Today we take you to meet our first wellness herb, that is the common ginger. Ginger scientifically known as (Zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant from the family Zingiberaceae, whose rhizome, the ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine.
ЁЯМ╖ETYMOLOGY
The English term ginger originates from Sanskrit sringavera (sringam=horn+vera=body), referring to the branched rhizome that appears like horns. This was later transformed to Latin gingiber and to Old French gingibre, which resulted in ginger in English.
ЁЯМ╖THE GINGER PLANT
It is a herbaceous perennial which grows pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of leaves) about one meter tall bearing narrow leaf blades. The spike-like inflorescences bear small zygomorphic flowers having pale yellow petals with reddish-purple/maroon edges, and arise directly from the rhizome on separate shoots.
ЁЯМ╖GROWING GINGER
Ginger can be grown from the rhizome available in the markets. It prefers filtered sunlight, moist, well drained soil and warm tropical climate.
ЁЯМ╖HEALTH BENEFITS OF GINGER
ЁЯМ╖IMPROVES DIGESTION
Ginger has been shown to stimulate digestion and relieves indigestion, bloating, nausea and morning sickness.
ЁЯМ╖FIGHTS GERMS AND BOOSTS IMMUNITY
Certain chemical compounds in fresh ginger help your body ward off germs. They’re especially good at halting growth of bacteria like E.coli and shigella, and they may also keep viruses like RSV at bay.
ЁЯМ╖ORAL HEALTH
Ginger’s antibacterial power may also brighten your smile. Active compounds in ginger called gingerols keep oral bacteria from growing. These bacteria are the same ones that can cause periodontal disease, a serious gum infection.
ЁЯМ╖ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Ginger contains compounds that can help reduce inflammation in the body, which may help alleviate pain and swelling associated with conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
ЁЯМ╖ANTI CANCER
Some studies show that bioactive molecules in ginger may slow down the growth of some cancers like colorectal, gastric, ovarian, liver, skin, breast, and prostate cancer.
ЁЯМ╖LOWERS BLOOD SUGAR
One recent small study suggested that ginger may help your body use insulin better. Larger studies are needed to see if ginger could help improve blood sugar levels.
ЁЯМ╖LOWERS BLOOD CHOLESTEROL
A daily dose of ginger may help you battle your “bad” or LDL cholesterol levels. In a recent study, taking 5 grams of ginger a day for 3 months lowered people’s LDL cholesterol an average of 30 points.
ЁЯМ╖EASES MENSTRUAL CRAMPS
Ginger powder may help ease menstrual cramps. In studies, women who took 1,500 milligrams of ginger powder once a day for 3 days during their cycle felt less pain than women who didn’t.
Ginger is loaded with antioxidants, compounds that prevent stress and damage to your body’s DNA. They may help your body fight off chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diseases of the lungs, plus promote healthy aging.
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