Ginger tea: benefits and harms to the body

Ginger is one of the most popular spices in both eastern and European cuisine. Since ancient times, people have been aware of its beneficial properties. It is most popular in Western India and Southeast Asia. By the way, it is these two regions that are considered his homeland, it was there that conditions were ideal for its maturation - heat, moisture and shadow. This is what singabera requires (as the botanists call it, using the native Sanskrit definition, which means “horned root”).

Ginger, or “white root”, as it was called in Russia, can be used both fresh and dried, and as part of dishes. But the most popular is ginger tea, because in this form useful substances are absorbed best.

Composition and calorie content

The energy value of ginger tea depends on which particular ingredients it contains. If we take its most popular version, that is, with ginger, lemon, without sugar or honey, then 100 g contains only 2.4–2.5 kcal.

The main component of ginger tea is the "white root" itself. It is believed that he came to Europe from China, and brought his famous Venetian traveler Marco Polo. Ginger has a delicate spicy aroma and a sharp, but rather pleasant taste, which he conveys to this drink.

Thanks to this component, ginger tea contains a lot of zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium, as well as useful amino acids, including quite rare ones, such as tryptophan and valine. Essential oils and various vitamins should also be mentioned. This unique composition has determined the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties of tea. It is thanks to him that it is recommended to drink ginger tea in the offseason, since it serves as an excellent prophylactic against flu and other viral diseases. But ginger tea has other beneficial properties. Therefore, the chemical composition should be considered in more detail.

Ginger tea contains the following substances:

1. Fats (in the ginger root they contain up to 4%).
2. Complex carbohydrates.
3. Essential amino acids, which include the already mentioned tryptophan and valine, as well as methionine and lysine.
4. Vitamins of group B, C and A. And if vitamins A and C are antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory effects, then vitamins of group B have a beneficial effect on the state of the central nervous system.
5. Macro and microelements: phosphorus, iron, magnesium, etc. All these components are involved in metabolic processes, in the work of the endocrine system, in strengthening bones, that is, their benefits for humans can hardly be overestimated.
6. Gingerol. This component is found in resinous substances that enter the water from the root. He is responsible for the burning taste of ginger, but also has other beneficial properties. It is a natural antipyretic, can relieve pain, and it is also used as an expectorant component. A number of studies have shown that it can stop nausea no matter what it causes. That is why sometimes experts recommend ginger tea to patients after chemotherapy.
7. Essential oil. It contains substances from the group of sesquiterpenes, mainly borneol and cingiberen. They have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. They are responsible for losing weight, because they accelerate the metabolic processes.They also have a stabilizing effect on the internal secretion of the stomach, that is, thanks to them, the production of gastric juice is normalized.

Ginger tea also contains other components - for example, zingeron, which is also responsible for the characteristic aroma and pungency.

What is ginger tea good for?

General benefit

In the old days, it was believed that ginger tea is useful to drink for migraines and joint diseases, which today is called rheumatoid arthritis. Modern science has proven the analgesic properties of ginger tea, its tonic effect and antispasmodic effect. In some cases, this drink also helps with stomach cramps, but caution should be exercised here if it is not known what exactly caused them. In addition, with an overdose, ginger tea itself can provoke colic.

Both antiviral and immunomodulatory effects of ginger and a drink from it have been confirmed by research. So, when in medieval Europe, healers considered ginger tea a prophylactic against the plague, they were not so mistaken as is commonly thought.

Many people believe that since ginger tea has a good effect on the nervous system, it has a calming effect, but it is not. In fact, this drink tones and a little exciting. But due to the fact that it contains many B vitamins, it provides normal speed and quality of transmission of nerve impulses. This means that those who regularly drink ginger tea do not feel the constant fatigue and irritability that are so characteristic of the inhabitants of modern megalopolises.

Why, of all the ways to use ginger, is most often doctors recommending tea? Because it’s impossible to eat a lot of fresh root purely physically. And useful substances from it are absorbed worse. While ginger tea contains them in an easy-to-digest form, and in addition, they can be supplemented with other useful ingredients contained in additives - mint, lemon, cinnamon, sea buckthorn, etc.

For women

For women, this tea is useful for several reasons.

