12 Health Benefits of Ginger (# 7 Seems Crazy, but It’s True!)

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7. Cancer Prevention

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. It is a serious problem all over the world, including in the US and other western countries. Ginger extract has been shown in several studies to be an alternative treatment for several different types of cancer. The active cancer fighting compound, 6-gingerol, is found in large amounts of raw ginger root.

One study involving 30 people showed that 2 grams of ginger extract each day significantly reduced their inflammatory signaling molecules in the colon. Other studies show that ginger can be effective against ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer. Although more studies need to be done in this area, ginger shows tremendous promise in becoming a super cancer preventative.

8. Ginger Reduces Sore Muscles and Muscle Pain

One study showed that the consumption of 2 grams of ginger per day, over the 11 day study period, significantly reduces muscle pain in subjects that were told to perform strenuous elbow exercises. Although ginger does not have an immediate impact, regular consumption of ginger can be effective at reducing the day to day ebb and flow of muscle pain. It’s believed that these effects occur due to the anti-inflammatory properties.

9. Lowers Blood Sugar

It appears that ginger also has powerful anti-diabetic compounds. One study, done in early 2015, involved 41 subjects with type 2 diabetes. Results showed that the consumption of 2 grams of powdered ginger each day decreased fasting blood sugar levels by 12 percent. Ginger was also shown to improve dramatically the markers for the long-term blood sugar levels. Levels of HbA1c were lowered by 10 percent over the 12 week study period.

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