Ginger has been used as both seasoning and medicine for over 500 years. During the Middle Ages, it was used against the plague. Today, it is used for various ailments from simple colds and sniffles to rheumatoid arthritis. Garlic and ginger nutrition is only just being fully understood.
Here we look at some of the benefits of ginger and garlic. Ginger and garlic are very versatile, and while some people just chew ginger or make garlic tea, they are most commonly used as ingredients in healthy meals.
Health Benefits of Ginger
Its effectiveness against headaches has been documented. Taken at the first sign of migraine, ginger can reduce the symptoms and severity of headaches by blocking prostaglandins, the chemicals that cause inflammation in blood vessels in the brain. This anti-inflammatory activity in ginger can shorten the discomfort of headaches, colds and flu.
Ginger blocks the production of substances that cause bronchial congestion and stuffiness. Its main compound, gingerol, provides natural anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative properties and is also a cough suppressant.
Raw ginger benefits the joints as it helps to reduce joint swellings in people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, and many people say that the benefits of ginger exceed those of some conventional medicine, although it is most advisable to take both.
A study found that ginger eased the symptoms in 55 percent of people with osteoarthritis and 74 percent of those with rheumatoid arthritis. Considering the health implications of drugs like Vioxx and Celebrex, ginger seems a much safer and more cost-effective alternative, and is for many people, one of the most important benefits of ginger.
Ginger works like aspirin to thin the blood. A study involving Danish women between the ages of 25 to 65 years, one group of whom consumed 70 grams of raw onion daily while a second group consumed 5 grams of ginger daily for one week, showed unequivocally the benefits of ginger.
When the researchers tested both groups of women, they found that ginger, more clearly than onion, reduced thromboxane production by almost 60 percent. Thromboxane compounds stimulate the clumping of blood platelets and the constricting of blood vessels. By dissolving the clumping quality of blood platelets, ginger reduces blood clots and the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Ginger can also relieve menstrual cramps.
Chemical compounds in ginger act as anti-spasmodics inhibiting painful contractions of both smooth muscles of the digestive tract and the uterus.
Health Benefits of Garlic
Garlic is no less powerful. The restorative powers of garlic have been known to the ancient Egyptians who gave garlic to slaves constructing the pyramids in order to increase their efficiency and stamina.
Garlic, like ginger, reduces the tendency of blood to clot. Garlic improves blood flow throughout the body, not just in the coronary arteries. It acts as a vasodilator by causing blood vessels to expand and blood pressure to drop.
Researchers at the Garlic Research Bureau in Suffolk, England, recently reported that “even small amounts of Garlic, say 3 or 4 grams, will have a pronounced effect on fibrinolytic (breaking down of blood clots) activity in doses from 25 grams ( 10 cloves) to 50 grams. Garlic seems to be highly effective in promoting beneficial changes in blood fat composition and platelet adhesiveness.”
Garlic also lowers cholesterol, tryglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels while also increasing the beneficial cholesterol HDL.
Garlic may have some anti-tumor properties. Garlic oil inhibits enzymes that curtail the production of protaglandins (many cancers are prostaglandin dependent).
Research in China also shows an inverse relationship between the incidence of stomach cancer and garlic intake. Studies even suggest that garlic may lower the risk of colon cancer by 35 percent and stomach cancer by as much as 50 percent. Garlic inhibits the formation of nitrites, chemicals that could trigger stomach cancer. There have also been claims that garlic can shrink cancers of the breast, skin and lungs.
Finally, the essential oils in garlic are excreted through the lungs, which means that it is particularly effective for clearing respiratory ailments.
Garlic and Ginger Tea
If you don’t fancy chewing on raw ginger and garlic, garlic tea is a good option. Simply chop and crush some ginger and garlic, add to water in a pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
The juices from the ginger and garlic will infuse the water, and hey presto! you have ginger and garlic tea. Strain into a mug and drink. Add honey to sweeten, if you wish. Either drink hot as garlic tea, or allow to cool as garlic water.
