Ginger

The second most anti-inflammatory food per the Dietary Inflammatory Index. Ginger tea reduces white bread's glycemic index by nearly 30%.

Also known as: ginger powder, Zingiber officinale, ground ginger, Rhizoma Zingiber officinale

Active Compounds

Bioactive compounds found in Ginger, based on research from longevity science.

6-Shogaol
Formed from 6-gingerol when ginger is dried
Source: How Not to Age
Gingerols
Source: How Not to Age

Health Benefits

Health conditions and aging processes that Ginger may influence, based on the source research.

Improves

High blood sugar
Ginger tea drops bread's glycemic index by nearly 30%.
Source: How Not to Age
Rheumatoid arthritis
Source: How Not to Age
Osteoarthritis
Pain-reducing effects on par with ibuprofen and protective rather than damaging to the stomach lining | Meta-analysis: ginger efficacious and safe in osteoarthritis patients; comparable to ibuprofen | Meta-analysis of RCTs shows efficacy and safety of ginger in osteoarthritis patients | PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis found ginger effective on pain and function in knee osteoarthritis; compared favorably to ibuprofen
Source: How Not to Age
Migraine HeadacheOne-eighth of a teaspoon of powdered ginger
Can work as well as the migraine drug Imitrex without side effects | Ginger comparable to sumatriptan in ablative treatment of common migraine | Double-blind placebo-controlled RCT and meta-analysis show ginger efficacy in migraine prophylaxis and treatment
Source: How Not to Age
Menstrual PainA third of a teaspoon to one teaspoon per day for a few days before period
Source: How Not to Age
Nausea and Vomiting
Considered a nontoxic, broad-spectrum antiemetic effective for motion sickness, pregnancy, chemo, and post-surgery nausea | Review confirms ginger effective for prevention of nausea and vomiting including motion sickness and post-surgical nausea
Source: How Not to Age
Knee Osteoarthritisas little as 1/8 teaspoon powder
As little as 1/8 teaspoon powder reduces knee pain, works as well as ibuprofen but protects GI lining
Source: How Not to Age
Cognitive decline
Zingiber officinale improved cognitive function of middle-aged healthy women
Source: How Not to Age
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Ginger reduced heavy menstrual bleeding in a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial (Kashefi et al. 2015)
Source: How Not to Die
Premenstrual Syndrome
Ginger treatment reduced severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms (Khayat et al. 2014)
Source: How Not to Die
Motion Sickness
Ginger showed efficacy for motion sickness and nausea (Mowrey & Clayson 1982; Palatty et al. 2013)
Source: How Not to Die
Morning Sickness
Ginger is effective and safe for pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting (Ding et al. 2013)
Source: How Not to Die
Menopause symptoms
Ginger has oestrogen-modulating effects beneficial in menopause.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity

Protects Against

DNA DamageOne and a half teaspoons of ginger powder a day for a week
Oxidative stress-induced DNA damage dropped about 25%
Source: How Not to Age
Prostate cancer
Ginger phytochemicals exhibit synergy to inhibit prostate cancer cell proliferation
Source: How Not to Age
Osteoarthritis
Ginger benefits OA through inhibition of prostaglandins, acting as an agonist of vanilloid nociceptor, and as antioxidation agent
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Ginger has oestrogen-modulating effects which means that it can be beneficial in prostate hyperplasia, as well as in osteoporosis, menopause and certain cancers.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity
Osteoporosis
Ginger has oestrogen-modulating effects which means that it can be beneficial in prostate hyperplasia, as well as in osteoporosis, menopause and certain cancers.
Source: Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity

Biological Mechanisms

How Ginger works at a cellular level.

PromotesReduces inflammation
PromotesActivates Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT)
Ground ginger increases weight loss potentially through BAT activation
PromotesLowers Postprandial Glycemia
Synergistic effect of green tea, cinnamon and ginger combination on enhancing postprandial blood glucose
PromotesAntioxidant Defense
Systematic review and meta-analysis show ginger supplementation reduces oxidative stress parameters
PromotesImproves Gut Microbiota
Ginger extract modulates gut microbiota and intestinal barrier during antibiotic-associated diarrhea
PromotesBoosts immune function
Ginger helps to obtain relief from cough, cold and flu; listed among foods to strengthen Qi and immunity
PromotesHas anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering and estrogen-modulating effects
Ginger has numerous effects including antidiabetic, lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory actions. Its activities include apoptosis modulation, improvement of autophagy, and cell regulation.

Dosage Recommendations

Specific amounts mentioned in the research literature.

One-eighth of a teaspoon of powdered gingerfor Migraine Headache
Can work as well as the migraine drug Imitrex without side effects | Ginger comparable to sumatriptan in ablative treatment of common migraine | Double-blind placebo-controlled RCT and meta-analysis show ginger efficacy in migraine prophylaxis and treatment
Source: How Not to Age
A third of a teaspoon to one teaspoon per day for a few days before periodfor Menstrual Pain
Source: How Not to Age
One and a half teaspoons of ginger powder a day for a weekfor DNA Damage
Oxidative stress-induced DNA damage dropped about 25%
Source: How Not to Age
1 teaspoon per dayfor Activates Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT)
Ground ginger increases weight loss potentially through BAT activation
Source: How Not to Age
as little as 1/8 teaspoon powderfor Knee Osteoarthritis
As little as 1/8 teaspoon powder reduces knee pain, works as well as ibuprofen but protects GI lining
Source: How Not to Age
1/8 teaspoonfor Migraine Headache
One-eighth of a teaspoon of powdered ginger worked just as well and just as fast as sumatriptan (Imitrex) for migraine treatment, and costs less than a penny; Ginger was as effective as sumatriptan for migraine treatment, without the cardiovascular side effects (Maghbooli et al. 2014)
Source: How Not to Die
1/8 teaspoon 3x/dayfor Menstrual Pain
One-eighth of a teaspoon of powdered ginger three times a day dropped menstrual pain from an eight to a six, and further to three in the second month. Ginger worked just as effectively as 400mg ibuprofen.; Ginger was as effective as ibuprofen and mefenamic acid for primary dysmenorrhea pain relief (Ozgoli et al. 2009; Kashefi et al. 2014)
Source: How Not to Die

Recipes with Ginger

Sources

How Not to Age
How Not to Die
Nutrition, Food and Diet in Ageing and Longevity