15 Benefits of Drinking Ginger Tea
on Mar 09, 2024
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Ginger tea is spicy, warming drink that’s so good for the body. Get to know the many health benefits of ginger tea and what it can do for you.
Table of Contents
What Is Ginger Tea?
Ginger is the root of Zingiber officinale, a plant that’s native to southern China. It’s used as a spice, flavoring ingredient, and herbal medicine.
Ginger tea is made by steeping fresh or dried ginger in hot water. The resulting drink is warm, spicy, and delicious. A caffeine-free drink, ginger tea can be enjoyed any time of the day. It can also be made iced for a refreshing cold beverage.
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15 Ginger Tea Health Benefits
1. Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation happens when your body is trying to protect itself. It’s normal to have some inflammation when you’re sick or you have an injury. But if inflammation continues for too long, it can damage tissue and cells. This can increase the risk of health issues like pain, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
Drinking ginger tea can manage this inflammation. It has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds, including a substance called 6-shogaol.
In the body, 6-shogaol works by reducing inflammatory molecules. The compound also stops reactions that cause inflammation.
2. Fights Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress, like inflammation, can lead to cell damage. It happens when there are too many harmful molecules called free radicals. Over time, oxidative stress can contribute to chronic conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It can also worsen inflammation.
Ginger tea is high in antioxidants, or compounds that fight free radicals. Antioxidants change the structure of the free radicals so they become harmless.
The most powerful antioxidants in ginger tea include gingerol and 6-shogaol. Other antioxidants include paradol, vitamin C, gingerdiones, gingerdiols, and 12-gingerol.
3. Provides Vitamins and Minerals
When you drink ginger tea, you’ll also get some vitamins, including vitamin B3, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. Vitamin B3, or niacin, is needed for a healthy nervous system. It also contributes to good skin and a well-functioning digestive system.
Vitamin B6 and vitamin C are both needed for the immune system. Plus, vitamin C helps make collagen, the main protein in the skin.
Ginger tea also has minerals, including iron and potassium. Iron is crucial for healthy blood and potassium manages blood pressure.
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4. Soothes Nausea
The next time you’re feeling nauseous or have an upset stomach, sip on ginger tea. The drink is one of the best natural anti-nausea remedies.
It’s unclear how it works, but researchers think the gingerols in ginger provide this benefit. The gingerols might block molecules in the brain linked to nausea. Additionally, ginger helps food move along in the digestive system and promotes muscle movement, which can relieve nausea.
Hot ginger tea is especially soothing, thanks to the hot temperature. The warmth of hot tea can calm an upset stomach.
5. Promotes Good Digestion
One of the best ginger tea benefits involves digestion. It can naturally relieve many digestive issues, including constipation, burping, and bloating. That’s because ginger relaxes the esophagus and digestive tract, reducing acid reflux and gas in the body.
Since ginger tea is anti-inflammatory, it also helps against inflammatory digestive problems, including inflammatory bowel disease. The drink can even protect the intestines from ulcers caused by stress or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like aspirin or ibuprofen.
6. Lowers Blood Sugar
The gingerol in ginger tea can help lower high blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia. This is especially important for people with diabetes, who have higher-than-normal blood sugar.
Otherwise, if hyperglycemia isn’t properly managed, it can worsen type 2 diabetes and cause health problems. It’s all thanks to the antioxidant properties of gingerol. The compound acts on processes that lead to high blood sugar.
Also, oxidative stress can contribute to type 2 diabetes and make it worse. Gingerol has antioxidant abilities that can work against this.
7. Relieves Joint Pain
Joint pain is caused by inflammation. It can happen anywhere in the body, including the ankles, knees, wrists, and elbows.
Aside from staying active, eating lots of anti-inflammatory foods and drinks can help. Ginger tea is a great option due to the gingerol and 6-shogaol in ginger. Both compounds interrupt inflammatory processes, which reduce inflammation.
Because of these benefits, ginger is said to be a natural pain reliever for arthritis. This is a condition that happens when the joints become inflamed and cause pain.
8. Supports Brain Function
Inflammation and oxidative stress aren’t good for the brain. Both can damage nerve cells and increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, or diseases that affects the central nervous system.
As ginger tea fights both inflammation and oxidative stress, it’s a good brain-friendly option. The gingerol, 6-shogaol, and other compounds can help.
Ginger compounds work by protecting nerve cells and keeping them healthy. They also act on certain parts of the brain and actually enhance brain function.
The vitamin B3 in ginger is also good for the brain, as it offers protection from cell damage and oxidative stress.
9. May Reduce Cancer Risk
Cancer, like other major diseases, is rooted in inflammation and oxidative stress. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances in ginger tea might help lower the risk. But that’s not all. The gingerol in ginger tea can actually stop healthy cells from becoming cancerous. It also destroys cancer cells.
Paradol, another compound in ginger, is beneficial too. It’s said to be “cytotoxic,” meaning it kills cancer cells. The immune-boosting effects of ginger tea, from the antioxidants and vitamin C, work against cancer as well.
10. Protects the Heart
Ginger tea is a heart-healthy drink. That’s because ginger improves many factors that can result in heart disease. Ginger naturally lowers high blood cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease. Too much cholesterol can make it hard for blood to flow and reach your heart.
The antioxidants work against oxidative stress and inflammation, which contribute to heart disease. Ginger also naturally controls the appetite. This may help weight management and reduce the risk of heart problems.
11. Eases Menstrual Pain
If you get a period every month, drinking ginger tea might help the cramps and pain that come with it. It’s a natural pain reliever. Ginger works by blocking prostaglandins. These are compounds that make your muscles contract, causing pain.
During your period, prostaglandins naturally increase in the body. So that’s why you feel cramps and discomfort. Plus, the warmth of hot ginger tea can help soothe pain caused by period-related digestive issues.
12. Helps Headaches
Drinking ginger tea may be beneficial for headaches and migraines, according to research. This is due to the pain-relieving compounds in ginger.
It’s been shown to reduce the length and intensity of a migraine, making it a possible option for preventing and managing headaches.
If the headache also causes nausea, the anti-nausea and digestive benefits of ginger tea can help too. Finally, if your headache is due to dehydration, drinking liquids like ginger tea can rehydrate your body and relieve the pain.
13. Improves Mouth Health
Ginger tea has benefits for your oral health. It has anti-bacterial substances, meaning it can fight bad bacteria. This includes bacteria that cause cavities and gingivitis, also known as gum disease. Of course, it’s not a substitute for regularly brushing your teeth, but it can definitely help.
Additionally, ginger has raffinose and gingerol, which have anti-inflammatory effects. These compounds can reduce inflammation caused by oral issues.
14. Supports Immune System
For a delicious and natural immunity boost, add ginger tea to your routine. The drink is packed with substances that support the immune system.
Gingerols benefit immunity by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. This protects healthy cells and lowers damage in the body.
Ginger contains vitamin C, an essential nutrient for good immunity. It helps immune cells called white blood cells function properly. White blood cells are in charge of finding bad germs in the body and destroying them, which decreases the risk of disease.
15. Controls Allergic Reactions
If you have seasonal or environmental allergies, consider adding ginger tea to your routine. It could help manage your symptoms in a natural way.
Allergies are inflammatory reactions in the body. Since ginger tea is an anti-inflammatory drink, it might provide some relief. This benefit is from the gingerol in ginger. It reduces inflammatory compounds in the body, which controls the inflammation that causes allergies.
Research has also found that ginger lowers immuglobulins, or proteins that immune system makes to protect itself from allergies.
