Ginger Health Benefits & Nutrition

Ginger – A Rhizome Herb

Ginger is a herb used for culinary and medical purposes. Immensely popular in Asian countries especially India. This herb is a rhizome (underground root) which can be eaten raw, dried in powdered form, or as juice. The color of fresh ginger ranges from white, yellow and red. It is covered with layer of brown skin. The taste of fresh ginger is mild. Peel the skin and use it as food or for medical purposes.

Nutrition in Ginger

All the benefits which we get are due to amazing nutrients in ginger. On eating  24 grams of fresh raw ginger you get the following nutrition as per the report  by USDA. The % DV( Daily value requirements ) below  is based on 2000 calorie diet.

• 18.93 grams of water is present in this herb. 0.18 grams of ash
• Ginger is a low calorie food. One get 19 KCAL of calories.
• 0.44 grams of proteins are derived from eating 24 grams of ginger. That is 1% of daily value body requirements. 18 amino acids are present in ginger.
• Carbohydrates content is 4.26 grams. The dietary fiber is 0.5 grams which is 2% of daily value requirement. Contains only 0.4 grams of sugar.
• Total fat content is 0.18 grams. It has 0.049 grams of  saturated fats, 0.037 grams of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. The ginger is good  in omega fatty acids- 8.2 mg of Omega 3 fatty acids and 28.8mg of Omega 6 fatty acids
• Ginger is a rich mineral herb. It has good quantity of potassium which is 100 mg that is 3% of DV. As well all know potassium rich diet is lowers blood pressure. Magnesium is another mineral present in good quantity- 10 mg which is 3% of daily value need. Other minerals are 4 mg of calcium, 0.14 mg of iron( 1% of DV), 8 mg of phosphorous( 1% of DV ), 3 mg of sodium, selenium is 0.2 mcg , zinc is 0.08 mg, copper is 0.054 mg and 0.055 mg of manganese.
• The herb is contains the following vitamins – Vitamin C is 1.2 mg which is 2% of DV, Thiamin is is 0.006 mg,  Riboflavin 0.008 mg, Niacin 0.180 mg, Pantothenic Acid 0.049 mg, Vitamin B6 0.038mg, Folate 3mcg, Choline 6.9 mg, Vitamin E 0.06 mg.

Ginger Health Benefits

1. Lowers High Blood Presssure Levels: Drinking Ginger tea or eating in raw form will help you achieve this benefit
2. Lowers LDL Cholesterol levels and thus reduces plaque formation : Those having high cholesterol levels should include ginger in their food. As ginger lowers cholesterol as well as low density lipoprotein levels. If this problem is unchecked it leads to plaque formation in arteries.
3. Atherosclerosis disease is prevented : When plaque formation is prevented by ginger this further prevents atherosclerosis disease. Atherosclerosis is responsible for heart attacks and strokes
4. Improve Blood Circulation : Ginger improves blood circulation in veins. This is achieved by gingers ability to lower blood pressure levels. When pressure level is reduced there is smooth passage of blood in the veins. Another reason for improvement in blood circulation is due to blood thinning qualities of ginger. This helps our heart in blood circulation.
5. Reduces the appearance of spider veins & varicose veins : Veins are visible due to accumulation of blood protein fibrin. Ginger breaks down this protein in the veins and thus reduces the appearance of  spider and varicose veins.
6. Relief for arthritis patients : Ginger is anti-inflammatory in nature. There is reduction in inflammation associated with arthritis. It acts like a pain killer.
7. Boosts Immunity: Ginger boosts the production of white blood cells (T Cells). These T Cells are responsible for killing cells infected by viruses and infections. Thus increasing  body’s defense against disease.
8. Benefits for Digestion: Ginger stimulates appetite, bile production and saliva. Ginger is excellent source of phenolic compounds. These compounds provide lot of digestive benefits. Indigestion, diarrhea, intestinal spasms, gas and colic are prevented as well as cured with ginger. Motion sickness symptoms like dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating are prevented. Eating ginger aids your bowel movements as food moves quickly to small intestine.
9. Prevents nausea and vomiting for pregnant ladies : So having ginger in pregnancy is an effective cure to reduce these problems in pregnancy. It is safe to have ginger for these problems rather than having anti vomiting drugs.
10. Prevents Cancer : There is decreased risks in colon cancer. It is gingerols present in ginger responsible for preventing the cancer. Ginger is effective for treating breast cancer. According to research by American Association for Cancer Research, ginger is effective for treating ovarian and prostate cancer. Ginger kills cancer cells

DISCLAIMER

The information provided in this article is for educative purpose only. Consult you doctor or professional medical advice before using any information in this article for any health program