Herbs of the World - Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is widely grown as a spice and medicinal plant in tropical parts of Asia and Oceania, Africa and Central America. It contains the active ingredients gingerol and shogaol.

Traditional medicine

Ginger is not only an indispensable part of the Far East kitchen, but above all a medicinal plant and a traditional component of many therapeutic therapies for thousands of years. E.g. Indian Ayurveda highlights it as "a wonderful and universal cure," and the old Indian proverb says "everything that is good can be found in ginger.
" Traditionally, ginger promotes digestion, relieves pain, and helps treat colds, sore throats, and infections. Chinese medicine also uses ginger when dealing with Yang energy (feeling cold in the body).

What is the effect of ginger?

Contemporary scientific tests have confirmed many previously tested uses of ginger and have shown that most of its good properties include gingerol.

Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, suppresses pain, helps fight infection , relieves pain and inflammatory joints of osteoarthritis, relieves menstrual pain. This is because gingerol affects the vanilloid receptors found in the nerve endings and reduces the perception of pain. Studies at the University of Georgia in the US have shown that it also reduces muscle pain after physical exertion.

Diseases, joints, pain

Ginger has a calming effect on the digestive tract, relieves inflammation and helps digestion. What is very important is to relieve nausea, including morning sickness. Studies have shown that ginger also promotes ulcer treatment. In 2011, secretary scientists confirmed that a single use of 1.2 g of ginger extract would cause the gastric contents to move to the intestines in people who suffer from dyspepsia (chronic and recurrent digestive disorders).

Thanks to its antioxidant properties, ginger helps maintain normal brain activity even in older age.

Recent studies have shown that ginger can lower cholesterol and can help treat type 2 diabetes.

In 2009, scientists have found that ginger has an effect on serotonin receptors and helps regulate insulin secretion. During testing, ginger therapy led to a 35% decrease in blood glucose levels with a 10% increase in insulin plasma concentration.

In 2012, Sydney University researchers confirmed that ginger-rich ginger can regulate blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Using gingerol-rich ginger for a longer period of time can increase glucose uptake into muscle cells without insulin help.

Use / indication of ginger

• Difficulties with digestion
  
• Ulcers
  
• Nausea
  
• Poor absorption of nutrients
  
• Arthritis, arthritis
  
• Pain (menstrual, back, head)
  
• Respiratory tract infections
  
• Diabetes type 2
  
• Feeling cold in the body

Dosage of ginger extracts

The amount of ingested extract, eg in capsules, should be regulated according to the manufacturer's recommendations (Ginger Hepatica).

It is recommended to use ginger extracts that have a significantly higher ginger content than found in fresh ginger.