Ginger as Medicine, Ginger as Life

If you know us, you know we are in love with ginger. It is the main focus of our flagship tea Ginger Spiced Chai and after brewing for 10 years our ginger love is ever present. Ginger root has also been mentioned in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medical literature for centuries as it has been used in those medical traditions respectively.

This month we took a deep dive into the health benefits of ginger to see the latest and greatest on the rhizome that has captured our hearts. An article published in the National Institutes of Health website by Morni Modi and Kalgi Modi summarized many of the new findings.

For example, Gingerols are the main flavor and fragrance component of ginger which are linked to these health benefits:

• Calming nausea and vomiting
• Improving gastrointestinal function
• Pain reduction through reduction of inflammation
• Improving Metabolic syndromes
  

In addition ginger contains "vitamin C, vitamin B6, micronutrients like magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese and fiber. It is also high in phytochemicals, polyphenols and works to improve gut health."

We also read in this meta study by 13 Korean researchers that there is evidence that ginger is an antibacterial/viral agent, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent, antinausea compound, and anticancer agent. All of the mechanisms that utilize these components of ginger are still being explored but it's cool that by following our love of ginger could also benefit our health.

While we won't claim that chai is a superfood, it does make us proud there is almost a pound of fresh ginger per gallon of our Ginger Spiced Chai Concentrate.