The Plant that Packs a Punch: Ginger

Let us play a game of jeopardy in the category of superherbs. Can you guess this powerful, nutritional herb, that is proven to give a tough competition to over-the-counter medicines to reduce pain and improve digestion. If you guessed, “What is ginger?”, then you are correct. This incredible herb has been medicinally used for thousands of years to cure various ailments, such as colds, nausea, migraines, and hypertension. Modern-day science now gives us insight into the numerous health benefits that ginger offers.

So what is it that makes ginger such a powerful herb? Taking a closer look into the nutritional content reveals that 1 tablespoon serving of fresh ginger contains more than 400 important compounds, including essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron, potassium, vitamin B3 and B6, vitamin C, and magnesium. A bioactive compound, gingerol, contributes to the unique pungent flavor of ginger, as well as its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. If you have been keeping ginger in your spice cabinet, then it is also time to add it to your medicine cabinet. Besides its pungent and slightly spicy taste, ginger is the perfect herbal medicine to improve digestion, relieve pain, and promote a healthy mind.

Supports Gut Health

If you have ever tried a weird dish at a restaurant and felt an upset stomach the next morning, then ginger is the right herb for you. Ginger has a magical ability to cure many of our tummy problems. It soothes an upset stomach, improves the movement of food, and reduces bloating and cramps. It also stimulates the digestive juices such as bile, saliva, and other beneficial bacteria that help move foods through the digestive tract to improve absorption of nutrients and prevent the stomach from feeling bloated. This magical healing power reduces abdominal pain and inflammation and relieves the stomach lining. A quick and refreshing remedy for stomach cramps or bloating is to boil a cup of hot water with a ginger pod to reap the benefits.

Not only in our gut, but ginger is also performing magical wonders in our brain. Many brain scientists are starting to suggest that ginger is a critical superherb to protect our brain health. It can combine with free radicals in our body to fight inflammation and oxidative stress that are known to contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. The flowering plant not only helps the brains of those that are struggling with memory and cognitive disorders, but also improves thought processes, perception, and awareness in healthy individuals. Research suggests that ginger does this by increasing connections and communication between cells in the brain, which allows more information to be processed and more learning to occur.

Increases those Feel-Good Chemicals

Introducing magical wonder 2: ginger also improves our mental health. The antidepressant effects of ginger help beat stress by increasing levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that influences our mood. Adding a small ginger pod to your morning smoothie or fresh juice can improve your wit, crack better jokes, recall information faster, and reduce anxiety.
It is no surprise that this superherb has been popular for centuries not only for its aroma, but also for its medicinal properties. Consuming ginger offers numerous health benefits for both our body and mind with the potential to improve stomach performance, regulate blood sugar levels, relieve stress, and build immunity.

While I may not be able to offer you the prize money for guessing ginger, I hope to have encouraged you to reap the numerous health benefits it offers.