Ginger or Adrak has been a household staple for decades. Adrak as a spice is used in dishes to enhance the taste. Ginger provides a beautiful warmth upon consumption and adds that kick of flavour to even the most mundane dishes. But did you know? Some of the Ginger Health Benefits are its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties and so much more. Given below is a list of the 20 ultimate ginger health benefits:
• Adrak helps in treating Cold and Cough
• Antioxidant properties of Adrak
• How Adrak helps regulate Blood Circulation
• Adrak Chai reduced Bloating
• Adrak helps in treating Acid Reflux
• Adrak helps in treating Indigestion
• Adrak helps soothe period pain
• Adrak helps maintain Blood Pressure
• Anti-Inflammatory properties of Adrak
• Adrak helps treat Nausea
• Anti-Allergic properties of Adrak
• Adrak as a Pain Reliever
• Adrak helps fight Microbial Infections
• Adrak helps maintain Gut Health
• Anti-Cancer properties of Adrak
• Adrak helps cure Diabetes
• Adrak helps lower Cholesterol levels
• Boosting your Immunity with Adrak
• Adrak helps cure Asthma
- Adrak helps in treating Cold and Cough:
Consumption of Ginger or Adrak in the form of a hot cup of tea has been the ultimate remedy for the Common Cold and Dry Cough for years in every Indian household. A quick Ginger Tea recipe includes the use of simple ingredients like Adrak, Honey and Lemon. Grate ginger and add to boiling water. While straining the water in a cup, add a spoon of honey. Consume while hot. You can also chew on raw Ginger with a spoon of honey to directly get the juice from the herb. The best time to consume the ginger tea would be at night, when the body rests and rejuvenates.
How this helps: The main ginger health benefit is that it helps reduce inflammation of the throat which is caused due to constant coughing. The herb by nature causes natural heat. The heat generated by Ginger, along with its antiviral and antibacterial properties helps not only reduce, but also prevents cold. The Honey in the tea is a natural soothing agent, which provides instant relief and healing for cough-affected throats.
- Anti-Oxidant properties of Adrak:
Ginger is known for its powerful medicinal properties for a long time. Research over time has shown that one of the main ginger health benefits is that it has strong antioxidant properties. The presence of phytonutrients such as Gingerols and Shogaols in Adrak, and several other complex bioactive compounds are known to have antioxidant properties, which in turn help reduce the risk of many diseases.
- How Adrak helps regulate Blood Circulation:
Another ginger health benefit is that it has properties which could possibly help lower blood pressure and has also exhibited blood-thinning properties. When the pressure is lowered, the heart is able to pump blood in a healthier manner, allowing regular blood circulation in the body.
- Ginger Tea helps reduce Bloating
After multiple researches, Ginger or Adrak has been known to be a powerful appetite suppressant, and is known to help reduce weight. The enzymes and compounds in Adrak such as Shogaols and Zingerone has also aided in removing flatulence, which is the main cause of bloating.
A quick remedy to reduce bloating after a heavy meal is to chew raw ginger for 5 to 10 mins. The juices released from the ginger immediately acts on the gut, aiding in proper digestion.
- Adrak helps in treating Acid Reflux
Various studies have been conducted over the years to understand the ginger health benefit on the gastrointestinal tract. The phenols and compounds present in Adrak have been known to reduce the inflammation of the tract, in turn helping with heart burn or acid reflux. The said phenols act on reducing the contractions which take place in this tract, simultaneously soothing the oesophagus while preventing the acid from moving upwards.
- Adrak helps in treating Indigestion:
One of the main ginger health benefit is it that, its medicinal properties has been known to treat the likes of indigestion for decades. Ginger aids in the speeding up of the digestion process, allowing for decrease in gas, flatulence and other possible causes of indigestion. This in turn promotes regular bowel movement, which has been a major side effect of indigestion.
By adding ginger in dishes such as Khichdi, Pongal, Chillas, and Chutneys, consumption of this spicy herb can be made easier and tastier. Grated ginger can be used in salad dressings to add a kick to your regular bowl of salad, while giving your digestion that much needed boost.
