Garlic and ginger are two wonderful spices that are often used for cooking. Here in Nigeria, we use garlic and ginger to prepare a wide range of dishes, that it has now
become a common cooking ingredient. People also use garlic and ginger to add flavour to other things like drinks, such as zobo and kunu.
Besides the flavour they add to food, ginger and garlic are very healthy and offer a lot of benefits to the body. They provide your body with some important nutrients and also prevent/cure certain diseases and conditions. That is why in Nigeria, garlic and ginger are often used in the preparation of herbs.
In today’s post, we would be looking at some of the health benefits of garlic and ginger.
9 Powerful Health Benefits of Garlic And Ginger
Garlic and ginger are two powerful foods and combining them has been said to have many profound medicinal benefits. Here are some of them:
1. Promotes heart health
One of the main benefits of eating garlic and ginger is that they are good for the heart as they help prevent heart diseases and other associated heart risks.
Garlic has been shown to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in the body as well as lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels. All of these contribute to keeping the heart healthy.
Ginger has also been observed to have the same effect on the heart, reducing the risks of coronary heart diseases and improving blood sugar control.
Medical studies have said that garlic and ginger can protect the heart and may help in reducing some risk factors of heart disease.
2. Rich in antioxidants
Garlic and ginger are rich in antioxidants that fight against cellular damage caused by free radicals in the body. Cellular damage affects everything from your skin to your brain and more.
The antioxidants present in ginger and garlic help to fight against these free radicals, preventing them from causing harm to your body. This also helps to keep your brain healthy and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
In fact, one 2020 study on rats with Alzheimer’s disease showed that treatment with garlic, ginger, and chili pepper extract can boost levels of enzymes that creates antioxidants.
There are still many studies that indicated that the spices like ginger and garlic have powerful antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.
3. Good for stomach health
Taking ginger is very good for your stomach as it prevents constipation and improves digestion. It helps in situations where you are feeling gassy by providing you with relief from the discomfort.
This also helps when you have nausea caused by a stomach upset. Eating ginger would also help to ease movement in the digestive tract, helping to prevent and also treat constipation.
4. Good for relieving cold
Another good thing about taking ginger is that it can relieve cold by helping to clear your airways. This is because of its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help clear stuffy noses and blocked sinuses.
To achieve this, you would have to brew the ginger as tea and drink it. Research has shown that garlic and ginger both have powerful antiviral and antibacterial effects against a number of pathogens, and are effective in fighting flu and respiratory infections.
5. Prevents cancer
Ginger and garlic contain anti-cancerous properties that help keep cancer at bay.
While garlic and ginger should not be used to replace cancer treatment, taking them could help to reduce the risks of the formation of cancer cells in the body because of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties they contain.
Preventing cancer is best done by eating healthy foods that have powerful cancer-fighting properties. Four separate medical studies have found out that a diet rich in garlic and ginger can help prevent breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer and gastric cancer. [1] [2] [3] [4]
6. Promotes a healthy immune system
One of the upsides of regularly taking garlic and ginger is that it gives you a healthier immune system. This is due to all the nutrients they contain, many of which help fight off a range of diseases and other health conditions. So, for a stronger and healthier immune system, consider including ginger and garlic in your regular diet.
7. Good for the brain
Eating garlic and ginger or taking supplements of these might be good for your brain and help you it function better.
For example, a study of over 27,000 older Chinese people, those who ate more garlic had better brain function and lived longer than those who didn’t eat much garlic.
In addition, studies have shown that ginger may have cognitive benefits. A 2011 study found that taking 400 or 800 mg of ginger extract daily for 2 months improved cognitive performance and memory in healthy women, compared to a placebo.
8. Fights inflammation
Another amazing health benefit of garlic and ginger is that it has anti-inflammatory properties which combats inflammation.
Garlic and ginger both possess potent anti-inflammatory compounds that may can reduce the effects of pro-inflammatory proteins associated with chronic inflammation.
Bottom Line
These health benefits of garlic and ginger show that the two foods is such a powerful combo. They can also boost the aid in weight loss, lower blood sugar levels, and prevent cellular damage.
9. Beneficial against diabetes
Lastly, garlic and ginger might help lower blood sugar levels and improve other health markers in people with diabetes, especially if you take them in supplement form.
One particular study investigated 103 people with type 2 diabetes, those who took 1.2 grams of ginger supplements every day for 90 days had lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels than those who took a placebo.
Furthermore, in 2018, a review of 33 studies revealed that garlic supplements were more effective than placebo treatments in reducing triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and HbA1c in individuals with diabetes.
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