Ginger has so many health wonders, which is why it is called a superfood. Wondering why we are talking about it now when the temperature is dropping? Well, turns out that coughing is common during winter, and if you don’t like to go for the bitter cough syrup, you can always heat ginger a little bit and eat it. Before you know it, your coughing gets controlled. Ginger also keeps you warm, making it a must-have winter ingredient. Ginger has more health benefits, so, if you want to stay warm and keep cold and cough at bay, try to include ginger in your diet.

Before you put on your apron and decide to cook up up a dish with ginger, you should know its health benefits.

Health Shots consulted Rupali Mathur, Executive Nutritionist, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, New Delhi, Punjabi Bagh on ginger, its benefits and how to add it to you diet.

Benefits of ginger you should know

1. Ginger helps in aiding digestion

Ginger contains gingerol, which is a natural content. It is also used by many people to improve overall digestion.

2. Ginger helps in fighting cold, cough and flu

Once the winter season begins, we often hear someone sneezing or coughing. That’s because the risk of cold and flu increases during the winter season, said Mathur. Ginger has been used as a natural treatment for cold and flu since long. Fresh ginger juice or shredded parts of fresh ginger can be added to different foods and drinks, she suggested.

3. Ginger helps in getting relief from joint pains

Ginger is anti-inflammatory, which means that it helps in reducing swelling. It might be helpful for treating symptoms of arthritis. The expert shared that you might get relief from pain and swelling by consuming it on a daily basis. You can take it orally or even apply it directly to your skin, but she noted that it won’t take away your pain immediately. It will reduce your soreness over time.

Ways to include ginger in your diet

Be it digestion issues, cough or joint pains, ginger seems to be the answer to all these problems. Now, let’s look at some ways to add ginger to your diet.

1. Add grated or finely chopped ginger to your tea

Do this on a daily basis so that it helps you to keep yourself warm, calm and composed.

2. Ginger in smoothie

For a refreshing morning, Mathur suggested adding ginger to your smoothie or have ginger juice. She said that this “will help you in your gut cleaning, and you can start your day on a fresh note.”

3. Ginger in curries

Nowadays, ginger has become a very common ingredient in our kitchen. Adding finely chopped or grated ginger in your curries or sabzi in your daily routine is good enough.

4. Ginger jam

We love to have mixed fruit jam or orange or strawberry jam. But have you ever tried ginger jam? The expert said that it is actually a much healthier option in comparison to other sugary foods. So, spread it on breads and enjoy it.

5. Ginger pickle

If you can have ginger jam, why not g for ginger pickle too? The way you make mango pickles at home, you can also chop up ginger and make pickles.

The benefits are many, but Mathur said that if you are having blood-thinning medicines, ginger might cause further blood thinning. So, it’s best to talk to your primary care physician prior to taking ginger in case you take blood thinners like warfarin or any anti-inflammatory medicine.