What Ginger Can Do for You and Your Health

Ginger, it may sound close to the word "danger", poses no danger to our health at all. The humble or even ugly looking stem possesses abundant qualities that are beneficial to mankind.

It is absolutely amazing to note that the plain and ugly-looking ginger is purported to contain the following nutrients: calcium, carbohydrate, dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, protein, selenium, sodium and vitamin C, E and B6.

In addition, the health, medicinal and nutrition benefits of ginger consumption are plentiful. See the list below.

• Effective in blocking the harmful effects of prostaglandin, a substance leading to inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain.

• Alleviating nausea, including pregnant women.

• Alleviating the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

• Promoting warmth in the upper respiratory tract and therefore, is effective in treating cold and flu.

• Effective in reducing or eliminating cramps, including menstrual cramps.

• Helpful in managing circulatory disorders.

• By virtue of its cineole content, it helps to enhance mood and relieve stress.

• It is a natural and effective mouth freshener.

• It can aid digestion.

• Effective in reducing inflammation.

• It helps lower cholesterol.

• It is a great help to those suffering from gas and bloating.

• Generally believed to have anti-cancer properties.

• Effective in reducing or eliminating headache.

• Effective in treating diarrhea.

• Effective as a great natural preservative, bactericide and meat tenderizer.

It would be quite difficult to identify any other single food or beverage that costs so little and yet can offer so many uses.

Ginger can be pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. They can also be stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea, to which honey is often added as a sweetener; sliced orange or lemon fruit may also be added.

The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Indian recipes and Chinese cuisine to flavor dishes such as seafood or mutton and vegetarian recipes. Powdered dry ginger root (ginger powder) is typically used to spice gingerbread and other recipes.

There are people who use ginger to make candy. It is also used as a flavoring for cookies, crackers and cake, and is the main flavor in ginger ale-a sweet, carbonated, non-alcoholic beverage, as well as the similar, but spicier ginger beer.

In China, after a woman has given birth, it is believed that she needs strengthening and nourishment. The family prepares a dish of several pounds of pig feet, a pound or two of ginger, and a considerable amount of vinegar. The gelatinous mixture that results is quite tasty and thought to be restorative.

Some people can be allergic to ginger. They may get rashes, heartburn, bloating, gas, belching and nausea, particularly if taken in powdered form.

To conclude, the ginger is indeed a wonderful food that can do loads of great stuff for our health. It is cheap and easily available. To those people who are allergic to ginger, they would have to use it with precaution.