- Adrak helps soothe Period Cramps
Prostaglandins, one of the active compounds causing the constant contraction of the uterus during menstruation has been known to decrease in production in the body due to the consumption of ginger. Adrak in the form of tea has been an aid for period pain over time, and rightly so. Adrak provides a sense of warmth to the body while simultaneously reducing the release of the pain-inducing compound.
- Adrak helps in maintaining Blood Pressure:
Ginger has been known to reduce blood pressure due to its blood-thinning properties. Salicylates, a compound present in Ginger has the ability to make the blood thinner. While this causes the blood pressure to reduce, and in turn, the heart to pump blood normally, it also causes side effects like light headedness. Hence, consume ginger in moderation.
- Anti-Inflammatory properties of Adrak:
Adrak has exhibited multiple medicinal properties. The most prominent ginger health benefit is its ability to reduce inflammation in the body. In fact, a study suggests that there is a high possibility that ginger will replace other anti-inflammatory drugs in the industry. Ginger is known to affect the inflammation up to the cellular level. Ginger’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties has made it one of the prime herbs used in Ayurvedic medicines used to reduce and prevent multiple diseases.
- Adrak helps in treating Nausea:
The main health benefit of Ginger is that it has been known to reduce motion-sickness or nausea for a long time. After multiple research and studies on the possible reasons, scientists believe that it could be due to the fact that ginger is known to regulate blood pressure and blood circulation. Treating nausea in patients suffering from motion-sickness is an added benefit of this.
- Anti-Allergic properties of Adrak:
One of the main ginger health benefits is its anti-inflammatory properties and this is the number one reason why Ayurveda practitioners recommend the usage of adrak in our daily food. Most of the allergies caused occur due to poor gut health, indigestion problems and inflammation in the body. Ginger becomes naturally anti-allergic in nature due to this.
When facing an allergic reaction, consume grated ginger with Jaggery or Gud. You can consume this combination in the form of a hot tea, or even as a medicinal ball or goli. Jaggery as a source which is high in iron and other medicinal properties, not only aids in reducing inflammation, it is highly beneficial for menstruating women or even if you are just suffering from stomach ache.
- Adrak as a Pain Reliever:
A 2010 research shows that, when a bunch of athletes consumed high amounts of Ginger after several exercise-induced muscle injuries, there was a significant decrease in muscle pain. This brings us back to the topic of the ginger health benefit, which is, it is known for its anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of certain compounds. Adrak helps in reducing swelling in the muscle, in turn acting as a pain reliever.
- Adrak helps fight Microbial Infections:
Adrak is known to have anti-bacterial properties. When consumed regularly, it helps the individual ward off germs. It’s especially known to inhibit the growth of bacterial diseases such as E.coli and shigella. Drinking Ginger Tea or Adrak Chai regularly helps keep microbial infections at bay.
- Adrak helps in maintaining Gut Health:
Signs of good gut health include reduced bloating of the stomach, regular bowel movements, and lessened gas and flatulence. Including adrak in our daily diet is definitely a step in the right direction. Multiple animal studies and research has shown that health benefits of ginger includes reducing the growth of several stomach infections such as H. pyroli and even gastrointestinal cancer.
- Anti-Cancer properties of Adrak:
Active compounds in ginger such as 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol showcase anti-cancer properties. Infact, studies show that when regularly consumed, ginger is more effective at preventing cancer inducing free radicals than chemotherapy.
- Adrak helps curb Diabetes:
A study suggests that ginger helps regulate blood sugar levels in the long run for people with type 2 diabetes.
A Research from Australia shows that extracts of a certain Australian grown gingercan increase glucose levels into muscle cells without using insulin, and may therefore assist in the management of high blood sugar levels.
Also, research states that two different ginger extracts, interact with serotonin receptors to reverse their effect on insulin production. There was a significant decrease in blood glucose levels and this is one of the main ginger health benefits.
- Adrak helps reduce Cholesterol:
A study states that consumption of adrak on a regular basis has shown to significantly reduce LDL Cholesterol and increase HDL Choleserol. The study also showed that there was a reduction in the triglyceride levels and VLDL concluding that ginger has significant lipid reducing properties.
