BeautifulhameshaBlog.com Fashion and Beauty Blog 20 Astonishing Benefits of Ginger for Skin, Hair and Health – Ginger is a popular ingredient used for cooking in Asian, particularly in Indian cuisine. Ginger is a versatile herb that has many medicinal properties and in this article, we are going to talk about the amazing Benefits of Ginger for our skin, hair and health. The health benefits of ginger can be largely attributed to its antioxidant components. Ginger also contains few compounds that have therapeutic benefits for our health, such as gingerol, shogaol, paradol, zingerone etc. We mostly use grated ginger or ginger paste for cooking. However, ginger is also available in dried, powder, capsule and juice form. Some of the most well known benefits of ginger includes treating nausea, vomiting, lower blood sugar level, improving heart health etc. You can find more about the Astonishing Benefits of Ginger for Skin, Hair and Health below.
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Let us first talk about ginger and its origin, before proceeding to the list of ginger benefits for skin, hair and health.
What is Ginger?
Scientifically known as Zingibar officinale, ginger is a flowering plant which is the close relative of turmeric and cardamom. The underground stem of the ginger plant, known as ‘rhizome’ is actually the ginger root that we commonly see everywhere. Ginger root is nutritious as well as delicious. The shape is irregular, with greyish outer skin and yellowish, ivory or cream white colored flesh inside. Ginger is well known for its zesty peppery flavor and strong aroma. The presence of essential oils and phenolic compounds (gingerol, shogaol etc) is the reason behind the sharp, spicy aroma of ginger.
The fresh raw ginger root is most commonly used as a spice or flavoring agent in different cuisines, specially Asian cuisine. Pickled ginger is also very popular as palate cleanser. And we, Indians love ginger tea, don’t we? Ginger tea is a time-tested remedy for common cold, flu, headache etc. It can even ease digestive issues as well. Not only in tea, ginger is also added in specialty coffees, lemonade, smoothies etc. In fact, ginger is widely used to prepare famous desserts like ginger ale, gingerbread, ginger cake, ginger cookies etc.
Ginger supplements are also available widely, in the form of ginger powder, dried ginger root, ginger essential oils, ginger capsules etc.
Ginger Nutritional Facts
Energy – 80 Kcal – 4% RDA
Carbohydrates – 17.77 g – 13.5% RDA
Protein – 1.82 g – 3% RDA
Total Fat – 0.75 g – 3% RDA
Cholesterol – 0 mg – 0% RDA
Dietary Fiber – 2.0 g – 5% RDA
Vitamins
- Folates – 11 µg – 3% RDA
- Niacin – 0.750 mg – 4.5% RDA
- Pantothenic acid – 0.203 mg – 4% RDA
- Vitamin A – 0 IU – 0% RDA
- Vitamin C – 5 mg – 8% RDA
- Pyridoxine – 0.160 mg – 12% RDA
- Vitamin E – 0.26 mg – 1.5% RDA
- Vitamin K 0.1 µg 0% RDA
Electrolytes
- Sodium – 13 mg – 1%
- Potassium – 415 mg – 9%
Minerals
- Calcium – 16 mg – 1.6%
- Copper – 0.226 mg – 25%
- Iron – 0.60 mg – 7.5%
- Magnesium – 43 mg – 11%
- Manganese – 0.229 mg – 10%
- Phosphorus – 34 mg – 5%
- Zinc – 0.34 mg – 3%
Different Names for Ginger
- Adrak or Soonth in Hindi
- Ada in Bengali
- Inji in Tamil
- Inchi in Malayalam
- Allam/Allamu/Sonthi in Telugu
- Aadu/Soonth in Gujarati
- Aale in Marathi
I hope you enjoyed knowing about these facts about ginger. Now, lets find out how it is beneficial for our skin, hair as well as health.
Benefits of Ginger for Skin
1. Anti Aging Benefits of Ginger
We are going to start our list of Benefits of Ginger for skin with this one. Aging is a natural process that we cannot have any control over. However, the problem arises when the aging signs occur at much earlier. There can be many reasons for premature aging, such as external factors like sun, pollution, weather condition, etc as well as internal factors such as heredity, free radicals, etc. Anti oxidants are what can protect us from early aging. Ginger comes with 40 anti oxidant compounds, which help in keeping away aging. Ginger helps in boosting blood circulations and remove toxins from the skin. The anti oxidants fight off the free radicals, enhances natural elasticity of the skin and keep the skin firm and youthful.