Research Papers and References
- “Characterization of food antioxidants, illustrated using commercial garlic and ginger preparations” by Okezie I. Aruoma, Jeremy P.E. Spencera, Donna Warrena, Peter Jennera, John Butlerb, Barry Halliwella in Food Chemistry Volume 60, Issue 2, October 1997, Pages 149-156 Antioxidants in Food.
- “Intake of Garlic and Its Bioactive Components” by Harunobu Amagase, Brenda L. Petesch, Hiromichi Matsuura, Shigeo Kasuga and Yoichi Itakura. Journal of Nutrition. 2001;131:955S-962S. Abstract: http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/3/955S.short
- “Traditional Indian spices and their health significance” by Kamala Krishnaswamy. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2008;17(S1):265-268. Full article: http://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/17%20Suppl%201/265.pdf
- “Changes in Platelet Function and Susceptibility of Lipoproteins to Oxidation Associated with Administration of Aged Garlic Extract” by Steiner, M.; Lin, R. S. In Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology: June 1998 – Volume 31 – Issue 6 – pp 904-908. Abstract: http://journals.lww.com/cardiovascularpharm/Abstract/1998/06000/Changes_in_Platelet_Function_and_Susceptibility_of.14.aspx
- “Health-promoting properties of common herbs” by Winston J Craig in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 70, No. 3, 491S-499S, September 1999. Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10479221
can garlic and ginger be blended together to boost the immune system against tuberculosis. and in what quantity.
thank you
Pretty sure that you cannot overdose on fresh ginger and garlic, so really it is as much as you can stomach.
does ginger and garlic impact positively or does it help reduce diabetes?
They are certainly healthy. As for diabetes, this is still under investigation. The Department of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University in Taiwan researched this and stated that “there is no general agreement on the use of garlic for antidiabetic purposes, primarily because of a lack of scientific evidence from human studies and inconsistent data from animal studies.” Also, “Evidence suggests that garlic’s antioxidative, antiinflammatory, and antiglycative properties are responsible for garlic’s role in preventing diabetes progression and the development of diabetes-related complications. Large-scale clinical studies with diabetic patients are warranted to confirm the usefulness of garlic in the treatment and prevention of diabetes.” Source: Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, Liu CT, Sheen LY, Lii CK – Abstract.
Basically, studies have suggested that there is a benefit of eat garlic and ginger in treating diabetes, but scientists cannot currently prove the theory due to overall inconclusive results.
I boil a teaspoonful of ginger-garlic paste and then filter the mixture into a paste of black pepper, lime, honey & a pinch of salt. I drink this on an empty stomach daily. Is it okay or should I change the quantities/components ?
Sounds OK. If you are not suffering, then I really see no harm in it.
Does ginger and garlic have any adverse effect to health if taken too much?
Too much ginger has been known to act as a laxative in some people, and also it can irritate the small intestine. Garlic is also very potent and in excess could cause some digestive problems. Be sensible, increase your daily intake slowly, if you feel at all unwell, cut back. You do not need to eat it by the bucket load to live a healthier life!
These foods encourage weight loss
Do ginger and garlic encourage weight loss? What food items encourage weight loss?
garlic & ginger can cure hypertension & can reduce cholesterol?
They can help, but are not a cure. A balanced approach is required – all round healthy diet and exercise.
From the experiments I have proved that ginger is natural enemy of high blood pressure and it reduces high blood pressure when it can not be controlled by medicines also it reduces cholesterol level but medicines should not be avoided for those who have been prescribed medicines for these diseases.
Have the results of these experiments been published in a journal or online?
how many time can diabetic patient take ginger and garlic in a day.can ginger-garlic reduce big stomach
Adeyeye, you should consult your GP/doctor regarding this really. Taking ginger and garlic will not reduce a big stomach. Eating less food, healthier food and being more active will.
I take 1 table spoon fresh juice (extracted from jucer) of garlic n ginger together daily. Is it ok to take them together. OR Is there any side effect of them.
Hi Mitch, the known side effects of taking too much ginger and garlic are mentioned above, i.e. digestive problems. If you are not suffering then it is OK.
