Ginger water is becoming a trending beverage on social media due to its ability to boost immunity, combat colds, and reduce nausea.
This drink is also favored by celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Eva Longoria, and Anna Kendrick. Chefs around the world incorporate ginger into dishes to stimulate diners’ palates.
Ginger water improves health, combats colds, and reduces nausea. (Photo: Shutterstock).
For centuries, traditional Ayurvedic doctors in India have used ginger to treat nausea, colds, arthritis, menstrual cramps, and motion sickness.
According to Ayurvedic expert Bharti Raghav from Uttar Pradesh, social media has played a significant role in popularizing ginger water.
“During the Covid-19 pandemic, fresh ginger juice became very popular as people wanted to boost their immunity,” she stated.
Ginger water has effective anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, in Ayurvedic medicine, ginger is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, digestive disorders, asthma, and even certain cancers.
Additionally, some studies suggest that ginger water may aid in weight loss. According to Raghav, drinking ginger water in the morning is an excellent way to kickstart the body.
“It helps boost metabolism, stimulates appetite before breakfast, and makes food more palatable,” she added.
Raghav’s ginger water recipe includes coconut water or plain water, peeled ginger, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and honey. “Drink ginger water daily, preferably on an empty stomach,” she recommends.
Some people like to add cilantro, mint, and cardamom powder to enhance the flavor of this drink.
Kamla Priya, a 66-year-old homemaker in Bangalore, mentioned that ginger mint water has replaced her morning coffee during the pandemic. “It makes me feel healthier and keeps my body warm from the inside,” she said.
Priya added that ginger has always been a favorite ingredient in her family for cooking, making tea, and other beverages.
Ginger offers numerous health benefits. (Photo: SCMP).
“Many people buy ginger water, but I prefer to make it at home because it’s cheaper, fresher, and ensures quality,” she said.
A 2017 study published in the journal Nutrition found that incorporating ginger into the diet helps reduce the risk of chronic heart disease or high blood pressure.
Researchers wrote: “Ginger has the potential to prevent high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. The likelihood of disease decreases as the amount of ginger consumed increases.”
The main bioactive compound in ginger is gingerol. Experts believe this is the key to the medicinal benefits and therapeutic potential of ginger.
Nutritionist Aditi Pathak from Mumbai stated: “Gingerol has antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects that help support digestion and enhance gut health. Fresh ginger contains more gingerol than dried ginger.”
In recent years, the anti-cancer properties of ginger and its effects on reducing nausea and fatigue from chemotherapy have also been studied.
Ginger also helps treat coughs and colds, making it an effective remedy during flu season. Additionally, it is a source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, which help boost the immune system.
Some studies have highlighted ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties in combating or alleviating symptoms of conditions such as asthma, allergies, diabetes, colitis, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Results from a 2009 clinical trial published in the Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine indicated that ginger may provide effects similar to the pain relievers ibuprofen and mefenamic acid in reducing menstrual cramps. The study also demonstrated ginger’s effectiveness in relieving joint pain and related symptoms.
Ginger water is a healthy beverage that offers numerous health benefits. If the ginger flavor is too strong, adding lemon juice can help balance it. This will also enhance its benefits.
Lemon helps maintain the body’s pH balance and promotes oral health. It is also rich in vitamin C, which boosts immunity, helps prevent colds and flu, and contains antioxidants that detoxify the liver.
