How to harness the healthful zing of ginger

By Alexandra Pattillo

For The New York Times

Ginger adds a zesty kick to weeknight curries and holiday cookies. It’s also a botanical remedy with a range of health benefits.

It’s not a “cure-all,” said Megan Crichton, a researcher and dietitian at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia who has studied ginger. But it can be helpful for addressing certain symptoms, especially nausea and pain, she said.

Here’s a closer look.

It can ease digestive issues

Ginger has been used for millenniums to target a multitude of issues: colds, headaches, stomach problems, joint pain, muscle soreness and fatigue. It’s particularly popular in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine as a warming spice to stimulate digestion, improve circulation and contribute to overall vitality. Some of these remedies have been studied in labs, to a varying degree.

One of the most evidence-backed uses of ginger is to treat nausea, said Dr. Kalgi Modi, an interventional cardiologist at Louisiana State University Health who provides guidance on using ginger for therapeutic purposes. Ginger contains more than 400 chemical compounds, but the anti-nausea effect primarily stems from two — gingerol and shogaol — which give the plant its pungency. This duo appears to block certain chemical messengers in the gut and brain that trigger nausea and vomiting, and improve digestion by speeding up the rate at which food leaves the stomach.

Studies hav...