Losing weight is a journey that can take months. And, maintaining the results of that journey can take the rest of your life. For some, a little help can go a long way. Ginger is a spice that originated in Asia and India. It has health benefits that range from fighting colds and the flu, boosting circulation to helping you to lose weight.
For over 5000 years ginger has been used to treat ailments. It’s a flavoring agent in foods. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can help relax the intestinal tract. There is some evidence that ginger may boost metabolism.
Ginger will also suppress the appetite effectively when you eat it. (1) Reducing your appetite will help to reduce the amount of food you eat when you are hungry. However, even reducing your appetite won’t change your eating habits that are a result of emotional eating. For this reason you must look at your entire dietary habits and not just address your eating habits from one angle.
Ginger will also help your muscles to recover more quickly from exercise. A study released from the University of Georgia showed that daily ginger intake would reduce the pain associated with exercise. (2) The study also showed that heat treating the ginger did not enhance or detract from the effect of the ginger on muscles.
The subjects of this study took the ginger in capsule form for 11 days before performing the exercises. Those that took the ginger reported a 25 percent reduction in pain from strength training exercises.
Ginger will also improve your insulin sensitivity and level your blood glucose. (3) This will effectively reduce your cravings for carbohydrates and also reduce the number of calories you consume. By leveling your blood glucose and insulin you also reduce your insulin resistance and potential to develop diabetes.
There are a variety of ways to include ginger in your meals. Ginger can be steeped into tea, added to iced tea, added to your foods, or taken in pill form. It is available at the health food stores in tincture form and oils. There are no standard doses for weight loss but the maximum dose is 4 grams per day, which should include all sources you are taking.
References:
(1) Metabolism: Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food and promtes feelings of satiety without affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters in Overweight men
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22538118
(2) Unviersity of Georgia: Daily Ginger consumption Eases Muscle Pain by 25 Percent
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100519131130.htm
(3) International Journal of Food sciences and Nutrition: Effects of Ginger on Plasma Glucose Level, HbA1c and Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23496212
Resources:
Mercola: 10 Spices Herbs that iad weight loss
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/11/26/herbs-and-spices.aspx
Herbal medicine: Biomolecular and clinical aspects
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
New Health Guide: Ginger Tea Benefits
http://www.newhealthguide.org/Ginger-Tea-Benefits.html
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