How to use ginger to prevent skin aging?
Prepare a face mask by combining equal parts of ginger powder or grated ginger, honey and fresh lemon juice. Apply it all over the face and neck and wait for 30 minutes before rinsing off. Repeat twice in a week.
2. Anti Acne Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is considered as one of the best natural remedies to treat acne. It contains several therapeutic compounds such as gingerols, zingibain and shogoals, which work together to fight off acne. The anti inflammatory benefits of ginger help largely to reduce the pain and irritation caused by acne. Ginger also has natural astringent properties, which help in purifying the pores and tighten them. Ginger also acts as a anti septic agent for our skin, which help in keeping the skin clean and clear.
How to use ginger to treat acne?
Grate an inch of ginger root and extract the juice. Take about one tsp ginger juice and add half tsp turmeric powder to that. Mix together and apply this paste on the acne affected parts of the face. Allow it to dry completely and then wash off with luke warm water. Repeat the process once daily.
3. Helps in Removing Scars
Not only ginger can help to give relief from acne, but it also is a great natural remedy to treat scars and hyper pigmentation. The powerful anti oxidant benefits of ginger can be attributed to for the scar removal property of the same. The anti oxidant compounds present in ginger reduce the appearance of scars. Also the anti inflammatory qualities of ginger help to reduce the pain and redness of acne and minimize scarring.
How to use ginger to remove scars?
Simply cut a slice of fresh ginger and rub it to the affected parts of the skin. Allow the ginger juice to dry naturally and then rinse off. Repeat 2-3 times every day for few months.
4. Gives Radiant Skin
It may sound odd, but, ginger actually can give us radiant skin. It has anti oxidant properties, which protect the skin from free radicals and prevent various damages for our skin. Ginger is a great stimulant, which improves blood circulation in the skin. As a result, the skin cells receive more nutrients and keep healthy. This leads to healthy and glowing skin. Moreover, the skin toning properties of ginger help in maintaining beautiful skin.
How to use ginger to get radiant skin?
Cut a fresh slice of ginger and rub it all over the face. Let the juice dry naturally and rinse it off. Repeat 2-3 times per week.
5. Soothes Wounds and Cuts
Ginger juice has powerful anti septic properties. This is why it is regarded as a great natural remedy to heal wounds and cuts. It helps in preventing infections and also encourage cell regeneration, which accelerates the healing process of the skin further.
How to use ginger to heal wounds and cuts?
Applying fresh ginger juice on the affected parts of the skin has been helpful to quicken the healing process.
6. Help in Reversing Sun Damage
Ginger can undo the damage caused by sun exposure. The anti oxidant and anti inflammatory benefits of ginger can be attributed to for this. Ginger’s anti oxidant qualities reduce the free radical activities and prevent spreading of sun damage. The anti inflammatory quality of ginger soothes the skin and reduces the pain caused by sun burn. Ginger has been traditionally used to restore the health of the skin. Furthermore, ginger is beneficial in preventing the breakdown of elastin in the skin, thus stop the appearance of wrinkles caused by UV radiation. According to researches, ginger extract can absorb a significant amount of UVB rays before they could damage the skin and thus prevent DNA damage caused by UVB radiation.
How to use ginger to treat sun damage?
Cut couple of fresh ginger slices and place it on the affected parts of the skin. Let it sit for 20 minutes and then wash off the skin. Repeat daily. You can use ginger juice in place of ginger slices and follow the same procedure.
Benefits of Ginger for Hair
After talking about the ginger benefits for skin, lets now find out what ginger can do for our hair.
7. Boosts Hair Growth
Many at times, fungal infections on the scalp can cause hair fall and halt hair growth. The anti fungal benefits of ginger work its magic in such conditions. Topical application of ginger on the scalp helps to eliminate the fungus and boosts hair growth. Also ginger can boost blood circulation in the scalp, which leads to better flow of blood carrying more amounts of nutrients. This results in rejuvenated hair follicles and better hair growth. Ginger is a storehouse of various minerals including magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, etc which are essential for healthy hair. Ginger juice can fulfill mineral deficiency in the scalp and improves hair growth. Also, the fatty acids present in ginger juice help to improve the texture and thickness of the hair.