Firstly, it contains substances that help normalize the hormonal background. This means that tea will help get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of PMS. In addition, it relieves pain during menstruation. Finally, during menopause, it helps to stabilize the hormonal background, eliminate headaches and relieves irritability caused by an imbalance.

Secondly, ginger tea is a wonderful prophylactic and therapeutic agent against inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs. This does not mean that you can refuse antibiotics, but ginger enhances their effect.

Thirdly, ginger tea is known as a good tool for weight loss. If you do not add any additional ingredients to it, it can become the basis of a detox program that will help cleanse the body of accumulated toxins. And tea speeds up metabolic processes.

And finally, ginger tea contains many vitamins, minerals, and essential oils. It has beneficial effects on the skin at any age, allowing you to fight acne, various rashes. It makes the skin more elastic and resilient, tones it, gives it a healthy color.

For men

For the stronger sex, ginger tea is also useful.

Firstly, it is an anti-inflammatory agent. Therefore, it is recommended to be taken for the prevention and treatment of prostatitis. However, there are scientific studies that suggest that ginger can prevent oncological diseases of the prostate gland, so here it has a double benefit.

Secondly, ginger tea is useful for those who are actively involved in sports. Studies have proven that it relieves muscle pain. An experiment was conducted, the participants of which for 11 days performed a set of strength exercises. Those of them who consumed the ginger drink objectively suffered less from muscle pain.Moreover, in principle, ginger does not affect the muscles themselves, but it relieves inflammation, which often develops under similar loads.

Thirdly, ginger helps fight erectile dysfunction, as it has a positive effect on blood circulation. At the same time, ginger tea, although it is not an aphrodisiac, but plays the role of a tonic, which will also not be superfluous.

For pregnant

As noted above, gingerol found in ginger tea helps cope with nausea. Sometimes this drink is even recommended as a remedy for motion sickness or drops in blood pressure caused by a hangover syndrome. But for expectant mothers, this property of ginger tea is useful in that it helps to cope with toxicosis in the early stages of pregnancy.

In addition, in the first trimester, a serious hormonal restructuring of the body begins, which gives a negative psychological effect. You can’t stop her, it would hurt the baby. But ginger tea acts differently - it softens the effect of hormonal imbalance on the nervous system and removes irritability.

Ginger tea also allows you to organize the work of the digestive system, which is very important during pregnancy. At this time, many expectant mothers are faced with the problem of constipation, even if they had not experienced any difficulties before. But to launch this problem in the hope that everything in itself will somehow normalize, it is impossible, because with bloating and constipation, the tone of the uterus can increase. So ginger tea with its light natural laxative effect becomes the perfect solution to the problem.

Finally, this drink protects pregnant women from colds and viruses, relieves swelling, and has a mild antispasmodic effect.

But you need to use it with caution. Ginger tea is contraindicated for those expectant mothers who suffered from hypertension before pregnancy. And since during this period all women’s blood pressure can increase (because the blood volume in the body increases), you can drink this tea only after consulting with your doctor. At the end of the third trimester, this drink should also not be consumed, since it can thin the blood a little. This is usually harmless, but during childbirth it can lead to bleeding.

Preparing ginger tea for pregnant women is as follows: take a small piece of ginger root (literally 2 cm), peel and grind. This amount should be filled with a glass of boiling water and let it brew for 10 minutes. Before use, strain the tea, and to improve its taste, you can add 1 tsp. honey (if there is no allergy to it).

When breastfeeding

In folk medicine, ginger tea is considered an excellent way to improve lactation. This is not entirely true - the amount of milk depends on prolactin, and the drink does not affect its production. But ginger tea has a tonic effect, thanks to it the milk ducts expand, and milk flows easier.

Some young mothers fear that ginger tea may harm the baby. But if you do not abuse this drink (and one cup per day will be more than enough), then there should not be any allergy. Unless the child has an increased sensitivity to the components that make up the tea. By the way, honey is not recommended to be added to the drink, since it can cause allergies.

To prevent colds and improve lactation, you need to prepare a drink like this - take a piece of ginger root, peel it, grind it, select 1 tbsp. and pour 350 ml of boiling water (this is about one and a half glasses). Tea should be infused until warm. But you can’t drink this amount right away. It can be taken only half a glass 30 minutes before feeding.

