(Not a) Warning: Ginger is gingerously good to your health

Published: August 24, 2019 10:15am | Philippines

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant that is widely used as a spice. Believed to be cultivated by Southeast Asians and Oceania islanders over 7,000 years ago, the plant was introduced to the West through contacts with the Greek and later on, Roman civilizations.

The plant then reached to India and South Asia during the peak of the Spice Trade and its medicinal uses also began to take shape then.
In the Philippines, the plant called luya is widely used as a condiment or spice due to its tangy taste. Its rhizomes, called hands, are either consumed fresh, dehydrated, pickled or powdered. The rhizomes are also either ground or served as whole or in cuts and mixed with hot water and drank as tea.

In a paper by Mamaril published by the Philippine Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI), ginger acts as a medicinal plant by stimulating gastric juice in the stomach. It also relieves cough and flu and is used to treat migraine, travel sickness and rheumatoid arthritis.

The paper asserts that ginger is known to improve blood circulation and reduce fat deposits in the arteries.
Rahman, et. al, in a paper published 2014 on the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) pointed out ginger’s active ingredients that may help prevent diseases.

They said numerous clinical studies have been conducted which showed ginger’s positive role in the health management and disease prevention through “modulation of genetic and metabolic activities.”

They said ginger has essential oil and a compound called oleoresin that exhibited significant antioxidant and anti-microbial activities. Ginger also has phenolic substance which possesses strong anti-inflammatory and anti oxidative properties “and considerable anti carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic activities.”

The same study also posited ginger’s supposed anti-microbial activity. Rahman, et al asserted that ginger has antimicrobial activity against Escherechia coli, Salmonella typhi and other bacteria in human gastro-intestinal tract, making it a good preventive method against gastrointestinal problems and has gastroprotective effect against peptic ulcer. The same study also noted ginger’s main component gingerol, as good in helping enhance the effects against nausea and vomiting.

A separate study by Mashhadi et. al and published 2013 on NCBI noted ginger’s anti-oxidative stress effects and anti-inflammatory potentials.
An experiment by Weidner and Sigwart which was cited by Mashhadi et. al alleged ginger’s positive effects in reducing blood sugar, thus helping people suffering from diabetes. The experiment’s results was that gingerol significantly lowered blood glucose, serum total cholesterol and the so-called bad cholesterol or LDL.

Yamang Bukid Healthy Products Inc. has Yamang Bukid Turmeric 10-in-1 Tea which ginger, turmeric and eight other powerful herbs that helps enhance health. Yamang Bukid’s flagship beverage is gaining popularity as a morning hot drink and substitute for coffee due to its delectably spicy taste, health and wellness benefits and affordability. You may also opt for a purely ginger experience with Yamang Bukid’s 100% Pure Powdered GINGER.

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