10 Benefits of Ginger for Beauty and Health
Updated: Mar. 26, 2024
Just a pinch of fresh gingerroot can transform the flavor of baked goods. It also keeps your body happy and healthy! Here's a closer look at the benefits of ginger.
Prevent Fine Lines and Wrinkles
The antioxidants in ginger can be used to help preserve your skin’s collagen, making it an all-natural ingredient for anti-aging routines. You can reap the benefits by cooking with fresh ginger. For more targeted results, rub a small slice of fresh ginger on skin, up to three times a day.
Learn how to store ginger in your refrigerator or freezer—or as pickled ginger. It will keep for months when stored properly.
Boost Hair Health
The people of East Asia have used ginger as a means to promote hair growth for years. In fact, one study found that there’s a ginger remedy for solving hair problems like hair loss, dandruff and split ends. To create a ginger-based treatment, blend together onion and ginger and various oils (like olive, caster and aloe), then apply to damaged hair.
Promote Healthy Skin
It turns out, common facial skin issues we secretly wish we didn’t have—like enormous, plentiful pores and an oily, shiny complexion—can be helped with refined ginger. In at least one study, refined ginger, which is made up of active plant cells from the medicinal Asian ginger plant, was reported to improve the skin structure of women who had skin issues.
Clear Up Acne and Blemishes
Looking for a quick fix to mask that bad breakout? The antioxidants in ginger can help improve the appearance of—even and restore—skin.
Prevent Nausea—and Solve Other Stomach Troubles
People have been using dried ginger to help offset that dreaded nauseous feeling that accompanies an upset stomach for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Chinese and Romans ancestors. It’s still used today by medical doctors and other healthcare providers to treat stomachaches as well. A spoonful of our ginger pear jam might be a sweet fix for an upset stomach.
Fight Cancer
Thanks to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties of ginger, it’s been heavily credited to helping combat a handful of diseases. Because of this, ginger has been widely studied and used to manage—and even prevent—some cancers, too.
Burn Extra Fat
Making a healthy ginger soup doesn’t just make for a delicious dinner—it also helps keep excess weight off. Since the active ingredients in ginger boost your metabolism, it helps burn fat.
Act as a Natural Anti-Inflammatory
The antioxidant gingerol is one of the active components of ginger—and the main reason why the spice reduces inflammation in our bodies. To take advantage of the anti-inflammatory property of gingerol, brew a cup of ginger tea.
Manage Dandruff
The flaking can seem hard to control. Before you spend tons of money on brand-name products, it’s definitely worth trying a DIY ginger remedy—especially if you’re sensitive to most shampoos. Because ginger contains antiseptic properties, it helps get rid of pesky dandruff flakes. Try out this ginger scalp care treatment from The Body Shop. ($10)
Deliver Post-Workout Pain Relief
Because ginger can help reduce inflammation within the body, it reduces muscle pain that comes after a super intense workout. Ginger has also been used to treat pain-related symptoms in those who have osteoarthritis, with the help of a purified ginger extract.
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Originally Published: February 21, 2019