If a mother who uses ginger tea notices that the child has a rash on the skin or stool disorders have begun, all other things being equal, then you will have to refuse the drink. It should also be remembered that mothers of babies who already suffer from excessive CNS excitability and hyperactivity should not use ginger tea, since in such cases it will only increase excitement.

For kids

Many mothers would like to give ginger tea to babies to strengthen the body's defenses. Indeed, this drink is useful for children, and they drink it with pleasure, since it is much tastier than medicines, even sweet ones. Firstly, it provides the body with vitamins and natural antiviral substances. Secondly, while a child drinks warm ginger tea with lemon, the essential oils contained in these drinks get on the mucous membranes and there they effectively fight viruses.

Ginger tea for children is useful in such cases:

• with colds and cough;
• with headaches, including those caused by viral diseases;
• with different types of nausea;
• with violations of the digestive system, including constipation.

But still, most often, ginger tea with lemon is given to children with a cold. It helps to eliminate inflammation and swelling of the tissues, facilitates the separation of the formed mucus, treats cough, and has an antipyretic effect.

Ginger allergy is rare. But in young children, usually the digestive system is not yet well developed to normally perceive this drink, therefore, it is contraindicated in children under two years of age.

Older children can give it. But in this case, you need to reduce the volume of each component in comparison with the recipes used for adults.

An important point is that children are never made ginger tea from dried spices ground into powder, and only fresh root is used to get the desired effect. In addition, children should not drink ginger tea on an empty stomach, only after eating.

So, for kids, ginger tea is prepared like this - a small piece of ginger root is peeled and rubbed on a fine grater. Take 1 tsp. this spice and pour a glass of boiling water, and then boil it for another 10-15 minutes. The broth is removed from the heat, cooled and filtered. Before giving it to the child, you can squeeze the juice from one circle of lemon there and add a little honey. The resulting volume of the drink (this is a glass of 250 ml) is divided into two equal portions and given to the child in the morning and evening, provided that he does not have a cold.

If the child has a virus, you can immediately prepare two glasses of the drink and give the baby 100-125 ml four times a day. Moreover, you can not even wait for a doctor, but give tea immediately after the characteristic symptoms appear - cough, runny nose, sneezing, etc. It is important that the tea is not hot, but well warm.

Ginger tea for weight loss: a recipe for cooking

Ginger tea is very useful for weight loss. It contains the substance mentioned above - gingerol. This is a unique compound that has a versatile effect. In particular, it helps to enhance blood circulation and activate metabolic processes.

Ginger tea for weight loss is useful for its complex effect, due precisely to the presence of gingerol, which also helps to normalize blood cholesterol. But, in addition to this substance, it also includes vitamins and minerals that improve digestive processes and help fight cardiovascular problems. And they relieve stress, which is often the cause of overeating and gaining excess weight. Phytoncides and essential oils contained in ginger tea have a tonic effect on the body.

Nevertheless, with all the benefits that ginger brings, it is very important not to overdo it, because with an overdose of ginger tea can cause diarrhea. She, of course, will also help get rid of a certain amount of body fat, but it is better not to do this.

Drinking ginger tea on an empty stomach, an hour or two before meals, is not recommended. However, if you drink a cup just before eating, it will allow you to quickly experience a feeling of satiety and moderate appetite.

There are several options for ginger tea for weight loss. The most effective are eastern recipes:

1. Korean version: for 0.5 cups of ginger root, previously peeled and grated on a coarse grater, take 1.5 liters of water and 2 sticks of cinnamon. Boil the water, then add ginger and cinnamon, bring it to a boil again, then simmer for one hour.The pan must be closed with a lid. Strain and drink the drink warm, but not hot. Before serving, you can add a little honey and even a couple of cedar seeds.
2. Thai recipe: take 0.5 l of water, 1 lime and 5 tbsp. For 0.5 cups of ginger peeled and grated; dark honey. Bring the water to a boil, then remove from heat. At the same time, cut the lime into thin slices and toss it with boiling water along with ginger. Cover this mixture and insist for 20–40 minutes. After this, you can strain the tea, add honey and mix it all thoroughly. Such a drink can be consumed both warm and cold.

Whatever the recipe was chosen, it should be remembered that this volume of liquid should not be drunk in one gulp, but little by little, in equal portions, throughout the day. If there are no contraindications, then a healthy person can drink 1.5 l of tea prepared from 140 g of ginger per day, no more.