How to use ginger to boost hair growth?
- Mix together some ginger juice and 2-3 tbsp castor oil. Massage it thoroughly on the scalp and let it sit for 30-40 minutes. Wash off with a shampoo and luke warm water. Repeat once or twice in a week.
- Grate half of a ginger and extract the juice. Also extract juice from one onion. Mix together and apply it on the scalp with a cotton ball. You can also add the juice blend to some carrier oil and massage your scalp with that. Let it dry and rinse off with a gentle shampoo. Repeat once or twice in a week.
8. Anti Dandruff Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is an anti fungal and anti inflammatory agent. Also it has anti septic properties. Topical application of ginger juice on the scalp can kill the fungus that cause dandruff. Normally dandruff is caused by a fungi known as Malassezia. According to researches, the methanol extracts in ginger is very beneficial in inhibiting the effects of Malassezia fungi. Ginger is a storehouse of minerals and essential fatty acids, which can nourish the scalp and prevent scalp dryness, thus preventing dandruff as well. The anti inflammatory benefits of ginger can reduce inflammation and irritation of the scalp. Also the volatile oils in ginger can boost blood circulation and keep the scalp and hair healthy. The juice of ginger also moisturizes scalp and hair.
How to use ginger to treat dandruff?
- Take a ginger root, grate it and extract the juice. Mix ginger juice, lemon juice and olive oil in 1:1:1 ratio in a bowl. Apply the mixture on the scalp and massage gently with your finger tips. Leave it on for about 30-45 minutes and then wash off with water and a gentle shampoo. Repeat once in a week.
- Alternatively, you can simply grate a ginger root and take out the juice. Massage the juice directly on your scalp and wait for 30 minutes before rinsing off. Do this once weekly.
9. Can Stop Hair Loss
Ginger is known for its anti oxidant properties. It helps in neutralizing the free radicals and reduce the oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is responsible for hair loss. Ginger fights off the free radicals and helps in combating this common hair issue. It improves blood circulation to the scalp. Improved blood circulation means more amounts of nutrients can reach the hair follicles and strengthen them to stop hair loss.
How to use ginger to stop hair loss?
Take 3-4 tbsp sesame oil in a bowl. Add a tsp of lemon juice and two tbsp of ginger juice. Mix the ingredients together and massage the mixture all over the scalp. Let it sit for an hour and then wash it off with a mild shampoo. Repeat this remedy 2-3 times in a week.
10. Treats Premature Graying of the Hair
Ginger is a very effective remedy to treat premature graying of hair. It comes with an anti oxidant compound known as gingerone, which fights off free radicals and prevent oxidative stress, which is often the cause of premature gray hairs. Often, mineral deficiency on the scalp can cause untimely gray hair. Ginger is a rich source of minerals like zinc, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, cobalt, geranium, etc. It helps effectively in fulfilling the mineral deficiency and reverse the damage.
How to use ginger to treat gray hair?
- Make a thick paste by mixing three tsp of ginger powder and 2-3 tsp honey. First wash your hair with a shampoo and then apply the paste on the damp scalp. Massage gently and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with plain water. Repeat 2-3 times in a week.
- Grate a medium sized ginger root and add the grated ginger to some milk. Mix together and make a paste. Massage your scalp with this and keep it on for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with fresh water. Repeat daily.
- Grate a medium sized knob of ginger and add jojoba oil to that in 1:1 ratio. Mix well and massage this resultant mixture on the scalp. Let it sit for an hour. Wash off with a mild shampoo. Repeat twice or thrice in a week.
Also read
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Benefits of Ginger for Health
Hope you have enjoyed knowing about the skin and hair benefits of ginger. Its time to discuss about how ginger is beneficial for our health.
11. Can Treat Nausea and Morning Sickness
Ginger is a time-tested remedy to treat symptoms of sea sickness and morning sickness during pregnancy. It is particularly beneficial to treat nausea and vomiting. And, ginger is also effective to give relief from nausea and vomiting after surgery and in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. According to the results of 12 studies conducted on total 1,278 pregnant women, it has been found that taking 1.1-1.5 gms of ginger has helped significantly to reduce symptoms of nausea.
