What are the benefits of ginger tea? Let’s look at real facts and fiction about this popular traditional medicine product. Do not try to treat diseases with any decoctions without consulting a specialist.
There are many benefits in a cup of ginger water or tea.
Like other herbal products, ginger root offers health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory properties. This effect can be enhanced by adding lemon and honey.
How to make ginger tea
To make a healthy ginger tea, add grated or chopped raw ginger to boiling water. Let the root steep for at least 10 minutes and strain. Adjust the ratio depending on how strong the flavor and aroma you desire. Jacqueline London, Director of Nutrition at the Good Housekeeping Institute, warns:
Ginger tea is not a panacea
It does not cure all diseases and does not “detox”, as is common on the Internet. However, regular consumption of ginger tea does not hurt. Just drink it without sweeteners. To understand the benefits of ginger tea, let’s find out the following:
Ginger suppresses nausea
If you are experiencing nausea, ginger tea can help. The Mayo Clinic also believes that ginger fights morning sickness and chemotherapy-induced nausea.
Ginger speeds up gastric emptying so that contents can move more efficiently from the stomach to the small intestine
explains Lisa Ganju, gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health. Dr. Ganju often recommends ginger tea to patients, especially pregnant women with hyperemesis, and finds it safe.
Always consult your doctor for any problem that requires medical attention.
Ginger tea relieves pain
Ginger helped reduce the pain of menstrual cramps in a 2015 clinical study published in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
Additional research has shown that ginger is more effective than placebo for pain relief when taken within the first three to four days of a cycle. The idea is that ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties work in a similar way to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), says Dr. Ganju.
While most scientific research so far has looked at ginger in supplement form, drinking it as a tincture or tea can help cut cramps in half.
Ginger helps balance blood sugar levels
Ginger has some links to increased blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetic patients. Consumption 3 gr. powdered ginger per day helped patients improve glycemic performance compared to placebo. These data are based on a 2015 study published in the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine.
Ginger tea helps you lose weight
No, ginger tea will not melt belly fat or burn calories. But it’s still worth sipping ginger tincture if you like its taste and have a desire to find a fragrant alternative to plain water.
Ginger tea is not a weight loss elixir because it cannot directly affect metabolism.
London explains.
We see this effect mainly in green and black teas, which contain caffeine. But this is seen only in preliminary studies, and these results are minimal and temporary. Drink ginger tea instead of other sugary drinks like sweet iced tea or gingerbread latte. Ginger water contains almost zero calories and helps with hydration – these are two main advantages if you want to lose weight.
Ginger tea reduces the risk of chronic diseases
Along with vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains, ginger is high in phytonutrients. These antioxidant compounds help fight chronic inflammation, a physiological condition in which the body’s cells are on high alert due to ongoing or past threat.
This response mechanism is not bad, but sometimes it fails and becomes hyperactive. Over time, this can play a big role in the development of diseases such as arthritis and cancer. Phytonutrients such as ginger reduce inflammation and protect cells from DNA damage.
What’s more, gingerol and zingerone, the main anti-inflammatory compounds in ginger, limit the factors that trigger inflammation in the first place.
London adds.
