Ginger tea is a popular and natural remedy for a wide variety of digestive disorders, including upset tummy, vomiting, and constipation. It is also an established remedy for cold and cough. However, in recent past, its beneficial effect in fighting body fat and preventing diabetes is gaining attention.
In a new study, expert’s review of findings of 60 studies indicated a consensus that ginger and its major constituents can exert beneficial effects against obesity, diabetes, [cardiovascular diseases] and related disorders.
The 2017 review, published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, focused their research on the different aspects of metabolic syndrome, a combination of three or more risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Metabolic syndrome is a growing health problem that has reached pandemic proportions. It now affects a quarter of the world’s population.
The expert’s review said that the spice plays a role in fat burning, carbohydrate digestion, and insulin secretion, adding that ginger has also been shown to inhibit oxidative stress, prevent the build-up of dangerous fat in the blood vessels as well as lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
Some of the studies reviewed reported that when ginger was fed to rats, it significantly reduces body weight and systemic inflammation, lowers cholesterol and blood sugar and protects against the harmful effects of the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
But, the researchers said that only a few human clinical trials have studied the effects of ginger on these conditions due to challenges posed by the spice’s complex chemical composition and a lack of funding.
In one of these studies, published in the Journal of the Science and Food of Agriculture in 2014, researchers found that overweight rats that were given gingerol, a compound found in ginger, lost weight after a 30-day supplementation with ginger.
The study indicated also that the rats showed improvements in blood sugar levels and leptin levels. Leptin is a compound that plays a role in feeling full and satisfied after a meal.
According to the researchers, ginger supplementation can suppress obesity induced by a high-fat diet, so making it a promising adjuvant therapy for the treatment of obesity and its complications.
A previous study published in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences demonstrated that ginger supplementation had an equal impact on rat weight loss as a popular weight-loss medication, Orlistat. Additionally, the ginger caused noteworthy improvements in the level of good cholesterol in the blood.
High cholesterol is now being shown to have a direct correlation with obesity, and obesity can lead to diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Ginger has been shown to reduce cholesterol by breaking down the fats that clog arteries.
Ginger’s sharp, distinctive flavour can also help to naturally boost energy levels, both physically and mentally. In a study published in Metabolism in 2012, researchers at the Maastricht University, Netherlands found that this herb contains a type of a chemical substance that helps lose weight being a thermogenic food.
According to them, this chemical substance enhances thermogenesis and curbs the hunger pangs as well as keeps hunger under control. In the thermogenesis process, the body burns calories to utilise foods that are consumed, converting those calories to heat.
The International Journal of Obesity had said that consuming foods that have a thermogenic effect can potentially be a tool for weight loss and weight maintenance since they may increase energy expenditure, fat oxidation and counteract the decrease in metabolic rate that occurs during weight loss.
Ginger is extremely versatile, and can be added to food or even made into a tea. While it’s an appetite suppressant, immune system booster, and has anti-cancer properties, it is particularly well known for its digestive and anti-inflammatory properties.
Millions suffering from heartburn and indigestion might be saving lots of money if they give the ginger tea a try. Ginger is very effective in preventing the symptoms of motion sickness, especially seasickness. It helps to reduce symptoms associated with motion sicknesses such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating.
ALSO READ: Preventing diabetes
The post Wanting to lose weight? Try ginger appeared first on Tribune.