Ginger is a crucial ingredient in many home remedies for colds or in a delicious pumpkin-ginger soup. The tart-tasting tuber is well known for its healing properties, but what ingredients are in it? And what makes them so potent in the fight against a cold? We'll tell you: is ginger healthy?
The healthy miracle bulb from Asia
The ginger as we know it in the supermarket is actually part of the Ginger root, the so-called Ginger rhizome. Above ground, the ginger plant resembles a reed plant and can grow up to 50 to 150 centimeters high. It grows in tropical and subtropical climates and is mainly grown in South and East Asian countries such as India and Indonesia, but also in France and South America.
The smell of the ginger bulb is very distinctive and the taste is sharp and spicy. That mainly comes from their essential oils, resin acids and that Gingerol. The gingerol is that spicy flavoring of ginger and is closely related to chili peppers, capsaicin.
The ginger tuber is therefore the crucial, healthy component of the plant, that much is clear. Another advantage of ginger: in addition to the positive effects, there are only a few side effects known. Which of these positive effects we have an overview for you here:
Virus and anti-inflammatory
The ginger's spicy substances (gingerols and shogaols) promote blood circulation in the body and make it difficult for viruses and bacteria to nestle in the mucous membranes.
Healthy intestinal flora
The spicy substances not only promote blood circulation, but also stimulate it Production of gastric juices and thereby help with the Fat digestion. So if you often have stomach problems after eating greasy food, a cup of ginger tea will help you.
Protection against vomiting
If you often have nausea and vomiting problems while traveling, ginger will also help you.
Tip: It is advisable to take a piece of ginger every 4 hours for travel sickness.
Suppliers of vitamins and minerals
In addition to the healthy spicy substances, ginger also contains many vitamins and minerals: vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, sodium and iron.
Tip: As with apples, the healthy components of the ginger are directly under the skin. So try to peel the ginger as sparingly as possible.
per 100 g of ginger
Calories
80 kcal
fat
0.8 g
carbohydrates
18 g
– Dietary fiber
2 g
– sugar
1.7 g
protein
1.8 g
sodium
13 mg
potassium
415 mg
vitamin C
5 mg
iron
0.6 mg
Magnesium
43 mg
Is ginger promotes blood circulation and stimulates the circulation and metabolism on. It can also provide you with vitamins and minerals that you may be missing in your diet. So it can do no harm at all to include some ginger in your eating plan. However, the tuber does not have a special effect that lets the pounds tumble by itself.
Despite the many positive effects, the ginger can, especially with excessive consumption, also a few Side effects that you shouldn’t ignore.
Stomach and intestinal complaints
As good as ginger is for digestion, it can do the opposite for sensitive people. The essential oils and the increased gastric juice production can irritate the mucous membrane and lead to stomach pain, bloating and diarrhea.
Blood thinning effect
If you are already taking medication such as ASA or other anticoagulant substances, you should avoid eating large amounts of ginger. This is because ginger enhances the blood-thinning effect.
pregnancy
Ginger can appear in later pregnancy early contractions and a headache trigger. Pregnant women should therefore be careful when consuming ginger or consult the gynecologist.
The storage time of ginger also plays a crucial role in taste. If you store it a little longer, the gingeroles will transform into sharper shogaoles. Fresh ginger is the mildest.
