Ginger: the magical root’s secret and surprising uses

Ginger oil can be applied to the body topically for aches and pains, and it can also be ingested to treat an upset stomach. Make it at home by combining 1 cup freshly grated ginger root, 1 1/2 cups olive oil, and baking it at 150°F for two hours. Strain the oil to remove pieces of ginger before use. Test a small amount to make sure it doesn't irritate your skin.

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Combat nausea -

Ginger ale or ginger tea is often used by patients undergoing chemotherapy as well as pregnant women experiencing morning sickness because it eases nausea.

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Make your own ginger ale -

Many store-bought options contain a lot of sugar and little ginger. You can make your own by boiling 2 cups of water with 1/4 cup of freshly grated ginger along with a sweetener such as honey, then simmering for 5-10 minutes, straining, and then mixing it with carbonated water.

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Reduce muscle pain and soreness -

Ginger has been shown as an effective way to reduce exercise-induced muscle pain over time due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

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Make a ginger compress -

Simmer 1/2 cup of fresh ginger in 2 cups of hot water for 10 minutes, then soak a cloth in the liquid and apply to the injured area.

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Energize your skin -

Ginger contains over 40 antioxidants that can help protect your skin against aging, and it can also clear acne with its antibacterial properties.

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Make a ginger facial cleanser -

Create your own ginger cleanser by combining a small amount of grated ginger with honey and castile soap. Honey, a humectant, helps draw moisture to the skin.

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Protect against gum disease -

The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger help to support healthy mouth tissue and fight oral bacteria linked to diseases in the gums like gingivitis and periodontitis.

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Help with osteoarthritis inflammation -

Osteoarthritis involves degeneration of the joints in the body, leading to symptoms like joint pain and stiffness, and some studies show ginger to be effective at reducing symptoms and thereby lowering the need for other pain medications.

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Massage oil -

One study found that a mixture of ginger, mastic, cinnamon, and sesame oil can reduce pain and stiffness in osteoarthritis patients when applied topically.

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Manage a cough -

Ginger can help ease a chronic cough or a cold because of its soothing anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Suck on a ginger lozenge or enjoy a warm ginger tea.

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Make your own ginger lozenges -

In a tall pan you can boil 1/2 cup of honey, two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and one teaspoon of freshly grated ginger until it gets to 350°F while stirring occasionally, then pour it into silicone molds or make drops on a silicone sheet.

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Lower blood sugars - Research is starting to find that ginger may have powerful anti-diabetic properties. A 2015 study yielded great results, as just two grams of ginger powder per day made significant improvements in type 2 diabetes patients by lowering blood sugar levels and reducing heart disease risk factors.

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Improve digestion -

Ginger has been proven to help with indigestion, as it appears to speed up emptying of the stomach.

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Help treat chronic indigestion - Studies have shown that consuming 1.2 grams of ginger before a meal sped up the process of emptying the stomach by 50%.

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Make a ginger smoothie -

Tossing a small knob of ginger into your smoothie is a great health boost and tastes delicious with a variety of different fruits, from mango to bananas!

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Relieve migraines -

Some studies have shown that ginger can relieve migraines by reducing symptom strength and duration. Try having a ginger tea or lozenge, or massage a few drops of diluted ginger oil into your temples, forehead, and back of the neck.

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Ease menstrual cramps -

Many find ginger to be very effective against menstrual pain when taken at the beginning of the menstrual period, with some saying it’s as effective as ibuprofen.

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It may lower risk of cancer -

The cell-protecting properties of ginger can lower the long-term risk of certain cancers by reducing cellular activity that causes DNA changes, cell death, and growth of cancer cells.

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Lower cholesterol -

One study showed daily intake of 3 grams of ginger caused significant reductions in most cholesterol markers like LDL lipoproteins (the bad cholesterol), which are linked to an increased risk of heart disease.

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Improve brain function -

Some research suggests that ginger can protect against age-related damage to the brain like oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which are believed to drive Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline.

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Fight infections -

Gingerol, the bioactive substance in fresh ginger, can help lower the risk of infections and can inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria.

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Banish bad breath - According to one study, gingerol stimulates an enzyme found in saliva that breaks down the substances that make your breath stink.

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Ginger detox bath - If you're feeling a cold coming on or need to rid yourself of toxins, run a hot bath and add a 1/2 cup of fresh grated ginger. Soak for no longer than 20 minutes!

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Make a foot bath -

If you have athlete’s foot, adding fresh ginger to a foot bath not only feels good, but it can help kill bacteria and fungus.