Tea with ginger in medicine

As already noted, ginger tea is useful in that it reduces the level of bad cholesterol and has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system of the body, strengthening the heart muscle, making blood vessels more elastic and thinning the blood. Ginger tea is also good for digestion. It helps to eliminate toxins, prevents increased gas formation, protects the liver from harmful effects. Studies also show that it stimulates brain activity and can be used in the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory viral infections.

With diabetes

Recent studies have shown a relationship between the active substances in ginger tea and the level of insulin in the blood. It is believed that it is beneficial for diabetics to drink 1 cup of this drink per day. But here it is important not to overdo it. In large quantities, ginger tea can reduce sugar levels too sharply.

Important: Ginger Glycemic Index - 15 units.

With pancreatitis

The only way to use ginger for pancreatitis is ginger tea. And only if the disease is in remission, because this drink activates the production of gastric juices. In general, half a cup of tea per day will help get rid of chronic inflammation. But be sure to consult a doctor.

With gastritis

It should be noted that ginger tea alone can cause increased production of gastric juice. Therefore, it is recommended for gastritis with low acidity. As for the form of the disease with high acidity, in this case, ginger tea can be drunk only in case of a chronic disease in remission. At the same time, they prepare a hot drink differently. Need to brew 1 tsp. ginger root in a glass of water, leave for 15 minutes, mix with a glass of milk and drink in small sips.

For constipation

Ginger tea has a mild laxative effect. Therefore, it is recommended to drink with constipation. One cup per day is enough, which is drunk before breakfast or lunch. You can add lemon and honey to such tea.

With gout

In this disease, coffee and black tea are prohibited. But ginger tea not only does not contain purines, but also helps to relieve joint pain, so that with gout it becomes an ideal alternative to these drinks. But you can drink it no more than one cup per day.

With a cold

Ginger tea is a classic remedy for colds, as it relieves fever, eliminates pain, has a diaphoretic and expectorant effect. You can drink ginger tea with honey, cinnamon, cloves, lemon, sea buckthorn, prepared according to the recipes below. Also, this drink will be very useful for angina.

For potency

Ginger tea has a light stimulating effect, normalizes blood circulation, including in the organs of the reproductive system, so it will be useful to drink it half an hour before a romantic date. If you drink this tea regularly, it will protect against prostatitis.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the fact that ginger tea is very useful, it has a number of contraindications. These include:

• high blood pressure;
• the presence of inflammatory skin diseases (they may worsen);
• peptic ulcer of the stomach or intestines in the acute stage;
• the presence of internal bleeding;
• hemorrhoids;
• some liver diseases.

Although the gingerol contained in tea helps to lower the temperature, it is not recommended to drink this drink with fever. In the same way as in all situations, when a tonic or warming effect can be harmful.

Ginger Tea Recipes

For all the recipes below, it is very important to properly peel and chop or grate the ginger root. Experts advise not to cut the skin with a knife, but gently scrape it off with a teaspoon, while following the natural bends of the root. It is quite expensive, and a knife or a potato peeler will only remove a layer of useful pulp. Cut the root must be thin slices.

With lemon

For cooking, you need 4-6 peeled circles of ginger in 2 cups of pure water, half a lemon and 1 tablespoon. honey. Ginger is cleaned as described above and cut into thin slices, as it is easier to brew. If desired, you can cut into small strips. Bring the water to a boil, lower the ginger and keep on medium heat for another 10 minutes. Then the broth is filtered, squeezed lemon juice into it, add honey. If desired, honey can be replaced with no less useful agave syrup. It is a natural sweetener that helps fight intestinal bacteria and promotes weight loss.

With honey

There are different recipes. If you drink tea for detoxification, take the next one - for 1 tsp. chopped ginger root 1 tsp green tea, a glass of water and 2 tsp. honey. Green tea is brewed in the usual way. Ginger is poured into 150 ml of water, then brought to a boil and left over low heat for 10 minutes. After that, mix green tea and strained ginger broth, cool slightly, add honey, mix again and pour into cups.

