Ginger is sometimes called common ginger, cooking ginger, canton,or stem ginger. Ginger plants are famous for their highly scented, tasty roots and warming benefits. Ginger is more than a root, though. It is a rhizome! That means it grows horizontally underground, shooting up more stems and plants. It looks similar to its cousin plant, turmeric. Ginger is a pale brown root on the outside with a yellow core. Turmeric is slightly darker on the outside but orange on the inside.

You might need ginger root if you . . .

• Have nausea or morning sickness
• Have indigestion
• Want to support healthy blood sugar levels
• Have joint discomfort
• Struggle with brain fog

Benefits of Ginger

• Settles stomach aches
• Supports blood sugar levels
• Relieves menstrual discomfort
• Supports cognitive health
• Supports cholesterol levels
• May aid in weight loss
• Antibacterial
• Anti-inflammatory

The active constituent that happens to be most studied in ginger is gingerol. Gingerol has many known medicinal properties and a long history in traditional and alternative medicine. Most importantly, gingerol has robust anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that give it such a long list of benefits.

Common ways to use Ginger

You can find ginger in dried bulk, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, or tinctures. Teas and soups are also options, especially when following Ayurvedic medicine recipes. Some pregnant women or those traveling with motion sickness love keeping candied ginger pieces on them for quick relief on the go!

🌿Try making herbal extractions or ginger shots! ← 🟩 DIYs, recipes, and more!

Safety Concerns

Safe for all ages.

Drug Interaction: If you have any health concerns or are taking any prescription medication, please consult with your healthcare provider before adding new herbs to your diet. One potential safety issue is using ginger in high quantities before surgery. As a blood thinner, it is not advised at this time.

Breastfeeding and Pregnancy: There are no known contraindications for breastfeeding and pregnancy.

Select Studies About Ginger Root

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting

A systematic review of 12 studies with 1,278 pregnant participants found that 1.1-1.5 grams of ginger significantly reduced morning sickness symptoms.

Zingiber officinale Improves Cognitive Function of the Middle-Aged Healthy Women

A human study of healthy middle-aged women demonstrated improved reaction time and working memory with daily doses of ginger extract.

Comparison of effects of ginger, mefenamic acid, and ibuprofen on pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea

The study concluded that ginger just as effectively reduced menstrual pain as the two NSAIDs. This is not the only study to conclude this as well.