Ginger Tea Health Benefits

Ginger is a rhizome native to Asia, but it is cultivated in Jamaica, Brazil and Africa as well. In Western cooking, ginger is most popular for sweet foods, including cookies and soda. In Eastern cultures, ginger is also likely to be utilized in savory dishes, such as curries. Ginger tea is brewed from the root of the plant and has a pleasant taste that most people enjoy. It has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of ailments. The Romans also valued ginger tea for its medicinal qualities, as did the Europeans upon its rediscovery. Ginger tea has a variety of useful properties, including antinausea, antiviral and antifungal.

Cineole

• Cineole is one of the main compounds found in ginger. It can break up congestion, open breathing pathways in the lungs and also has anti-inflammatory properties. A study conducted by the Hospital Fürth, University Erlangen-Nürnberg in Fürth, Germany, found cineole oil was beneficial for improving lung function for sufferers of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder). Cineole can also improve and stabilize your mood.

Nausea

• Ginger has been used for hundreds of years by Asian doctors to alleviate nausea. Pregnant women can find ginger tea beneficial for reducing the queasiness of morning sickness when taken in small quantities. Larger amounts of ginger can assist cancer patients by reducing the nausea caused by chemotherapy.

Inflammation

• Ginger is beneficial for reducing inflammation caused by injury, arthritis, illness and infections. Ginger blocks the production of prostaglandins in the brain. Prostaglandins cause inflammation when they switch "on" in reaction to something that irritates the immune system. By blocking the mechanism, ginger can reduce swelling and pain. Ginger can be particularly useful for someone with migraines, because prostaglandins are one of the main compounds that cause migraine pain.

Digestion

• Ginger is beneficial for digestion and for countering digestive disorders. It soothes nausea, diarrhea, indigestion and flatulence caused by food consumption, because it contains an enzyme that mimics the digestive enzyme utilized by the body to digest protein.

Cardiac Health

• Ginger is a good herb to use for improving and maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. Regular consumption of ginger can lower triglycerides and LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. Ginger also acts on platelets, making them less sticky to reduce the likelihood of clumping. Clumping of platelets causes blood clots that can lead to strokes and heart attacks.