Cinnamon

For this recipe, take 0.5 cups of grated ginger root with 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 cardamom grains (optional), 3 tbsp. honey, 1 lemon, 2 liters of water. Tea is recommended in a thermos. Ginger is mixed with spices and lemon slices (the peel should not be peeled off, but should be washed), put in a thermos and poured with boiling water. Tea is insisted for an hour. Pour it into cups only through a strainer. Honey is added at the end, since boiling water only destroys its beneficial properties.

If desired, add a little turmeric to the spices to get a more rich golden hue. Such tea is useful for coughing.

With garlic

This tea can not be called tasty, but it is recommended to drink it to reduce weight. Take 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, mixed with 2 tbsp. grated ginger and pour 2 liters of boiling water. Tea is insisted for 3 hours, so that all the essential oils pass into the liquid. It should be drunk in between meals.

With mint

Take 1 cm of ginger root, peel, cut into thin slices, put in a teapot with 4 tsp. green tea and pour 1 liter of boiling water. Insist for 5-7 minutes. Then add the washed mint leaves to taste. Pouring fresh sprigs of mint with boiling water is not recommended.

With sea buckthorn

This berry is one of the leaders in the content of vitamins. In combination with ginger, it should save from any colds and viruses. Warming winter drinks are prepared from these ingredients. Moreover, sea buckthorn can be taken both fresh and frozen.And it will be wonderfully combined with other spices that are traditionally used with ginger.

The proportions are - 1 tbsp. grated ginger root take 100 g of sea buckthorn, a pair of star anise star, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 tbsp. honey. Sea buckthorn is first recommended to grind in a stone or ceramic mortar so that it does not oxidize. The resulting slurry is mixed with grated ginger. It turns out mashed potatoes, which are poured with 3 glasses of boiling water, add spices and insist under the lid for 10 minutes. Before serving, strain the tea and add honey to it.

With orange

There are several recipes, the most tonic is considered a combination of ginger with black tea. For 500 ml of finished strained tea leaves, take 100 g of ginger grated, 4 oranges, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon powder and 3 tablespoons honey. Squeeze the juice from oranges and add it to the tea brew, then add ginger and cinnamon, bring the mixture to a boil and immediately turn it off. The drink is infused for 15 minutes, filtered and honey is added. It turns out a wonderful warming tea.

With milk

This ginger tea recipe is popular in India. For him, 4 cups of pure water, 3-4 liters. black tea leaves, 2 tsp chopped ginger, a couple of boxes of cardamom, 3-4 cups of ordinary milk, 2 tbsp. honey. Cardamom and ginger are put in water, brought to a boil, left on fire for 5-6 minutes, until it acquires a yellowish tint. Then throw black tea and leave it on fire for another 2-3 minutes. After that, pour hot milk and filter the drink. If desired, you can use soy milk.

With green tea

Green tea can be combined with ginger and other spices. For example, for 1 tsp. green tea without flavoring take about 4 g of grated ginger root, 2 boxes of cardamom and half a lemon, 3-4 pcs. cloves and cinnamon stick. Green tea is brewed in the usual way, filtered, then ginger and other spices are added to the resulting liquid, brought to a boil and left on low heat for 20 minutes. Then add lemon juice and leave on fire for 5 minutes. After this, the tea is filtered, cooled slightly and honey is added. The drink can be drunk both warm and cold.

How to drink tea with ginger

In order for ginger tea to benefit, you need to consume it in moderation and only after consulting a doctor.

Can I drink every day

Ginger tea can be drunk every day if there are no contraindications. With a tendency to hypertension, if tea is consumed for medicinal purposes, it is worth controlling blood pressure.

Can I drink at night and on an empty stomach

Since ginger tea promotes increased secretion of gastric juice, drinking it on an empty stomach is not recommended. Better to afford a cup just before breakfast.

You should not drink ginger tea at night, because of the exciting effect, there may be problems with sleep.

Interesting facts about ginger

Ginger was already known in ancient Greece. However, it was very expensive, since merchants carried it from the East and kept secret its place of origin. With the collapse of the Roman Empire, the properties of ginger were forgotten for a long time, and the second time it was discovered after the journey of Marco Polo. And in those days, 450 g of ginger root was worth, if not worth its weight in gold, then a very decent amount - you could buy a sheep with that money.

But in the East, ginger enjoyed universal love. Confucius in his treatises described in detail his properties. Scientific research was also conducted by Abu Ali ibn Sina, whom Europeans know as the great Avicenna.

Photo of ginger tea