Benefits of ginger for the digestive system

Ginger has the effect of promoting digestion, reducing bloating, stimulating appetite, supporting the treatment of diarrhea.

Drinking ginger tea is good for overall health. Photo: Shutterstock

Not only a cooking spice, ginger is used as a medicine to support treatment and promote digestive health. MSc Nguyen Thi Ngoc Bich, Center for Endoscopy and Endoscopic Gastrointestinal Surgery, Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said that ginger promotes peristalsis, accelerates food digestion, and reduces pressure. in the digestive tract and soothe the stomach. Thereby, it helps reduce the feeling of nausea, especially in people with side effects from chemotherapy. During digestion, when intestinal bacteria come into contact with food, it ferments, causing bloating and gas. At this time, the enzymes in ginger act and push the gas out of the body, reducing discomfort.

To quickly solve the above conditions, the patient can sip a slice of fresh ginger until the symptoms are gone, then stop or immediately use a cup of hot ginger tea. You can make hot ginger tea by steeping a few thin slices of fresh ginger in boiling water for 10 minutes, to make it easier to drink, you can add a little lemon or honey.

In oriental medicine, when combined with many other herbs, ginger has the effect of supporting the treatment of digestive disorders. Doctor Bich added that fresh ginger and dried ginger both have significant pharmacological effects. Specifically, fresh ginger has a spicy, slightly temperate (warm) nature, when used, it will affect the three meridians of waste, spleen and taste. With the effect of spreading the cold, clearing the cold, clearing away vomiting, and eliminating phlegm, fresh ginger is often used to treat colds, abdominal distension , vomiting, cough with phlegm...

Meanwhile, dried ginger has a spicy, temperate taste; After preparation, it will turn to bitter taste, great heat. Dried ginger acts on 6 meridians: the heart, lungs, spleen, stomach, kidneys and colon . This medicine has the effect of neutralizing the cold, restoring yang, and opening the blood vessels, used in the treatment of cholera, abdominal pain, cold limbs, small pulse, low blood pressure...

Ginger is a popular herb in oriental medicine. Photo: Shutterstock

Ginger also has the ability to inhibit the central nervous system, increase the effectiveness of sleeping pills, support the immune system, promote heart health, lower cholesterol, control blood sugar, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, reduce inflammation. fever, cough relief, motion sickness...

Ginger is benign in most cases. However, Doctor Bich recommends, when taking more than 5g per day, can lead to some side effects such as heartburn, bloating, stomach pain, mouth irritation... especially increased risk of bleeding in people with blood clotting disorders. Pregnant women also need to be careful when taking ginger to reduce nausea because it can cause uterine contractions, increasing the risk of miscarriage, premature birth. In some cases, ginger may not bring the desired therapeutic effect, so patients should pay attention to their health status, promptly go to the hospital for doctors to examine and prescribe treatment.