GINGER : A Powerful Antioxidant

 -       Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant whose rhizome, root or stem, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine.
-       It is in the family of Zingiberaceae, which also includes turmeric (Curcuma longa), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), and galangal.
-       It’s used all over the world in culinary and clinical applications—both for good reason.
-       Ginger has been called a superfood time and again. It is among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet, is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your body and brain.
-       The root or underground stem (rhizome) of the plant can be consumed fresh, powdered, dried as a spice, in oil form, or as juice.
-       Over 100 active compounds have been identified in ginger, fresh or dried!
-       Gingerols are the major compounds in fresh ginger and less so in dry one.

Uses of Ginger

-       As stated by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCIH), there is information about the use of ginger for nausea and vomiting.
-       It's root has a range of health benefits, including improving digestion, blood sugar levels, and harmful cholesterol levels.
-       It has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for diverse health issues, such as colds, nausea, pain, arthritis, migraines, and high blood pressure.
-       Ginger is also an antioxidant that might fight microbes and reduce inflammation.
-       It also contains zingerone, zerumbone, pungent oleoresins, some terpenoids and flavonoids.
-       Major compounds found in it are antioxidants, while some of them have anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antimicrobial, and liver-protecting activities.
-       It is commonly used for various types of "stomach problems," including motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea, nausea caused by cancer treatment, nausea caused by HIV/AIDS treatment, nausea and vomiting after surgery, as well as loss of appetite.
-       Other uses include pain relief from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis, menstrual pain, and other conditions. However, there is not strong evidence to support the use of ginger for these conditions.

  -       Some people pour the fresh juice on their skin to treat burns. The oil made from it is sometimes applied to the skin to relieve pain. It's extract is also applied to the skin to prevent insect bites.

Dosage

Dosage varies between 400 mg – 2 g day, depending on the intended use and formulation:
·      Ginger dry extracts are stronger than it's powder or fresh ginger. The typical dose rarely exceeds 1g/day. For boosting cognition, 400 – 800 mg/day was used in clinical studies.
·      Capsules with dried ginger usually contain about 1 g of it, a dose that worked well as a digestive aid in studies.
·      1 g/day was used for reducing nausea in studies.
·      750 mg – 2 g/day could reduce menstrual and PMS symptoms.
·      2 g/day of dried or fresh ginger has been researched for reducing inflammation.
·      Ginger tea or a water extract is used for fighting the common cold and for digestive symptoms.
·      Fresh ginger could ward off cold viruses in cellular studies.
At a high dose, it may cause acid reflux and stomach upset. While it is generally safe up to 10 grams daily, some people may be more sensitive to it.

Nutritional Information

Raw ginger is composed of 79% water, 18% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and 1% fat . In 100 grams (a standard amount used to compare with other foods), raw ginger supplies 80 Calories and contains moderate amounts of vitamin B6 (12% of the Daily Value, DV) and the dietary minerals, magnesium (12% DV) and manganese (11% DV), but otherwise is low in nutrient content (table). When used as a spice powder in a common serving amount of one US tablespoon (5 grams), ground dried ginger (9% water) provides negligible content of essential nutrients, with the exception of manganese (70% DV).

Ginger root (raw)

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	333 kJ (80 kcal)
Carbohydrates	17.77 g
Sugars	1.7 g
Dietary fiber	2 g
Fat	0.75 g
Protein	1.82 g
Vitamins	Quantity %DV†
Thiamine (B1)	2%0.025 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	3%0.034 mg
Niacin (B3)	5%0.75 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	4%0.203 mg
Vitamin B6	12%0.16 mg
Folate (B9)	3%11 μg
Vitamin C	6%5 mg
Vitamin E	2%0.26 mg
Minerals	Quantity %DV†
Calcium	2%16 mg
Iron	5%0.6 mg
Magnesium	12%43 mg
Manganese	11%0.229 mg
Phosphorus	5%34 mg
Potassium	9%415 mg
Sodium	1%13 mg
Zinc	4%0.34 mg
Other constituents	Quantity
Water	79 g