GINGER is a natural spice that is used around the world to add a strong flavour to foods, especially in curry dishes. It has reportedly been used as a herbal medicine for many centuries to cure common health problems.
There has been a lot of research done on ginger and its main chemical ‘’Gingerol’’. Gingerol shows very promising results as a nausea remedy for motion sickness and pregnancy related sickness. It can also help with gastro-intestinal discomfort and inflammation in the gut.
Battling colds and flus? Ginger may be able to help with breathing and perspiration. The effects of ginger on chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is controversial with more studies needed.
More studies are needed on the effectiveness of ginger on arthritis related diseases in reducing inflammation, but nonetheless it looks very promising. For people with type 2 diabetes ginger looks promising in reducing fasting blood glucose levels and insulin resistance.
Ginger is a very interesting ingredient and can be consumed via fresh root, tea or in food as a spice. It is generally safe with no known side effects when used in normal culinary amounts. But, very high intakes should be avoided if you are on blood thinners.
• Lee McCusker (BA; MSc; MSc; MSc; ANutr; SENr) is a registered nutritionist from Belfast and can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Email: attentive nutrition@gmail.com
