Fresh ginger is the underground stem of the ginger plant. Fresh ginger is used both in cooking as a spice and as a dietary supplement. You can steep fresh ginger in water to make a tea, and dried ginger, powdered ginger and ginger oils are also used in supplements.
Health Benefits
Ginger may help to prevent or treat nausea, vomiting, arthritis, motion sickness, clogging of the arteries and cancer. The evidence is strongest for the use of ginger for nausea and motion sickness, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Some people also use ginger to help treat a mild upset stomach.
Usage
The typical dose for ginger ranges from 250 mg to 1 g of ginger, taken up to four times per day. When using fresh ginger, take 2 to 4 g per day for nausea or indigestion, chewing on a 1/4 oz. piece as needed. For headache, sore throat, menstrual cramps or cold and flu symptoms, try a tea made from hot water and 2 to 4 tbsp. of shredded fresh ginger.
Side Effects
Side effects are not common from taking ginger, but if you take large doses, you may experience mouth irritation, diarrhea, heartburn, bloating, belching and upset stomach. Using ginger in capsule form rather than fresh ginger may help to minimize these symptoms if you experience them. They occur most often with large doses of powdered ginger.
Considerations
Although ginger may help with nausea during pregnancy, the German Commission E Monographs does not recommend this use due to safety considerations, as it may affect the binding of testosterone to protein and cause problems with the development of the fetus, says Drugs.com. You shouldn't take ginger if you are on blood-thinning medications or if you are going to have surgery, as ginger may interfere with blood clotting to some extent, especially if you take high doses.
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