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Kill odors in your home -

Simmer fresh ginger on the stovetop to make your house smell amazing. You can throw in vanilla, cinnamon, orange, apple, or clove to round out the scent.

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Don’t overdo it -

While all of these benefits sound great, the more ginger is not always the merrier, specifically when it comes to ingesting it. Having too much could actually give you a stomach ache or heartburn, and using too concentrated of a solution on your skin could irritate it.

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Gingerol -

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Combat motion sickness -

Ginger has a long history of use as a sea sickness remedy, made effective by the organic compounds called phenols.

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Make ginger oil -

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Combat nausea -

Ginger ale or ginger tea is often used by patients undergoing chemotherapy as well as pregnant women experiencing morning sickness because it eases nausea.

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Make your own ginger ale -

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Reduce muscle pain and soreness -

Ginger has been shown as an effective way to reduce exercise-induced muscle pain over time due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Shutterstock

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Make a ginger compress -

Simmer 1/2 cup of fresh ginger in 2 cups of hot water for 10 minutes, then soak a cloth in the liquid and apply to the injured area.

Shutterstock

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Energize your skin -

Ginger contains over 40 antioxidants that can help protect your skin against aging, and it can also clear acne with its antibacterial properties.

Shutterstock

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Make a ginger facial cleanser -

Create your own ginger cleanser by combining a small amount of grated ginger with honey and castile soap. Honey, a humectant, helps draw moisture to the skin.

Shutterstock

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Protect against gum disease -

The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger help to support healthy mouth tissue and fight oral bacteria linked to diseases in the gums like gingivitis and periodontitis.

Shutterstock

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Help with osteoarthritis inflammation -

Shutterstock

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Massage oil -

One study found that a mixture of ginger, mastic, cinnamon, and sesame oil can reduce pain and stiffness in osteoarthritis patients when applied topically.

Shutterstock

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Manage a cough -

Ginger can help ease a chronic cough or a cold because of its soothing anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. Suck on a ginger lozenge or enjoy a warm ginger tea.

Shutterstock

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Make your own ginger lozenges -

Shutterstock

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Improve digestion -

Ginger has been proven to help with indigestion, as it appears to speed up emptying of the stomach.

Shutterstock

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Help treat chronic indigestion - Studies have shown that consuming 1.2 grams of ginger before a meal sped up the process of emptying the stomach by 50%.

Shutterstock

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Make a ginger smoothie -

Tossing a small knob of ginger into your smoothie is a great health boost and tastes delicious with a variety of different fruits, from mango to bananas!

Shutterstock

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Relieve migraines -

Shutterstock

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Ease menstrual cramps -

Many find ginger to be very effective against menstrual pain when taken at the beginning of the menstrual period, with some saying it’s as effective as ibuprofen.

Shutterstock

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It may lower risk of cancer -

The cell-protecting properties of ginger can lower the long-term risk of certain cancers by reducing cellular activity that causes DNA changes, cell death, and growth of cancer cells.

Shutterstock

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Lower cholesterol -

Shutterstock

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Improve brain function -

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Fight infections -

Gingerol, the bioactive substance in fresh ginger, can help lower the risk of infections and can inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria.

Shutterstock

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Banish bad breath - According to one study, gingerol stimulates an enzyme found in saliva that breaks down the substances that make your breath stink.

Shutterstock

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Ginger detox bath - If you're feeling a cold coming on or need to rid yourself of toxins, run a hot bath and add a 1/2 cup of fresh grated ginger. Soak for no longer than 20 minutes!

Shutterstock

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Make a foot bath -

If you have athlete’s foot, adding fresh ginger to a foot bath not only feels good, but it can help kill bacteria and fungus.

Shutterstock

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Kill odors in your home -

Simmer fresh ginger on the stovetop to make your house smell amazing. You can throw in vanilla, cinnamon, orange, apple, or clove to round out the scent.

Shutterstock

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Don’t overdo it -

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Ginger: the magical root’s secret and surprising uses

The superfood that actually deserves its title

28/12/20 | StarsInsider

HEALTH Food

We already know ginger works wonders as a flavoring agent in many Asian recipes, but the spice has also become more recognized in Western medicine as a powerful tool for health—something traditional Chinese medicine practitioners knew centuries ago.

Ginger can come in many forms—fresh, powdered, gel, oil, tea, juice, lozenges, etc.—but across the board it is known to be healthy, delicious, and loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that benefit your body and brain.

You've already heard you should drink ginger tea when you're sick, but there's so much more the mighty root can offer. Check out this gallery to see some secret and surprising uses for the magical superfood.