Ginger Root Powder

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an herb grown in China and India. The ginger root is cleaned, dried, and ground into a fine powder. Ginger has been valued for over 2,500 years as a spice and flavoring agent in cooking as well as a fragrance in soaps and cosmetics. Ginger contains oleoresin, a pungent principle.1 Traditionally, ginger root has also been valued for its use in herbal formulas for its use in reducing nausea.

Health Benefits

Ginger root may decrease symptoms of seasickness such as vomiting and cold sweating.1-3 Ginger may also be useful for reducing nausea and vomiting post-surgery.1,2,4 Ginger may decrease morning sickness in pregnant women.1,2,5 Ginger may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease due to its properties as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-platelet agent.1,2,6 Ginger might contain properties that decrease inflammation for individuals with osteoarthritis.1,2,7,8 Ginger may also possess anti-diabetic activity.9

Cautions

Ginger might interact with medications such as Warfarin that slows blood clotting, which might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.10

References

  1. Ginger root. American Botanical Council. Accessed in July 2015. http://cms.herbalgram.org/expandedE/Gingerroot.html
  2. Ginger. MedlinePlus. NIH. Accessed in July 2015. https://nccih.nih.gov/health/ginger
  3. Grøntved A, Brask T, Kambskard J, Hentzer E. Ginger root against seasickness. A controlled trial on the open sea. Acta Otolaryngol. 1988 Jan-Feb;105(1-2):45-9. PubMed PMID: 3277342.
  4. Phillips S, Ruggier R, Hutchinson SE. Zingiber officinale (ginger)–an antiemetic for day case surgery. Anaesthesia. 1993 Aug;48(8):715-7. PubMed PMID: 8214465.
  5. Willetts KE, Ekangaki A, Eden JA. Effect of a ginger extract on pregnancy-induced nausea: a randomised controlled trial. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2003 Apr;43(2):139-44. PubMed PMID: 14712970.
  6. Nicoll R, Henein MY. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe): a hot remedy for cardiovascular disease? Int J Cardiol. 2009 Jan 24;131(3):408-9. Epub 2007 Nov 26. Review. PubMed PMID: 18037515.
  7. Leach MJ, Kumar S. The clinical effectiveness of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in adults with osteoarthritis. Int J Evid Based Healthc. 2008 Sep;6(3):311-20.. PubMed PMID: 21631828.
  8. Chopra A, Lavin P, Patwardhan B, Chitre D. A 32-week randomized, placebo-controlled clinical evaluation of RA-11, an Ayurvedic drug, on osteoarthritis of the knees. J Clin Rheumatol. 2004 Oct;10(5):236-45. PubMed PMID: 17043520.
  9. Akhani SP, Vishwakarma SL, Goyal RK. Anti-diabetic activity of Zingiber officinale in streptozotocin-induced type I diabetic rats. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2004 Jan;56(1):101-5. PubMed PMID: 14980006.
  10. Vaes LP, Chyka PA. Interactions of warfarin with garlic, ginger, ginkgo, or ginseng: nature of the evidence. Ann Pharmacother. 2000 Dec;34(12):1478-82. Review. PubMed PMID: 11144706.