12. Aids in Weight Loss
This is one of the most important health benefits of ginger. Obesity is a massive problem at present and the side effects are even more threatening. In such scenarios, anything that can help us lose weight naturally is always welcome. Ginger is highly beneficial in boosting our metabolism rate. It leads to more amount of fat burning and supports our weight loss regime. Also, ginger is known for its ability to eliminate stubborn fat from our body. Taking ginger root supplements after a meal make you feel full for a long time and prevents from unhealthy snacking and gaining weight.
13. Can Help to Treat Osteoarthritis
The anti inflammatory benefits of ginger play a massive role in treating osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is basically degeneration of the joints in our body which cause stiff joints and muscle pain. Due to its ability to treat inflammation, adding ginger to your daily diet can be helpful to treat muscle pain as well as joint pain caused by osteoarthritis. And for the same reason, ginger helps to give relief from exercise induced muscle pain. Ginger may not have an immediate impact, but regular consumption will help to reduce the day-to-day progression of muscle pain.
A study has shown that consuming 2 gms of ginger per day, for 11 days, significantly reduced muscle pain in those performing elbow exercises. In another study done on 247 people suffering from osteoarthritis of knee has shown that taking ginger extract regularly resulted in less pain and less pain medication.
14. Eases Stomach Problems
Ginger has been used traditionally to treat digestive issues such as gas, heartburn etc. The carminative benefits of ginger can be attributed to for this. It gives relief from gas and bloating and reduces flatulence as well. Taking ginger tea has been shown to have positive effects in treating heartburn as well.
15. Improves Digestion
One of the main health benefits of ginger is that it facilitates our digestion. The raised sugar level in our body after a meal can some times cause disturbance in the stomach. Ginger has the ability to reduce high sugar levels and thus, it soothes the stomach effectively. Along with that, ginger is the store house of many compounds that help in improving the absorption of nutrients from the food and aids in digestion.
16. Gives Relief from Asthma
Yes, that’s right. Ginger can give us relief from asthma. It has been traditionally used to treat respiratory disorders. The anti inflammatory benefits of ginger is responsible for this. Studies have suggested that ginger contains a compound known as Zerumbone, which is extremely beneficial to treat the symptoms of asthma.
17. May Help in Preventing Cancer
Like any other anti oxidant rich food, ginger also is helpful in preventing cancer. It contains several anti oxidant compounds, including gingerol which helps in preventing breast cancer and many other types of cancer. The anti inflammatory properties of ginger help in preventing carcinogenic activities in the colon, thus preventing colon cancer as well. Recent studies have shown that gingerol is beneficial in preventing ovarian cancer as well as skin cancer. Another compound found in ginger, known as ‘zerumbone’, which work as an anti-angiogenic and anti tumor drug and help in preventing gastric, ovarian, and pancreatic cancer effectively.
18. Prevents Brain Damage
Here comes another very important health benefits of ginger. The anti oxidant and anti inflammatory qualities of ginger make it a great remedy to prevent age related brain damage. It can reduce the inflammation and oxidative stress on the cells and delay the onset of neuro degenerative diseases like dementia, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Also, ginger comes packed with nutrients which have positive impact on our brain’s health.
19. Eases Menstrual Cramps
Many of us suffer from menstrual cramps and ginger is a great natural remedy to treat that effectively. These cramps are caused by high level of prostaglandins hormones which work as chemical messengers in our body and signals our body of some type of damage or danger. And cramp is our body’s response to that. Ginger extracts help in reducing the levels of prostaglandins in the body and gives relief from menstrual cramps.
20. Detoxifies our Body
Ginger generates heat inside our body and induces sweating. Sweating helps in eliminating toxins from our body and cleanses the pores, thus allowing our skin to breathe. According to researches, sweat contains a germ-fighting compound, known as dermcidin. It has the ability to reduce bacterial and viral infections by creating a protective layer of protein on the skin.
These were top 20 amazing benefits of ginger for our skin, hair and health. Hope you found the article helpful, stay tuned for more such contents.
