Ginger is a root that has long been part of some traditional medicines and is used to treat various ailments such as colds and rheumatism. Today, in the West, it is mainly used as a stimulating plant to fight against daily fatigue or to increase the performance of athletes. Discover the interest that it can have for you and its real effectiveness.
What is ginger?
Basically, ginger is a plant, especially cultivated for its rhizome, its "root" which is, by extension, also called "ginger". This rhizome has a deer antler shape that gave it its name in the beginning. It is used as a spice in Asian, Indian and Creole cuisines. But, it can also be found in the West, where it can be used in gingerbread. Its taste is spicy, fresh, and its color is yellow.
But, more than a spice, ginger is also part of the panoply of plants used in Asian medicine. It is still used today. In France, ginger is one of the plants that can be used in the composition of herbal medicines.
What are the effects of ginger?
Ginger has various virtues that affect the field of health, but also that of physical performance.
HEALTH
On the health side, ginger has the advantage of being able to treat nausea and vomiting, whether during pregnancy, gastroenteritis or because you have motion sickness. This effect is explained by the presence of gingerols and shogaols in ginger, which can, among other things, act on the movements of the stomach.
Ginger may also help digestion by stimulating the secretion of bile and improving the activity of digestive enzymes. However, this kind of effect is most likely to occur when large quantities of ginger are consumed.
Gingerols and shogaols are also compounds known for their anti-inflammatory effects. Ginger may therefore help to treat certain diseases such as arthritis, and it is reasonable to think that regular consumption of ginger may slightly reduce the chronic inflammation that many people suffer from.
Ginger may be able to reduce fasting blood glucose levels and may therefore have some value in the treatment of diabetes.
Ginger
Finally, to conclude on the health aspect, it is important to know that ginger contains many antioxidants, and that this root thus makes it possible to fight against the free radicals responsible for damage to the cells and favouring the appearance of cancers.
PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE
When used in conjunction with strength exercises, ginger provides a slight increase in performance compared to people who do not use it. This effect also seems to be related to the loss of fat mass, during a diet, which would be more important in people who take a ginger supplement.
What dosage should be used?
Ginger can be consumed in various forms. In general, 250 mg to 2 g of dried ginger per day is recommended. This corresponds to a maximum of 10 g of fresh ginger per day.
You can easily find powdered ginger to season your dishes in a supermarket or dried ginger capsules in food supplement stores. Fresh ginger is also easy to find.
What are the side effects?
Ginger is a plant with few side effects. However, although it can be used during pregnancy, it is best to consult your doctor before doing so, as some studies suggest that ginger may promote miscarriages.
Ginger may also cause mouth sores in some people. It also has an anticoagulant effect that makes it incompatible with medications that have the same effect.
In any case, it is best not to exceed the dosage of 2 g of dried ginger per day, or 10 g of fresh ginger.
Conclusion
Even if its effects remain light, ginger still has interesting virtues for sedentary people and sportsmen. The advantage is that you can consume it very easily on a daily basis. If you like to cook, simply add a little ginger powder to your dishes or simply prepare fresh ginger. Otherwise, ginger capsules are available everywhere.
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