The benefits of ginger
For a very long time, ginger has been consumed all over the world to relieve various ailments such as rheumatism, nausea, colds and headaches. Ginger can be used in different forms, such as capsules, powder, herbal teas, fresh or in syrup. This sheet will focus mainly on the health effects of consuming fresh or dried ginger.
Antioxidant power
Antioxidants are compounds that protect cells in the body from damage caused by free radicals. The latter are very reactive molecules that would be involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers and other diseases related to aging. About forty antioxidant compounds have been discovered in ginger. Some of them would be resistant to heat and could even be released during cooking, which could explain the increase in antioxidant activity of cooked ginger.
Ground ginger ranks third in antioxidant content among more than 1,000 foods analyzed. Note, however, that this comparison was made on the basis of 100 g of food and not per usual portion (which corresponds to approximately 2 g in the case of ginger). Fresh ginger also has strong antioxidant activity compared to other vegetables and spices consumed in Asia. Following thirty analyzes carried out, ginger, along with turmeric, mint, coriander, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, were ranked among the fourteen fresh vegetables with the strongest antioxidants.
The main active compounds responsible for the pungent taste of fresh ginger are (6)-gingerol and (10)-gingerol. Their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are well known and their anti-cancer potential has been demonstrated in vitro. A recent study demonstrated a promising effect of ginger as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of prostate cancer. During the dehydration of ginger, the gingerols are converted into compounds called shogaols. This group of compounds is therefore found in greater quantities in dried or powdered ginger than in fresh ginger.
A study shows that shogaols could protect cells from a compound implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease. The effects of different antioxidant compounds isolated from ginger have been observed in vitro as well as in animals. These are promising results that have yet to be demonstrated in humans.
Anti-inflammatory virtues
The anti-inflammatory properties of certain constituents of ginger have been recognized for a very long time and are well documented in vitro. Among the known compounds, let us mention mainly gingerols whose beneficial effects have also been observed in animals, but also shogaols and paradols which would exert their effects by different mechanisms of action. In humans, the consumption of ginger has shown promising results in reducing pain related to arthritis (only a few studies, carried out using fresh ginger).
