PLANT POWER: Ginger – mmmm, curative properties
May 02, 2019 • 1 min read
Medieval medicine men were on to something when they administered ginger to treat nausea, arthritis, migraines, hypertension… you name it. But it’s only recently that scientific studies have verified the pharmacological powers of ginger.
Scientists have discovered hundreds of compounds and metabolites in ginger, some of which contain curative properties. Topping a long list of the “horn root’s” health-giving properties is a potent anti-inflammatory compound called gingerol, which shows an ability to inhibit the formation of inflammatory cytokines. Just the thing for arthritic joints and old sporting injuries.
Sore stomach? A touch of indigestion, perhaps? Ginger accumulates in the gastrointestinal tract to break up and expel intestinal gas. There’s also growing interest in ginger as a possible anticancer agent for colon cancer.
Ginger also appears to reduce cholesterol and improve lipid metabolism. And to top things off, ginger contains a high level (3.85 mmol/100 g) of total antioxidants, surpassed only by pomegranate and some types of berries.