Can ginger and garlic help in impotence and poor libido
I do not know. There is only one way to find out though, try it.
l want to know if taken the mixture of garlic and ginger blended together can cure venereal disease.
I think that is unlikely Johnson, best see a qualified doctor.
I cut ginger and garlic in small particles, add boiled water and honey and then drink it as tea. does the boiled water destroy the nutrients in the ginger, garlic and honey? Secondly, is it healthy to drink the ginger/garlic paste that are being sold in the shop the same way as I drink the fresh ones.
Hi Dike. It is better to simmer the garlic and ginger rather than boil, and then add the honey afterwards once the tea has been poured into a cup. You can use the pastes, but fresh is always best and the paste will lose some nutrients in the processing.
I am a man with a very fat bottom, like a woman. Is there any nutritional food or work out that can reduce my big bum?
Diet and exercise is the only way. There are no special foods that will help, only foods that help boost metabolism a little. The key is cutting back on calories, eating less sugar and more protein, and exercising.
I also heard about the garlic and ginger mix for lowering high sugar levels. Ive tried the raw garlic and ginger(made into a paste), with tap water 3 times a day. Tried it this morning and sugar level came down with .9,so i will be using that mixture with my diabetic medication.
Well, hopefully the ginger and garlic will help it stay down. Do you eat a generally low GI diet?
please can you send a good food that will make my to grow fat she is five finding it difficult to eat.
Emeka, if your child is well, that is happy and healthy, then she is probably eating enough.
I have tried the raw ginger and garlic with tap water, and i found that it reduced my blood sugar level.
That is good Grizelda. How did you monitor your blood sugar? Do you have your own glucose meter?
I do have my own glucose meter, but i only test my sugar level every alternate day. I don’t know if its the right way, but it works for me.
I start my day with low gi cereal and skimmed or low fat milk. For lunch i will have low gi bread/health bread with cucumber and cheese/peanut butter. I also have 3 fruits a day, lots of water and green tea. For supper will have stew or grille chicken/fish with veggies. I really try to eat healthy but its not easy, but i have lost 7 kg in the past 3 mnths.
is it ok for pregnant women to take raw ginger and garlic. any effect on the baby
I am not aware of any ill effect of raw ginger and garlic. Obviously you should take these in moderation. Folic acid and iron supplements are important during pregnancy and avoided vitamin A is also important. There have actually been studies on using garlic to prevent of pre-eclampsia, however, results have so far been inconclusive. It was also thought that moderate garlic may help reduce gestational hypertension (high blood pressure) but again research has not shown this to be the case.
Ginger is safe and can help to relieve morning sickness. You can take it in several forms to, ginger tea, ginger ale or ginger biscuits.
This is a free-tip for those health conscious folks who already know the health benefits of ginger and garlic. I suggest there blend it with ground bitter kola as tea and sweeten with organic honey. For them this can be called THE MAGIC TONIC, not just for the liver, but for all-round wellness. —- Anthony Stephen.
is it good for breastfeeding woman to take galic and ginger
The general recommendation is that both are OK in moderation. The garlic flavor may get passed on to the milk and this can lead to latching problems in some cases, but not always, and the issue is generally it takes a little longer for a baby to latch. Ginger should be avoided for several weeks after child birth, especially if you lost a lot of blood, as it can thin the blood and cause more bleeding. Ginger is helpful for the letdown and milk flow though, so when all is well, some ginger is good. If in any doubt consult with your midwife, health visitor, nurse or doctor.
is garlic and ginger good for children
AS part of a well balanced diet they are good, use in cooked meals.
did garlic and ginger reduce big stomack
No, they do not help you lose weight or stomach fat. Following a structured weight loss plan is the best way to lose stomach fat.
For severe sinus congestion/infection from a cold can you take garlic and ginger pills or do you really need to eat raw garlic? I get a lot of heartburn from too much garlic specifically raw. What would be the right dosage per day of each?
If you get heartburn from raw garlic then it would seem sensible to take a supplement. As for dosage, go with what is recommended on the label.
