If you're pregnant and suffering from morning sickness, you've no doubt heard that ginger can help relieve your symptoms. This, in fact, is absolutely true -- the body simply can't process the flavor of ginger at the same time that it processes the feeling of nausea. As such, using ginger in your food can help you avoid or get relief from your morning sickness.
Significance
As an herb, ginger has been used for medicinal purposes for many centuries. There simply isn't enough evidence to support the medicinal properties of ginger in many regards, but one thing is for certain -- the body can't process the hot flavor of ginger and process nausea at the same time. As such, chewing on ginger or using it in food helps to relieve acute symptoms of nausea, such as those common in pregnant women.
Features
The flavoring agent in ginger is called zingerone, explain Drs. Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson in their book "Napoleon's Buttons." The molecule has much in common with vanillin, the flavoring agent in vanilla, but minor structural changes make ginger taste very little like vanilla. In fact, its flavor is most similar to those of piperine and capsaicin, which are the flavoring molecules in pepper and hot chili respectively.
Function
As with piperine and capsaicin, zingerone binds to flavor receptors on the nasal epithelium, explains Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book "Human Physiology." The molecule causes the receptors to send chemical signals to the brain, and in the case of zingerone, these signals are so strong as to compete for attention with signals coming in regarding stomach upset and nausea. Most people can't process both sets of signals at once, and the more immediate signal of the flavor rules out the nausea.
Uses
In their book "What To Expect When You're Expecting," Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel recommend using ginger in many different ways if your pregnant. You can try ginger tea, baking ginger into cookies and breads, eating ginger-flavored candy, or stir-frying ginger into foods. Depending on the severity of your sickness and your tolerance for ginger, you may need more or less of the active ingredient in order to override your nausea sensation.
Expert Insight
While ginger works for many individuals, some -- particularly those who are very accustomed to the flavor of ginger or who eat very spicy food -- may not get as much relief from the root as others. Murkoff and Mazel also recommend dry crackers, small meals, and combinations of carbohydrate and protein to those women who can't get morning sickness relief from ginger. In general, it's best to experiment with foods and find what is most effective for you.
References
- "Napoleon's Buttons"; Penny Le Couteur and Jay Bureson; 2004
- "Human Physiology"; Lauralee Sherwood, Ph.D.; 2004
- "What to Expect When You're Expecting"; Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel; 2008
