They say, “You are what you eat,” and it’s true—your body responds to how you nourish it. From boosting your immune system to preventing long-term illness, the food you eat plays a powerful role in your overall well-being.
Two simple yet powerful additions to your daily meals are ginger and garlic. These natural ingredients aren’t just kitchen staples—they’re packed with science-backed health benefits that can transform your health over time. In this article, we’ll walk you through 7 proven benefits of ginger and garlic and how to easily include them in your diet.
Key insights
- Ginger and garlic are spices popularly Known for adding flavours to foods but they are essentially beneficial to human health as they fight against sickness and diseases.
- The Health benefits of ginger and garlic are enormous but most importantly, it strengthens the immune system cum white blood cells such that no illness comes close.
- Ginger and Garlic have this unique strength of antibiotic resistance which erupts from the misuse of antibiotics that is rampant in Nigeria.
- Ginger and Garlic are distinct in that they are both good medicinally as well as in the culinary aspect.
Ginger
Ginger is a power-packed plant spice with anti-inflammatory properties. The plant spice is scientifically called Zingiber officinale, and it is grown from the root.
Packed with essential properties and nutritional values, ginger is yellowish in colour with a brownish peel. Though its flowers are brightly seen, ginger is harvested from the soil, cleaned, and dried before consumption. It has no smell but a peppermint taste.
Major components of Ginger
The health benefits of ginger cannot be spelled out without describing the components it entails. Apart from being rich in protein, dietary fibre, fat and Potassium, ginger is packed with bioactive components like terpene compounds, phenolic compounds, paradols, gingerols, organic acids, polysaccharides, lipids etc.
Health Benefits of Ginger
Incorporating ginger into our daily menu is sacrosanct because of the nutritional benefits it provides to the human body.
- Helps to eradicate Toxins in the body
- Helps in the maintenance of body mass index
- Helps the body fight against hypertensive-induced diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, Kidney disease etc.
- Cures common cold, headaches and nausea.
- Helps with weight loss
Garlic
Garlic, also known as Allium Sativum, is a bulb-like herb that is similar to the popular onion that we use in our Nigerian soups. Garlic comes in colours, some are pure white, while others come in lilac colour with whitish peels. It comes with this strong smell and peppery taste, which makes it distinct from other spices.
Garlic possesses lots of medicinal properties by virtue of the compounds present in the spice. The best of all compounds present in garlic is known as allicin, while others range from diallyl disulfide to s-allyl cysteine. Other nutrients present in garlic are;
- Fibre
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Vitamins (vitamin C, vitamin B6)
Health Benefits of Garlic
The health benefit of garlic is not far-fetched, as it contains low calories which is best for a healthy lifestyle because cholesterol does more harm than good to the human body. Some of the other benefits of garlic are listed below:
- Aids digestion
- Eradicates flu
- Guides the body against sickness
- Helps to control blood pressure
- Aids Detoxification of waste from the body
- Improves human life-span
- Treats Arthritis and osteoporosis
Ginger and Garlic: Why Are Ginger and Garlic Used Together?
The health benefits of ginger and garlic are very enormous. As seen above individually, ginger and garlic are very medicinal in that they can be combined and used together for good health.
The rationale for combining Ginger and Garlic
The rationale for combining both spices is to get the best result that will eradicate sicknesses and diseases due to the medicinal properties and compounds present in ginger and garlic.
No doubt, each has its benefits, but both work perfectly when combined together. They do the work of healing wounds, serve as antioxidants, aid blood circulation, heal ulcers, serve as anticancer agents, and boost the immune system when combined together.
What are the Health Benefits of Ginger and Garlic in the body?
Combining ginger and garlic works better because they are interwoven. Both possess some distinct properties that differ from each other but work perfectly well when combined. Some of the benefits of ginger and garlic are listed below:
- Both fight against sickness and diseases.
- Both are known for eradicating toxins from the body.
- Both are known to strengthen the human immune system.
- Both help in the reduction of possible heart diseases/cardiovascular diseases.
- Both eradicate bad cholesterol from the body
- Both help in balancing blood sugar.
- They are both rich in anti-cancer compounds.
How to Use Ginger and Garlic for Health
The best ways to use ginger and garlic daily are seen below:
- Ginger and garlic can be grated with a Nigerian pepper mixture. Aside from the medicinal functions these spices do for the body, they give soups a distinct aroma.
- Ginger and garlic can be juiced: this can be achieved by blending both ginger and garlic in a blender; a sweetener like honey or dates can be blended with the spices to achieve a sweet taste. Taking this daily detoxifies the body by extracting unwanted waste.
- Ginger and garlic can be taken as tea first thing in the morning. This is achieved by crushing and boiling both spices in hot water before consumption. Taking this regularly not only strengthens the immune system but also heals infections caused by germs in the human body as well as the common cold.
- Ginger and garlic can be taken raw by chewing both. By doing so, it gives strength to the white blood cells present in the human body.
- Ginger and garlic can be taken as supplements daily. Of course, we know most of these contemporary drugs comprise different spices and herbs, so taking ginger and garlic as supplements does the same work as taking them naturally.
- Ginger and garlic can be chopped and used in the culinary aspect. By this, it garnishes stir-fries as well as doing the job of boosting immunity.
- Ginger and garlic can be combined to make a paste and stored in the refrigerator for consumption. This can be done by pounding in a mortar and pestle till a paste-like consistency is achieved. It can be used to marinate animal proteins before frying or cooking; it can also be added to stews and soups.
Side Effects of Ginger and Garlic
There is nothing that possesses a good side without a bad side; even an adage says too much of everything is not good. Taking too much water is detrimental to the human body, let alone spices or vegetables with various kinds of compounds.
It is important to consume edibles in moderation; otherwise, havoc might occur in the body. The side effect of taking an excessive amount of ginger and garlic is seen below:
- Taking ginger and garlic in excess can cause bleeding
- excessive intake of ginger and garlic can cause stomachache.
- Too much of ginger and garlic causes heartburn
- Causes diarrhoea
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Conclusion
Adding ginger and garlic to your daily diet is not just a taste upgrade—it’s also a cutting-edge step toward a healthier lifestyle. Backed by science, these natural foods fight inflammation, promote digestion, activate immunity, and even reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Regardless of whether you are making a simple meal or trying a home cure, some ginger and garlic will work magic. So why not start today? Your body will thank you for it.
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