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Ginger
has many uses, and holds promise
Jan 17, 2008
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
In the realm of food as medicine,
many people swear by ginger to tickle their taste buds while
it settles their stomach.
It’s a practice that dates back thousands of years in
China, India and the Middle East, spreading to parts of Africa
and the Caribbean and only recently hitting supermarkets and
kitchens here at home.
What’s ginger?
Ginger is a plant that grows in tropical climates around the
world. It has an underground stem or rhizome with a distinctive
flavor and aroma caused by volatile oils it contains. Ginger
is a good source of potassium, other trace minerals and vitamin
B6.
The stem is cut up and used fresh, dried, or as a powder in
cooking and for medicinal purposes, including to treat nausea,
stomach ache and diarrhea, relieve joint and muscle pain and
ease discomfort from colds and flu.
Interest in the health effects of ginger has resulted in more
ginger-infused products – tea, candy, lozenges, cookies,
bread, soup, crackers – in supermarkets and greater
availability of ginger supplements such as pills, capsules
and liquid extracts. Ginger supplements are unregulated in
the U.S. and not officially recognized or approved for treatment
of any diseases or conditions.
So what does the science say? The evidence is incomplete.
Ginger is safe and effective over short periods of time for
the relief of nausea and vomiting for women who are pregnant,
according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine, a unit of the National Institutes of Health. The
evidence isn’t as clear, though, for motion sickness
and nausea caused by surgery or chemotherapy.
And even though ginger has been used since ancient times for
relief of arthritis pain and other forms of joint and muscle
pain, the science base isn’t strong enough yet to conclude
that ginger is actually effective for these purposes.
More research is needed to determine how and why ginger affects
health, and money is being invested by NCCAM to study some
particularly promising questions:
* Does ginger interact with certain drugs or other medications?
It’s possible that ginger supplements, for example,
could diminish or enhance the effect of certain drugs. (It’s
important to let your health care provider know about any
herbal or other supplements you may be taking).
* Is ginger useful in alleviating nausea caused by cancer
chemotherapy? If so, it could be a cheaper, healthier and
more pleasant alternative to other medications.
* How safe and effective is ginger in treating other diseases
and conditions, including arthritis and muscle pain?
Until we know more about how and why ginger works its magic
– if it does – it’s best to avoid concentrated
doses found it supplements. Instead, enjoy ginger as a potentially
beneficial flavor agent or spice in foods and drinks. Gingered
vegetable or rice dishes, ginger lemonade, candied ginger,
and gingered carrots or sweet potatoes, for example, are delicious.
My favorite way to cook fresh kale is with minced garlic,
onions and a big splash of ginger soy sauce.
People who use ginger in reasonable amounts have reported
few side effects. When they do occur, they tend to include
such symptoms as gas, bloating, nausea and heartburn.
More information about ginger can be found online at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ginger/.
Update: Last month I reported on the surprising number of
calories contained in many hot specialty drinks, including
the ubiquitous latte. A spokesperson for Starbucks contacted
me to say that starting this month, the coffee company is
adding to its menu a nonfat latte made with sugar-free syrup.
A tall (12 oz.) “Skinny” Caffe Latte or Caffe
Mocha ordered with steamed, nonfat milk, sugar-free syrup
and foam contains 90 calories, a savings of up to 90 calories
for a Caffe Latte or 200 calories for a Caffe Mocha.
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