How Beneficial is it to Drink Ginger Water?

Unravel the Spice Benefits of Adrak!

Ginger or adrak as it is more commonly known in India is a perennial whose rhizome (ginger root) is popularly used as a spice agent or medicine. It is hugely used in traditional Ayurvedic, Unani and Chinese medicines. Ginger is one of the main ingredients used specially to make thick Indian gravies. India is one of the top producers as well as consumers of this root which finds itself replete with nutritional benefits.

Ginger as a Drink

Who doesn’t love the steaming masala chai made with our authentic Indian spices such as ginger, cardamom and pepper? No Indian kitchen is complete without ginger in its produce aisle! It is an ingredient used in preparing traditional Indian drinks, both hot and cold. Ginger water has also been scrutinized for its widespread benefits and people doubt its advantages. There are various studies that put forth the use of drinking ginger water, but the research is limited.

Pain: A small study consisting of 60 people has proved that drinking ginger water decreases pain. All the 60 adults suffered from migraine and taking this along with the usual medications enhanced the effect.

Diabetes Control: Ginger water might be helpful in controlling fasting blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. A 3-month study was conducted with 41 individuals who were split into two groups. One group were given 2 grams of ginger powder supplement every day and the second group received placebo drugs. At the end of the study it was found that people who consumed ginger experienced great decline in fasting sugar levels.

Anti-inflammatory: Human body protects itself with inflammation but too much of inflammation due to germs, chemicals or unhealthy diet can wreck our body. Consuming ginger might help to reduce or prevent inflammation. Allergic reactions are triggered due to inflammation and ginger has the potential to reduce allergic reactions.

Weight Control: Ginger water as a weight control agent is under constant debate among public. A small study was done on 10 men who were split into two groups. One group drank hot ginger water after eating breakfast while the other group did not drink anything. The first group who drank ginger water reported feeling full for a longer period. Another study showed that ginger helped to suppress obesity in rats who were fed on a high-fat diet. Whatever be it, there are no conclusive evidences that surely point out that ginger promotes weight loss. It is best to stick to a healthy eating plan, do your physical activity daily and lead a healthy lifestyle to lose weight. Get in touch with reputed registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who can help you to lose weight in the right way.

Digestion: Ginger is blessed with digestive properties and drinking a glass of ginger water every day can strengthen your digestive system, get rid of nausea, vomiting sensation and cure indigestion. Researchers looked into nine studies which showed that people used ginger for postoperative nausea, chemotherapy, general nausea and morning sickness. The studies are not accurate but certainly indicate that ginger does provide relief for nausea and vomiting.

How Much to Drink?

Anyone can drink ginger water except for an exceptional few. Although research results are not conclusive, there are concerns that ginger can intrude the blood-thinning medications and it is better for patients who take these medications to have a word with their physician first. Also, please don’t consume glasses of ginger water each day else you might end up with gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea or heartburn.

Even pregnant women can consume ginger water every day and there is a research supporting this. A study looked into data from 1,020 women who consumed ginger during pregnancy to counter nausea and vomiting. Results showed that there was no increased sign of stillbirth, preterm birth, birth malformations or chances of a lower Apgar score in these women. Whatever the results might be, it is always safer to consult with your physician before drinking ginger water.

Make Your Own Ginger Water

Preparing ginger water is simple, easy and effective. Use fresh ginger for maximum taste and flavor. Follow the steps given below and find yourself holding an amazing drink in your hand:

•  Chop/grate 2 teaspoons of fresh ginger
•  Boil around 3-4 cups of water and add the ginger to this water
•  Remove the water from the stove after 2-3 minutes
• Let the ginger rest inside the water for some time (maybe 10 minutes)
• Use a strainer to remove the ginger pieces and serve it hold/cold depending on your preference
• You might use lemon or honey (avoid as much as possible as this too is a source of sugar) for improved flavor and taste

If you wish to drink ginger water daily, you can prepare a batch, refrigerate it and use it whenever you need.

While results are conclusive regarding the health benefits of ginger water, there are small studies showing its benefits. Also, there is no risk in drinking this water for most people and you can surely go ahead with your plans of consuming it. In fact, it helps to keep yourself hydrated as you are consuming more water.