Little men of gingerbread for Christmas e candied ginger candies to digest, fresh ginger marinated on sushi… By now who hasn't tasted it ginger at least once?
However, we do know that ginger is one important plant also for its healing properties, especially on the digestive system? To take advantage of these characteristics, it will be more suitable to use powdered ginger in adequate doses: but how much ginger must be taken every day to have beneficial effects on health and no contraindications?
Ginger: method of intake and daily doses
It is possible to take ginger as a herbal supplement for various reasons: the daily doses and types of ginger will vary. Here are some examples, with doses referring to adults (use in pregnancy and under 18 years of age is not recommended):
> The beneficial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of ginger have been scientifically studied with daily doses ranging da 0,5 to 4 grams of dried ginger root powder. To obtain greater benefits it is recommended to use dry extracts as they are standardized in the active ingredients (ie gingerols).
> For the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness (motion sickness or seasickness) it is advisable instead to take a single dose of 1-2 grams of rhizome (root) of dried and pulverized ginger, one hour before starting the journey.
> To soothe the mild gastric and intestinal dyspeptic disorders (indigestion, sense of fullness, borborygmi, flatulence, slow digestion) we recommend a single dose of 180 mg three times a day, of dried and pulverized rhizome.
> For a milder action it is possible to resort to tea (infusions and decoctions of ginger), with digestive and "warming" action: 30g of fresh rhizome finely chopped in 1 liter of water, to be left for about 3 minutes, filtering and then drinking a cup after the main meals.
As with any herbal medicine, there are side effects which should be taken into consideration, including:
> pain and heartburn;
> intestinal disorders;
> flatulence and diarrhea.
Read also Ginger in Ayurvedic medicine >>
Ginger: when not to take it
It is advisable to avoid the consumption of ginger - unless otherwise advised by a doctor - in case of:
> Pregnancy and breastfeeding;
> gallstones;
> gastritis and heartburn;
> disturbances bleeding as ginger may increase the risk of bleeding;
> diabetes as ginger might interfere with insulin values and blood sugar.
> severe heart diseases: high doses of ginger could worsen some heart diseases;
> concomitant intake of some medications: oral anticoagulants (warfarin type) or NSAIDs (aspirin type), due to the antithrombotic effect of ginger; diabetes medications, as there is a possibility that ginger lowers blood sugar.
Read also Ginger and high blood pressure >>