1. with regards to controlling blood pressure,could you please let me know if it is better to boil the clove of garlic in water before eating or to eat it fresh?
2. is there any herb that can be eaten with or added to garlic to stop its repugnant (disgusting & foul) smell?, especially when you are in the office environment which is usually enclosed (i keep belching and i become ashamed, cant even mix with people)?
3. whats the use of parsley?
4. i like blending fresh garlic, ginger root and parsley together and then boil for about five minutes and then allow to cool and then kept in the fridge for use for about 2 days- is anything wrong with this?
1. I really do not know to what extent cooking garlic destroys its health properties. Some properties are destroyed with cooking, others less so.
2. If the smell is a problem why not take a garlic supplement instead? Or just smell garlicky.
3. Good question. Some people (herbalists) say it reduces blood pressure. It aids the absorption of manganese which can increase bone density.
4. Cannot think of anything being wrong with that.
1. It may reduce the incidence of high blood pressure and heart attacks.
There can be more than one cause of heart attacks.
You guys sound like “health nuts” in that you aren’t thinking all the way through. Heart attacks could be caused by deterioration of the blood vessel wall – or by blood clots that have less to do with platelets than with different factors like bad cholesterol and saturated fats.
If you reduce the hormone that is tied to platelet production, you are thought to be reducing platelet production, and also – you have stated [and I could go wrong from this point on, just taking your word for it! How many human ideas have gone off the rails because of this?] that it is tied to the tightness of the veins.
There are a number of concerns.
So first of all, reducing he platelets and the ability of the blood vessels to constrict could be a major health concern.
For example, an older person falls, and breaks some blood vessels in their leg. In a normal person, this would cause a simple bruise, but because they have reduced their thrombosin count [and assuming that the body doesn’t produce a synthetic alternative to thrombosin to restore platelet levels to whatever the mechanism counts as normal] -well, due to the lack of thrombosin, the body is unable to constrict the blood vessels and get enough platelets to the wound – so a simple fall bruise, becomes a major health concern.
This is in fact what happened to my aunt recently – a simple fall, but due to her blood thinning regime, the wound was essentially unable to close, and then it became infected, she nearly lost her leg, and still has bruising over 12 months later. It’s about 18 months in fact. She is still recovering.
She needs the blood thinners because she has an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, due to a preexisting health condition.
In her case, taking the blood thinners, though it aggravated the damage from her fall, may have extended her quality of life for some years – so it’s worth it.
However, if a person is normally healthy, I think they should really think twice before they take action that can significantly reduce their bodies ability to deal with traumatic injuries.
A simple fall or a minor traffic accident can become a life changing experience when you have thin blood, and it’s worth considering the risk with responsible people.
Platelets may well be in the new health craze, but like the fat craze of the 1980s and the carbohydrates craze since then, and the cholestorol craze, you are talking about vital bodily materials, for production and storage and distribution of important materials and energy.
It may be the case that a more controlled and sedentary life has reduced the risk from major trauma, compared as an average over the human history, that renders such a platelet count as was normal to be less beneficial, and reducing the platelet count through special dietary action [or other medicine, actually, drugs might be considered dietary action when taken orally] COULD[italics] therefore be desirable amongst certain people.
However, I still think that it’s a tradeoff, perhaps younger people who are feeling high blood pressure want to take steps to reduce their blood pressure that are received in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Daily breathing slow down – practicing as deeply and slowly breathing as possible, for 1/2 hr a day, or before bed, or both, or more – it may signal the body to reduce the rate of heart beat, and could help to steady the quality of the heart’s motion. The reduction in quantity of beats per minute could however, substantially reduces the blood pressure [unless the beats become as much harder as necessary for this, they may seem slightly harder but should be strong, not aggressive]
Anyway, Cheers
can Garlic and Ginger raw daily intake increase energy and focus in weight-lifting sports ?
Hi Fatah, I am not aware of any research that supports this idea. Weight lifting sports require excellent, near optimal, nutrition. Garlic and ginger can certainly play a role in a balanced diet, however, they are unlikely to give you a major competitive edge.