Ginger is a popular ingredient in cooking, and especially in Asian and Indian cuisine. It has also been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes.

Possible health benefits include relieving nausea, loss of appetite, motion sickness, and pain.

The root or underground stem (rhizome) of the ginger plant can be consumed fresh, powdered, dried as a spice, in oil form, or as juice. Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family, alongside cardamom and turmeric. It is commonly produced in India, Jamaica, Fiji, Indonesia, and Australia.

It is available fresh and dried, as ginger extract and ginger oil, and in tinctures, capsules, and lozenges. Foods that contain ginger include gingerbread, cookies, ginger snaps, ginger ale, and a wide variety of savory recipes.

Facts on GingerGinger has long been used for culinary and medicinal purpose. Possible health benefits include reducing nausea, pain, and inflammation. Ginger can be used to make tea, chopped or crushed in curries and savory dishes, and dried or crystallized in sweets and confectionery.6 Health Benefits

However, some herbs and spices may offer additional health benefits. One of these is ginger.Consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds has long been associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions.

Scientific analysis shows that ginger contains  hundreds of compounds and metabolites, some of which may contribute to health and healing. Of these, the gingerols and shogaols have been most extensively researched.

1. Digestion

The phenolic compounds in ginger are known to help relieve gastrointestinal (GI) irritation, stimulate saliva and bile production, and suppress gastric contractions as food and fluids move through the GI tract.

At the same time, ginger also appears to have beneficial effects on the enzymes trypsin and pancreatic lipase, and to increase motility through the digestive tract. This suggests ginger could help prevent colon cancer and constipation.

2. Nausea

Chewing raw ginger or drinking ginger tea is a common home remedy for nausea during cancer treatment.

Taking ginger for motion sickness seems to reduce feelings of nausea, but it does not appear to prevent vomiting.

Ginger is safe to use during pregnancy, to relieve nausea. It is available in the form of ginger lozenges or candies.

3. Cold and flu relief

During cold weather, drinking ginger tea is good way to keep warm. It is diaphoretic, which means that it promotes sweating, working to warm the body from within.

To make ginger tea at home, slice 20 to 40 grams (g) of fresh ginger and steep it in a cup of hot water. Adding a slice of lemon or a drop of honey adds flavor and additional benefits, including vitamin C and antibacterial properties.

This makes a soothing natural remedy for a cold or flu.

4. Pain reduction

A study involving 74 volunteers carried out at the University of Georgia found that daily ginger supplementation reduced exercise-induced muscle pain by 25%.

Ginger has also been found to reduce the symptoms of dysmenorrhea, the severe pain that some women experience during a menstrual cycle.

5. Inflammation

Ginger has been used for centuries to reduce inflammation and treat inflammatory conditions.

A study published in Cancer Prevention Research journal reported that ginger supplements reduced the risk of colorectal cancer developing in the bowel of 20 volunteers.

Ginger has also been found to be "modestly efficacious and reasonably safe" for treating inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

6. Cardiovascular health

Other possible uses include reducing cholesterol, lowering the risk of blood clotting, and helping to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. More research is needed, but if proven, ginger could become part of a treatment for heart disease and diabetes.