maintaining the general weight if ginger tea is taken on regular basis.

Improves Metabolism

• Ginger enhances the rate of metabolism and burns off the extra stored fat in the body.

Reduces Bad Cholesterol

• It helps in reducing the bad cholesterol level and triglyceride levels in the body which burns body fat.

Keeps Stomach Full

• It helps in improving weight loss by making the stomach feeling full for long after a meal.

Benefits of Ginger Tea for Skin

Improves Skin Complexion

• It contains a powerful antioxidant (gingerol) which prevents skin from the free radicals and pre-mature aging as well as enhances skin complexion.

Improves Blood Circulation

• Adrak is a good vasodilator which improves the blood circulation throughout the body by expanding the blood vessels thus makes the skin healthy and glowing.

Relieves Skin Problems

• It reduces the skin inflammations, prevents from the acne, psoriasis and etc skin problems.

Benefits of Ginger and Lemon Juice

Provides Relief from Cold and Sore Throat

• Drinking the mixture of ginger root slices boiled into water, lemon juice and honey acts as a best ayurvedic medicine and provides relief from the common cold, cough, headache and sore throat.

Benefits of Ginger Powder

Good Skin Toner

• It acts as a good skin toner if the mixture of boiled ginger powder into water and rosemary oil is applied to face skin cotton balls. It clears out the skin dust, hydrates, reduces dryness and tone up the skin.

Cures Stomach Irritation

• It helps in curing stomach irritation if taken with sugar cane juice everyday in the early morning.

Relieves Headache

• Applying dried ginger powder paste to the forehead provides relief from the headache.

Relieves Chest Pain

• Taking the mixture of ginger powder and sugar with coconut water provides relief from the chest pain.

Relieves Arthritis Symptoms

• It provides relief from the symptoms of arthritis if the boiled water of ginger powder is taken. It also cures common cold.

Treats Urinary Tract Infections

• It helps in treating the urinary tract infections if dried ginger powder is taken with milk and sugar.

Benefits of Galangal Ginger

• It is a blue ginger used in the East Asian regions of the world (Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and etc). It has mild flavor and less pungent taste than the normal ginger with the common health benefits.

Other Health Benefits of Ginger

Treats various Body Ailments

• Ginger is used to treat various body ailments because of its powerful therapeutic and strong preventive effects.

Prevents from Bacterial and Viral Infection

• It prevents from many health problems due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic, analgesic (pain reliever), antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Reduces Pain, swelling and Inflammation

• It helps to reducing inflammations, pain and swelling anywhere in the body as it inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandin and leukotriene.

 Relieves Intestinal Gas

• Ginger has carminative property and provides relief from the intestinal gas by inhibiting the serotonin receptors.

Prevents from Early Ageing

• It has antioxidant property which makes it able to prevent from the early ageing.

Suppress Allergic Reactions

• It has antihistamine property which makes it able to suppress various allergic reactions in the body.

Prevents from Harmful Effects of Free Radicals

• Adrak gives protection to the body against the harmful effects of the free radicals as it contains active phenolic compounds like 6-gingerol which inhibits nitric oxide production thus prevents from early ageing.

Rich Source of Antioxidants

• It is the rich source of antioxidant substances which helps in protecting the body tissues and organs from various oxidation-inducing substances.

Nutritional Benefits of Raw Ginger/Adrak per 100 g

(Source: USDA Nutrient Database)

Energy: 80 kcal

Carbohydrate: 17.77 g

Sugar: 1.7 g

Dietary fibers: 2 g

Protein: 1.82 g

Total Fat: 0.75 g

Saturated fat: 0.2 g

Polyunsaturated fat: 0.2 g

Monounsaturated fat: 0.2 g

Vitamins

Thiamine: 0.025 mg

Riboflavin: 0.034 mg

Niacin: 0.75 mg

Pantothenic acid: 0.203 mg

Vitamin B6: 0.16 mg

Folate: 11 μg

Vitamin C: 5 mg

Vitamin E: 0.26 mg

Vitamin K: 0.1 µg

Electrolytes

Sodium: 13 mg

Potassium: 415 mg

Minerals

Calcium: 16 mg

Iron: 0.6 mg

Magnesium: 43 mg

Manganese: 0.229 mg

Phosphorus: 34 mg

Zinc: 0.34 mg

Copper: 0.226 mg

How to Select and Store Ginger

Always buy fresh, mature and healthy ginger or adrak from the market. Avoid buying dried, bruised, spotted and bad smelling gingers from the market. Ginger can be enjoyed in many ways such as tea, spice, oil, juice, ginger lemonade, ginger juice with honey, cane sugar or water, pickle, grated ginger with salad, powder and etc. It can be stored for long period of time in the refrigerator by placing it in the airtight container or polybags.

Disadvantages, Side Effects and Precautions of the Ginger

In spite of having lots of health benefits, it causes some serious problems and need to be taken with precautions. Some of are mentioned below:

• Taking ginger tea more than the requirement may cause diarrhea, irritation, heartburn, nausea, restlessness and sleeplessness.
• Drinking ginger tea should be avoided with empty stomach, during pregnancy and patients having gallstones problems.
• It should be avoided by the person with some medications or must consult by the doctor.
• It is avoided by the person suffering from bleeding disorders or taking blood-thinning medications, diabetes medications and high blood pressure medications.
• Higher doses should be avoided by the heart patients.

How Much Ginger to Eat

It can be taken according to the health problems to get instant relief however it depends on the age, sex, weight and health condition of the person. High dose may lead to some serious health problems so it should be taken within limit.