Ginger cookies--piquant, spicy and sweet--can make a tasty and satisfying snack. Although ginger cookies should be eaten in moderation due to their levels of fat, sugar and calories, ginger itself has healthful qualities. The high sugar content of ginger cookies may make them off-limits if you are diabetic; making ginger cookies yourself can help you control amounts of sugar and fat. The answer to the question of whether ginger cookies are good for you is a qualified "yes."
Ginger Features
Ginger--the underground rhizome of the plant botanically known as Zingiber officinale--is used as both cooking spice and medicine, with its use as an herbal remedy dating back to ancient China. According to Drugs.com, which provides medically reviewed information to consumers, ginger may have anti-cancer, stomach-soothing and anti-inflammatory effects. Scientific research has supported some of ginger's traditional uses, particularly for nausea, indigestion and inflammation. Ginger is present in modest amounts in ginger cookies; the University of Maryland Medical Center notes that baked goods usually contain under .5 percent. A typical recipe for ginger cookies--such as the one offered by Gingerbread House Heaven--calls for 6 tbsp. of candied ginger, as well as 1 to 3 tsp. of powdered ginger. Eating large amounts of ginger can cause minor gastrointestinal problems and mouth irritation.
Basics
According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one Archway Home Style Reduced Fat ginger cookie contains 1.79g of protein, .7g of dietary fiber, 24.39g of carbohydrates, 6.37g of sugars and 3.14g of total fat. The fat found in the cookie is fairly evenly divided between healthy monounsaturated fat and unhealthy trans fats; it is the trans fat--found in many commercial baked goods--that prevents these store-bought ginger cookies from being an unreservedly healthy treat. At 136 calories apiece, ginger cookies aren't necessarily diet wreckers, but the calories can add up quickly.
Vitamins and Minerals
Ginger cookies are a very good source of iron, with the USDA listing one cookie as containing 4.02mg of this essential mineral, important in producing energy in the body. In contrast, it takes an entire cup of raisins--considered an iron-rich food--to yield roughly the same amount. Ginger cookies also contain B-complex vitamins--such as riboflavin, or B-2, and pantothenic acid, or B-5--and are particularly rich in niacin, or B-3, with one Archway cookie providing .915mg. Vitamin B-3 is essential for the metabolism of protein, carbohydrates and fats.
Research
The ginger found in ginger cookies may help to safely alleviate inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. In a scientific review published in the summer 2005 issue of the "Journal of Medicinal Food," the authors stated that ginger shares many properties with anti-inflammatory drugs--including the ability to suppress the synthesis of prostaglandin--while demonstrating less potential for side effects.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Ginger; UMMC Staff; November 17, 2008
- Drugs.com: Ginger
- Gingerbread House Heaven: Ginger Cookies
- USDA National Nutrient Database
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Iron
- "Journal of Medicinal Foods"; Ginger: An Herbal Medicinal Product With Broad Anti-Inflammatory Actions; R. Grzanna et al.; 2005
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