Ginger Benefits & Why It’s A Wellness Staple | You Versus Food | Well+Good

– Alright, who’s ready toparty with some ginger shots?Whoo!Hi, I’m Tracy Lockwood Beckerman. I’m a registered dietitianin New York City,and it’s my job to help youfigure out what to eat and why. Today we’re talking ginger,from teas, to oils, to wellness shots. ♪ Wellness shot shot shot shots ♪♪ Wellness shot shot shots ♪Ginger is all over the health world,touted for its anti-inflammatoryand digestive benefits. But are the benefitsbacked by science?Let’s find out if gingercan cure what “ales” youin today’s episode of You Versus Food. Ginger is an undergroundplant stem, not root. It is the same family asturmeric and cardamom. The edible portion of the ginger plantis called the rhizome. Ginger has been usedas a traditional remedyfor thousands of years, tohelp with digestion, nausea,and help fight flus and colds. It’s been known for its healingand medicinal propertiesfor over 5,000 years!Anti-inflammatory:Studies have shown ginger to be effectivein decreasing inflammation,swelling and pain,thanks to a powerfulcompound called gingerol. No, not ginger ale, gingerol. Gingerol is a bioactivecompound in ginger which haspowerful anti-inflammatoryand antioxidant effects. Anti-inflammatory. Anti-nausea:According to many studies,ginger is highly effective against nausea. It’s known to have a carminative effectwhich means it can help to preventthe build-up of gas in the intestines. Goes like this first, it’s tense,and then it goes like this. Although more research is required,several studies havedemonstrated an associationbetween increased ginger consumptionand reduced incidence of seasickness,as well as reducednausea in pregnant women. Nice. Ginger ale doesn’t containmuch ginger, so the gingerin the ginger ale probably isn’t the thingthat’s gonna help with your bellyache. There’s way more sugar inginger ale than there is ginger. Ginger ale is a derivative of ginger beerwhich was originally used totreat nausea and vomiting. The pickled ginger you seeat Japanese restaurantsis supposed to be a palatecleanser between sushi rolls. It’s called gari, and it’srumored to help preventfood poisoning from raw fish. But there’s not science toback up that claim, sorry. Ginger can help with bad breath. 6-gingerol, whichenhances gastrointestinaltransport mechanisms, alsobreaks down unpleasant odorsby enabling a specific enzyme in saliva. Ah!Ginger can be used as a meat tenderizer. It contains an enzyme calledprotease which is responsiblefor the breakdown of protein. Therefore, ginger can beused to slowly break downthe protein fibers andpossibly the connective tissuein meat, resulting ina tender final product. To peel ginger, scrape the rootwith the backside of a spoon. It gets the skin off without wastingtoo much of that rhizome. Ginger tea:Boil water, add freshly gratedginger, strain, and enjoy. Ginger oil:You can either rub ginger oil on your bodyto help relieve tension, oruse ginger oil in your bathfor a relaxing experience. You can also use ginger oil for cooking. Just saute veggies orrice in the amazing oil. Fresh ginger:You can use it as a garnish ontop of sweet or savory dishesto add an extra kick to your food. Or put fresh-sliced gingerin your water to infuse. Ginger’s not just a zesty,tangy food additive. It’s got some solid science to back upthe anti-inflammatoryand anti-nausea front. Next time you’re feelinginflamed or just plain icky,it may be worth a shot toput ginger on the case. See you next time for anotherepisode of You Versus Food. Alright, you don’t have to be so gingerly. Just press the button to subscribe,but like give it a good press. Not so gingerly, give ita good one right here. Oh, ginger. Snap!