How To Make Ginger Water

 There are many occasions where we find ourselves not drinking enough water. Are you one of those people who struggle to drink water? Or you prefer your water with a unique flavour? One of the best ways to flavour your water is to add ginger and the good news is ginger has some benefits for your health. In this blog we will take you through the step-by-step process of making ginger water and we will discuss the benefits and possible side effects of using ginger. Keep reading to find out more!

What you will need to make ginger water:

Its very simple all you will need is:

• ginger
• a glass, mug or a travel cup (for on the go)
• kettle to boil water
• small cutting knife

Additional ingredients:

If you want to add a little more flavour you can squeeze some lemon juice to your ginger water and add a little honey for sweetness.

• 1 lemon
• 1-2 teaspoons of honey

•  First boil a kettle of water. You will need about 2 cups (480 ml)

•  Next wash a small piece of ginger (roughly the size of your little finger)

•  Peel and chop the ginger with a small cutting knife.  

• Add the peeled chopped ginger into a glass, mug or travel cup. If you would  like a citrus taste to your ginger water, cut 1 lemon in half and juice it inside the   glass, mug or travel cup. We particularly like using a tumbler for ginger water as you can drink the water whilst on the go.

• Pour the boiled water into a glass, mug or tumbler. Make sure the boiled water was left to stand for 5 minutes before pouring. For added sweetness add 1-2 teaspoons of honey and stir. (If you are using a tumbler, use your tumbler’s straw to stir the honey.)

• Allow 5 minutes for the flavours to infuse and enjoy! 

You can drink the ginger water hot or cold. You can also make bulk batches to store in the fridge to drink daily. It’s a perfect drink to start your day or end your day with a hot drink to warm you up in the colder months.

Benefits

Now that you know how to make ginger water, we will now talk about the benefits of drinking ginger water. There are number of anecdotes on the uses of ginger water, but it is not certain how healthy and effective they are. In spite of this, there are numerous potential benefits backed by some research. We find if you’re feeling a little sick, drinking ginger water, with lemon and honey especially hot can soothe your throat. Why not try it out for yourself?

Preventing vomiting and nausea

Feeling nauseous is not great. A study suggests ginger can relieve vomiting and nausea from motion sickness, chemotherapy, and pregnancy- found from a 2015 review. A 2014 study shows in regard to nausea during pregnancy, ginger is a safe and perhaps an effective treatment. However, it did not have an impact on the number of vomiting episodes.

 On the other hand, ginger can have adverse effects during pregnancy. This includes blood thinning, allergic reactions, and anticoagulant. Therefore, if you are pregnant or undergoing chemotherapy you should consult a healthcare professional first before using ginger to help control nausea.

Assisting with anti- inflammatory

 A Poor diet, chemicals and germs can cause excessive inflammation which can harm your body. Inflammation happens when the bodies self-preservation function, kicks into action. Unfortunately, many individuals experience inflammation.

The good news is, changing your lifestyle and diet may assist in fighting chronic inflammation. Also ginger may assist in healing and preventing inflammation. A study conducted showed consuming ginger can play a role in the reduction of allergic reactions, in which inflammation can cause. Moreover, another study showed that individuals who had taken ginger supplements everyday had less muscle pain after working out.

Reducing Cholesterol levels

One study conducted on rats suggested that ginger may reduce cholesterol levels. The rats consumed a diet high in cholesterol, this increased their low-density lipoproteins and triglycerides. Also, the study found that feeding the rats ginger supplements prevented high cholesterol in the bloodstream. However, there is not enough research to confirm if ginger would have the same effects on cholesterol levels in people.

Balance blood sugar

Drinking ginger water may assist people with type 2 diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. There are also other findings that indicate ginger can assist in treating health issues such as chronic diabetes. A source from 12-week study divided 41 individuals with type 2 diabetes into 2 groups. One group took 2 grams of a ginger powder supplement every day, while the other group took a placebo supplement. The individuals who had taken the ginger supplement experienced a tremendous reduction in fasting blood sugar. This suggests ginger is beneficial for balancing blood sugar.

Assisting with weight loss

Drinking ginger water combined with exercise and a healthy diet may help promote weight loss. Researchers from a study  divided 10 men into 2 groups. One group consumed hot ginger water after breakfast and the other group didn’t. The men who consumed the ginger water fed back feelings of fullness. Even though it was a small-scale study and further studies are needed, it does demonstrate that drinking ginger water may assist with weight loss.

Assisting with hydration

Drinking ginger water will help you stay hydrated. Using drinkware such as a travel cup can help you maintain your fluid consumption as you can drink while you are on the go. So, carrying the travel cup would remind you to stay hydrated as most of us do not drink enough water every day.

Assisting with pain

According to medicalnews.com  drinking ginger water may help reduce certain types of pain. 60 adults who had migraine pain participated in a study from the results they discovered that using ginger as an add on therapy had more effect on pain than only taking painkillers.

Risks and side effects

Now that you know benefits of drinking ginger water, we will now talk about the potential side effects and risks. Unfortunately, ginger may not interact well when taking other medications. Also, the National center for Complementary and Integrative Health  states that ginger may interfere with medication for blood thinning. Even though, the research is inconclusive, if you are taking blood thinning medication consult with your doctor first before drinking ginger water.  

In addition to that, individuals who have diabetes, gallstones and heart conditions should also consult with their doctor before drinking ginger water or taking a ginger supplement.  Moreover, women who are breastfeeding, pregnant or individuals who about to undergo surgery should also speak with their doctor first on consuming ginger.

It is also recommended to not consume more than 4 grams of ginger a day in any form.  Furthermore, if ginger is consumed excessively, it can cause some potential mild side effects which include burning in the mouth, stomach ache, heartburn, gas and diarrhea . Not to worry side effects from ginger are rare. If you have any concerns as expressed earlier, it’s always best to speak with your doctor first.

Summary

Now there you have it. Making ginger water is a relatively simple process.  Not only that, but drinking ginger water has a number of benefits that can assist with your health which includes balancing blood sugar and weight loss. Drinking ginger water will also help you stay hydrated, which is crucial for your overall health. Like most things, there can be some risks or side effects, we strongly recommend consulting with your doctor first before consuming fresh ginger water or a ginger supplement. As mentioned earlier, it is also recommended to not consume more than 4 grams of ginger a day in any form.