Benefits of Drinking Ginger Water

It's a refreshing way to stay hydrated, but are there health benefits to drinking ginger water?

MOVE OVER LEMON WATER, there might be a cooler kid in town – ginger water! Also known as ginger tea, this drink is becoming quite popular due to all the health claims surrounding ginger itself. Technically, though, using ginger has been around for centuries. And if we get really specific, it’s been used for medicinal purposes to treat mostly stomach aches, diarrhea and nausea in Asia for more than 2,500 years. Hmm, maybe like so much else, it seems more popular today because of Instagram.

Does Ginger Have Health Benefits?

One published scientific review, which looked at the relationship between cancer and ginger, found that gingerol, a potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory compound found in ginger, was shown to have cancer-inhibiting effects. Another scientific review paper that compared experimental studies, specifically conducted in-vivo and in-vitro, suggested a potential positive outcome with more research needed. And yet one more study showed promise specifical with colon cancer.

A study looking at the connection between osteoarthritis and ginger showed that the daily consumption of raw and heat-treated ginger resulted in moderate-to-large reductions in muscle pain following exercise-induced muscle injury, suggesting that ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties could be beneficial in osteoarthritis patients. As for lowering cholesterol levels, a single study found that dietary supplementation with ginger prevented hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) in rats that ate a high-cholesterol diet. And one systematic review concluded that ginger may not have an effect on fasting blood glucose levels in persons with Type 2 diabetes. However, ginger did improve HbA1c levels, showing blood sugar control over a longer period of time.

There have definitely been a wide range of studies – many with promising results. However, one must keep in mind that a large amount of these studies were either conducted in test tubes or on mice – and those that included humans had small sample sizes. Therefore, nothing at this point is 100% conclusive

Make Your Own Ginger Tea

Peel and thinly slice ginger root, approximately one tablespoon. Put in a saucepan with around 8 ounces of water and bring to a boil. Depending on how potent you like your tea, you could add either less or more of the ginger. Once boiling, cover with lid, turn off heat, let stand for around 15 minutes and then strain through colander. The remaining ginger-flavored liquid can be either enjoyed warm or refrigerated to be served cold later. If you like your tea sweet, I suggest adding a teaspoon of honey or even some cinnamon. You could also experiment with adding some other flavors to the water, such as lemon or lime. Bottoms up!

Try it to your self.. Health is wealth!

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