A Plant That’s Good for Your Stomach: “Ginger”
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a plant native to Southeast Asia, India, and China. It is an integral part of the local diet and is recognized worldwide for its aromatic and medicinal properties. Ginger helps relieve nausea and bloating.
The benefits of ginger date back nearly 5,000 years. It is a member of the Zingiberaceae family, which also includes plants such as cardamom, turmeric, and galangal. The roots of the ginger plant are the main part consumed.
Native to Southeast Asia, the plant has been used by Indians and Chinese for over 5,000 years in alternative and traditional medicine to treat a wide range of ailments.
•Ginger helps relieve indigestion and bloating.
•In addition to being effective against stomach pain and nausea, ginger helps relieve gas in the stomach and intestines.
•It alleviates symptoms of nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy, motion sickness (such as car sickness or seasickness), and infections.
•It prevents constipation by relaxing the smooth muscles in the intestines and facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract.
References:
Hu Y, Amoah AN, Zhang H, Fu R, Qiu Y, Cao Y, Sun Y, Chen H, Liu Y, Lyu Q. Effect of ginger in the treatment of nausea and vomiting compared with vitamin B6 and placebo during pregnancy: a meta-analysis. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. Jan 2022;35(1):187-196. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1712714. Epub 2020 Jan 14. PMID: 31937153.
Viljoen E, Visser J, Koen N, Musekiwa A. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect and safety of ginger in the treatment of pregnancy-associated nausea and vomiting. Nutr J. 2014 Mar 19;13:20. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-13-20. PMID: 24642205; PMCID: PMC3995184.
Huang Y, Patil MJ, Yu M, Liptak P, Undem BJ, Dong X, Wang G, Yu S. Effects of the ginger constituent 6-shogaol on gastroesophageal vagal afferent C-fibers. Neurogastroenterol Motil. June 2019;31(6):e13585. doi: 10.1111/nmo.13585. Epub 2019 Apr 4. PMID: 30947399; PMCID: PMC6522279.
Nocerino R, Cecere G, Micillo M, De Marco G, Ferri P, Russo M, Bedogni G, Berni Canani R. Efficacy of ginger as an antiemetic in children with acute gastroenteritis: a randomized controlled trial. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. July 2021;54(1):24-31. doi: 10.1111/apt.16404. Published online May 21, 2021. PMID: 34018223; PMCID: PMC8252074.