Ginger fights obesity

Editor's note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published on June 5, 2017.

Known for making warm, fragrant teas, adding a unique essence to cookies, and adding a delicious spicy kick to soups and stir-fries, ginger is an ancient root also known for its medicinal properties. It’s no secret that ginger is good for your health. After all, ginger belongs to the same family as cardamom and turmeric, but research has revealed why adding more ginger to your diet is a great idea.

The Proceedings of the New York Academy of Sciences published a paper suggesting that ginger may help prevent a wide range of chronic diseases, focusing primarily on its effects on metabolic syndrome, a condition that includes three or more of the most common risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.^One One of them is obesity.

Metabolic syndrome comes in many forms, and the problem has gotten exponentially worse over the years and continues to do so. Researchers around the world have been increasingly investigating ginger for its ability to treat various aspects of this condition.

According to a TIME article, researchers from China Agricultural University, who reviewed 60 studies that closely examined humans, lab animals, and cell cultures, described metabolic syndrome as “a growing health problem that has reached epidemic proportions, affecting a quarter of the world's population.”²

The good news is that ginger's long history of success against these and other ailments, particularly in the way it deals with body fat, is dramatic enough to offer hope not only for treatment but also for prevention.

More information about the root

Both China and East India have used ginger root in various forms as a health tonic for at least 5,000 years. Zingiber officinale, imported from India to Rome, disappeared for a while after the fall of Rome. According to InDepthInfo, the Arabs became suppliers in the spice trade.^three

“In the 15th century, ginger plants were shipped on ships, which is probably how ginger was introduced to the Caribbean and Africa. Today, ginger is cultivated throughout the tropics. It is only in recent years that ginger has become more valuable as a spice than for its medicinal properties. Nevertheless, in Western countries, it has been used to flavor buttermilk drinks since the 11th century.”

Fresh ginger looks like a small brown cactus, but instead of growing above ground, it is a rhizome, meaning that it is a root that grows underground. When peeled or cut, it has a faint, pleasantly spicy and strangely sweet aroma that tickles the nose. For the freshest taste and health benefits, peeled and sliced ​​ginger root is best, but organic powdered ginger is also a good alternative.

Ginger root can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a year, and when frozen, the root will retain its flavor for about six months. When purchasing fresh ginger, make sure the root is firm and smooth. Ginger has been around for thousands of years, but the important part of the ginger journey is what it does for you.

The Amazing Benefits of Ginger for Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome

Scientists are well aware of the amazing benefits ginger offers, and not least because it has been used as a traditional remedy for diseases and disorders for thousands of years around the world. Many of these uses have been clinically proven in laboratory and hospital studies.

A book titled “The Amazing and Powerful Ginger”⁴ The root's most prominent biologically active component is gingerol (along with a less important compound called shogaol), and while this is where the spicy flavor comes from, gingerol is also known as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with cancer-fighting effects.

The most frequent medical references to ginger come from its soothing effects on people suffering from nausea due to motion sickness, chemotherapy, or pregnancy, and it has no side effects. The authors of the study from China Agricultural University wrote:⁵

“In recent years, there has been a significant increase in interest in ginger as an anticancer agent, with direct protein targets identified in colon cancer. Ginger also appears to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes by improving lipid metabolism.”

The effectiveness of ginger as a “fat burner” has been a frequent and interesting topic of discussion in both gyms and hospitals, and one reason for this is that there is more than one mechanism by which it can occur. Carbohydrate digestion and insulin secretion are two terms that suggest how ginger works.

Ginger's role in reducing oxidative stress, which damages cells and speeds up the aging process, is undoubtedly at least partly due to its antioxidant properties. It can help lower blood pressure, optimize cholesterol, and even help reduce atherosclerosis and fatty deposits in arteries.

Research on Ginger for Digestion and Other Benefits

Animal (mouse) and test-tube studies have shown that ginger can “significantly” reduce systemic inflammation, body weight, and blood sugar, which may help prevent another serious “umbrella” disease called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which affects up to 24 percent of American adults, according to one study.⁶

The Time article noted that lack of funding and the complex nature of all the compounds may have prevented many scientists from studying ginger until the Chinese study, which it said helped lead to the conclusion that 10 clinical trials had looked at ginger's effects on metabolic syndrome.

They noted that ginger may help increase calorie burn and reduce hunger. It has also been shown to affect weight loss in overweight adults and “positive changes in cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, inflammatory proteins, and liver health.”⁷

Whole ginger extract has been shown to have anti-proliferative properties, particularly in prostate cancer, meaning it inhibits cancer growth and induces the death of various prostate cancer cells, inducing “mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis” or programmed cell death, helping to reduce tumor size without damaging normal tissue.⁸

University of Maryland Medical Center⁹ Ginger has been noted to be helpful in successfully treating pain and discomfort in a number of different conditions, along with other benefits including:

Ginger supplements are also a hot topic, coming in the form of liquid-dissolving tablets, capsules, and powders, but Marie-Pierre Sainte-Ouen, an assistant professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University, thinks that while the potential benefits look promising, scientists aren't sure how to dose them.

As for the root, it can be used fresh or dried by steam distillation of the root oil, and it can also be used in various forms of extracts and tinctures. One study found that regular supplementation consisting of 2 grams of ginger powder daily¹⁰ Fasting blood sugar levels in adults dropped dramatically over three months.

Ginger in the light of epigenetics

Epigenetic studies have revealed several aspects of ginger that have already been discussed as being powerful enough to influence chromatin and modulate epigenetic mechanisms, particularly histone acetylation. Histone acetylation is the process by which acetyl groups are transferred to molecules, which can affect how genes are regulated.

Age, environment, lifestyle, and overall health can all affect epigenetics, which is why it has been investigated so intensively scientifically in recent years. What is epigenetics?¹¹ explanation:

“Ginger is considered a powerful herb with the ability to affect chromatin in the cell nucleus and specifically modulate epigenetic mechanisms such as histone acetylation. While acetylation is the process by which an acetyl group is transferred from one molecule to another, ginger and similar herbs such as turmeric, tulsi, and cinnamon have been shown to affect gene regulation.”

A study¹² Ginger has been reported to have the ability to increase histone H3 acetylation and inhibit the expression of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). What is Epigenetics adds:

“Histone acetylation removes the positive charge from histones, ultimately relaxing the tightly packed structure of chromatin, which increases transcription. Transcription is the first step in gene expression, where a specific strand of DNA is copied into RNA. The enzymes that remove the acetyl marks are called HDACs.

When individuals consume health foods such as ginger, these epigenetic tags attached to histone proteins that wrap DNA may be modulated, influencing the expression of genes involved in inflammatory and neuroprotective pathways.”

Fresh or cooked ginger is the only place you’ll find gingerol or shogaol. Both are quickly absorbed and work to “increase stomach elasticity and motility,” helping to relax the intestinal muscles and release accumulated gas.

Ginger Preparation for Health and Healthy Weight

You can make a “ginger shot” by peeling a piece of ginger root, adding a little lemon juice, orange juice, and turmeric, which is said to increase digestion and promote a healthier metabolism and bowel function due to its thermogenic properties. A fire tea made with ginger and cinnamon can help fight fat. While these two spices have many health benefits on their own, when used together, they can help maintain a desired weight.

Cinnamon helps maintain blood sugar and helps the body store less fat, while ginger aids digestion. Drink it right after a meal.