It's not the solution to fitting into your skinny jeans by next week or a quick-fix to years of poor eating habits. But ginger, the spice that puts the snap in ginger snap cookies, may give you a slight edge in battling dietary woes. Fresh ginger---sliced, grated or brewed as tea---provides the greatest benefits.
History
Ginger has been a culinary and natural healing powerhouse for more than 2,000 years. In Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures, ginger gained its reputation primarily as a digestive aid. Its status as an anti-nausea agent remains intact worldwide, as a result, it is currently prescribed to chemotherapy patients and pregnant women suffering from morning sickness. Scientists continue to study its other health benefits, including ginger's contribution to metabolism and weight loss.
Ginger's Fat-Burning Power
M. Westerterp-Plantenga and colleagues from Maastricht University in the Netherlands found that ginger provided metabolism-boosting and fat-burning properties. It also increased feelings of satiety, according to a preliminary report published in Biotech Business Week. The researchers said the effects of ginger were similar to those found in black pepper, green tea, black tea, caffeine and capsaicin. Westerterp-Plantenga said that early results showed promise for ginger's role in treating obesity. Several animal studies also positively link ginger consumption to weight loss.
Animal Studies
Overweight rodents, despite continuing to enjoy high-fat diets, lost weight in a study conducted by Kuwaiti researchers and published in 2007 in the British Journal of Nutrition. Similar results were found in a Japanese study led by L.K. Han and published in the Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan in 2008. In neither of the studies, however, did researchers indicate how these results might be relevant to humans or how much ginger extract humans would need to consume to achieve similar weight loss results.
Ginger a 'Top 10' Weight Loss Food
According to the Sunday Telegraph, an Australian newspaper, ginger is an "edible amphetamine" that can boost metabolism by as much as 20 percent. Ginger made the newspaper's top 10 list of super-foods for dieters. You can find raw ginger in many supermarkets. You can add grated ginger to stir-fry dishes and curries. You can also make homemade ginger tea by pouring boiled water over grated ginger and steeping for several minutes. Ginger is available in capsule form and in tea bags, but the processing required to package ginger in commercial forms may dilute its potency.
Ginger As Supplement to Calorie-Reduced Diet
Ginger may be a good supplement, but it's not a replacement for a calorie-reduced diet, to achieve long-term weight loss. The Mayo Clinic suggests a 1,500 calorie a day diet that provides all-you-can eat quantities of vegetables and fruits and United States government guidelines for carbohydrates, proteins, dairy products and fat. Some foods compatible with the Mayo Clinic Diet and the Telegraph's top 10 list include lean meat, whole grain cereal, berries, citrus fruit, yogurt, salmon and almonds. You could enjoy all of these with a cup of ginger tea.
References
- "Biotech Business Week"; Researchers' Data From Maastricht University, Netherlands, Highlight New Research; (NO BYLINE) March 5 2007
- "Drug Week"; Study Results From L.K. Han and Colleagues Update Understanding of Life Sciences; (NO BYLINE) Aug. 29 2008
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ginger
- "Biotech Business Week"; Researchers' Work From Kuwait University, Kuwait, Adds to Body of Knowledge; (NO BYLINE); Jan. 29 2007
- "Sunday Telegraph"; Top 10 Fat-Fighting Foods; Christina Larmer; Aug. 13 2001
- Mayo Clinic: Healthy Weight Pyramid
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