 Even though ginger has been in use for upwards of 5,000 years, Confucius was one of the first to recognize the benefits of ginger. At least on paper. Confucius talked about how ginger tea could improve digestion and suggested, hey, you know what? You should have some ginger on the table at every meal. King Henry VIII apparently recommended ginger tea to fight the plague, but you're probably a little more worried about what to use it for right now, am I right? Cool, well then let's get started. And now, the benefits of ginger tea. Well apparently Confucius was right, as research shows that ginger tea helps with a variety of digestive problems. A 2019 review suggests that ginger tea can help with bloating, cramping, indigestion, and flatulence. It also relaxes the lower esophagus area and reduces stomach acid. And so it's particularly helpful for acid reflux problems. Well it's not so much about losing weight as it is about, you know, getting that optimal body fat percentage, right? Come on, let's get in a shitty shape! Ginger makes it easier for your digestive system to break down fat, block fat absorption, and curb your appetite. While clinical research is still a little skeptical about how much ginger tea can help with weight loss, many studies have been positive, so hopefully it'll get the full credit it deserves sometime soon. There is research showing that one gram of ginger extract can effectively reduce your motion sickness. I could use some of that. The old British back roads and country lanes could really mess you up. Various studies have shown that ginger tea helps with nausea and vomiting, especially in relation to cancer treatments. Studies have also been done on pregnant women for morning sickness, but these results unfortunately are just a little more mixed. As some women found a reduction in nausea, but not the frequency of vomiting. How does that just go with it? The optimal dose is between 0.5 and 1 gram of ginger, and ginger tea has an average of 250 milligrams of ginger. So it's suggested to have 2-4 cups of ginger tea a day to curb any nausea problems. Ginger tea has great antiviral properties, and it also provides a tasty dose of vitamin C. Research shows that it can fight off colds and flu, and even help with congestion by preventing nasty mucus buildup. One 2013 study showed how fresh ginger is particularly helpful against the RSV virus, a mean little virus that causes colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia. A 2011 study found ginger to be more effective against strep throat than some antibiotics, and research shows that ginger tea can be even more effective when combined with honey. Yeah, how perfect is that? Ginger tea with honey. Ah, it's brilliant. Brilliant, I tell you. Researchers believe that ginger tea helps regulate blood sugar by affecting the enzyme that breaks down glycogen, thereby helping stop blood sugar spikes. While this is by no means a cure for diabetes, it is definitely a great aid to help keep your blood sugar levels from getting out of whack. Ginger tea is one of the only teas that has tried doshik. Is that some kind of Jurassic era thing? In aerial Vedic medicine there are three doshas. For those who don't know, these doshas are responsible for a person's physiological, mental, and emotional health. And if you've done any yoga, you're probably familiar with them by name. They are vata, kaffa, and pitta. And ginger tea is one of the only teas that can balance all three. Research has shown that ginger has the ability to fight several different types of cancer cells, including pancreatic and colon cancer. Studies have even shown that ginger's main effective ingredient, ginger oil, can suppress tumor growth. Its awesome antioxidants can also improve your immune system, help you fend off allergies, respiratory issues, and even stress. The ginger oils and ginger tea. Yup, that's really their name. Help cleanse harmful chemicals from your body, which has been shown to help with stress and to pep up your mood as well. And as for the respiratory problems, well, some more research is still needed. But so far, some of the studies have shown that ginger can help reduce inflammation, congestion, wheezing, itching in watery eyes, sneezing, and overall lung health. This is a bigger thing than you may think, as blood circulation can affect digestion, energy levels, body weight, pH levels, and even body temperature. Ginger tea is a vasodilator that opens the blood vessels and keeps blood moving smoothly and efficiently. By keeping the arteries clear, it also helps fight against heart diseases and blood clots. Come on, you've got to feel the flow. According to a 2010 study by the American Pain Society, ginger can help reduce pain associated with exercise-induced muscle soreness. And as it's a great anti-inflammatory, ginger tea can also help with other general pain problems too. For instance, a 2001 study showed that ginger tea helped to lower knee pain in 63% of 247 osteoarthritis patients. While more detailed research is needed, ginger tea may help with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as people who don't respond well to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Speaking of avoiding over-the-counter drugs, studies have shown ginger to be as effective as ibuprofen and methanamic acid in reducing menstrual pain. Another study suggested that taking ginger tea for the week up to your period can improve emotional problems related to PMS. Ginger tea is also great with PMS symptoms like low back pain, cramps, menstrual bleeding, indigestion, bloating, nausea, and joint and muscle pain. Several studies have shown that ginger can help boost memory and cognitive performance. And oddly, most of the big research has been done solely on women. Sorry guys, but I'm sure ginger tea is good for you here too. But apparently the researchers just don't want to find out. Or maybe it's just ladies first. Did you do something wrong you aren't telling me guys? The jury is still out on a lot of these benefits, but I'll give you the rundown anyways, just for funsies. Ginger could possibly help non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, skin and hair health, headaches, dementia, and maybe even help with Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. What? Like that's it? Oh come on, like that isn't enough. Ginger tea luckily doesn't have many side effects, as it takes quite a bit of ginger to cause the problems that do occur. Most health experts say that you can consume a maximum of four grams of ginger daily, which would be the equivalent of about, oh, 16 cups of ginger tea. Yeah, I can do that. However, for those who are sensitive to ginger, here are the possible side effects. Consuming too much ginger has been known to cause heartburn, indigestion, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, stomach ache, diarrhea, lightheadedness, and dizziness. Ginger also acts as a blood thinner, so it's been known to cause problems for people with bleeding disorders. The NCCI-8 suggests that ginger may increase bio-flow, which is bad for people with gallstones. But as of now, there isn't any corroborating research for this. Ginger tea is also considered safe overall for pregnant women, as a large study showed it didn't have any effect on birth weight, pre-term births, or other pregnancy problems. And that is the whole kitten-commodal for ginger tea. Now recently, I did have a friend tell me that they had some problems because they consumed too much ginger, not ginger tea as far as I remember. What about you? Has ginger been good or bad? Let me know in the comments down below. Do you have any other herbal teas hiding in your cabinet that you'd like to learn the benefits of? Then head on over here to watch the benefits of lavender tea or the benefits of peppermint next. Please, be kind, take care of each other, and go grab yourself a nice cup of ginger tea, with honey.