Chances are, adding ginger juice to your diet is not something new to you. Likely, you’ve heard health gurus tout the benefits of a ginger shot to rev the metabolism, boost immunity and calm the nasty side effects of flu season. You’ve probably seen ginger shots at your local juice bar franchise before. What you haven’t heard, though, is just how powerful a small ginger shot daily can be for your overall health and well-being. We’ll be the first to admit that we’re more than a little obsessed with cold pressed ginger juice and its many amazing benefits, as you can probably tell by browsing our juice lineup. Now, we’d like to share just how beneficial ginger can be, and why you should be adding this cold pressed juice to your routine regularly.

The Birth of a Powerful Plant

Ginger is actually a flowering plant, but most of us are more familiar with its root, often used as a spice. While flowering ginger no longer grows naturally in the wild, it is still widely farmed and distributed worldwide. It stems from the same family as turmeric and cardamom and finds its origins in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. All the way back in the first century AD, ginger was exported to Europe via India as part of the highly lucrative spice trade during this period. Later, it was utilized by the Romans, who regarded ginger as an important symbol of wealth and fertility.

Today, ginger is popular worldwide and has many regional uses. It’s a particularly important ingredient in Indian cuisine and Ayurvedic medicine. In America, we often see ginger used in tea form or as a dried and ground spice in a number of dishes. While many of us are familiar with the spice for adding a flavor boost to food, its benefits run so much deeper than that. Needless to say, this ancient spice is well-known worldwide and boasts a number of health benefits, from curing nausea to reducing joint pain. So how beneficial is a shot of ginger juice? Let’s find out below.

The Benefits — A Comprehensive Overview

Below, we’re outlining the many benefits a ginger shot can have on your overall health. Needless to say, this powerful spice is one you’ll want to keep handy.

Better Digestion

Ginger is a miracle spice when it comes to solving digestive issues. From bloating and gas to constipation and heartburn, ginger juice is an excellent remedy. Those suffering from IBS often use ginger as a dietary supplement to relax the intestines during a flare up. Those struggling with excessive gas can take ginger before meals and before bed to help clear out the digestive system, and same goes for those dealing with symptoms of constipation. A ginger shot is particularly beneficial for acid reflux, as it prevents the lower esophageal sphincter from loosening and allowing acid to regurgitate back into the esophagus.

We particularly love a ginger shot in the morning to help boost our metabolism and ensure things are humming along smoothly as we start our day. Ginger revs the metabolism into gear by encouraging acid production in the gut. This increases our appetite, burns calories and ensures our digestive systems are working optimally and ready to break down food for the day. We love ginger as a pre-workout supplement to help burn more calories pre and post workout.

Cold Buster

We love ginger shots in the cold winter months and leading up to flu season because of their ability to stop the common cold in its tracks. Especially during fall and winter, it can seem impossible to dodge the common cold and flu symptoms, even when are diets are healthy and balanced. This is why ginger juice or a ginger shot is so beneficial during this time. Ginger has wonderful antibacterial properties and can help break up and eliminate excess mucus in the lungs, a common struggle during cold season. Those suffering with a sore throat will also find that drinking cold pressed ginger or a cup of hot ginger tea is particularly helpful in soothing symptoms. Further, ginger can remove unwanted bacteria from your gut, the kind of bacteria known to potentially compromise the immune system. This makes way for good bacteria to thrive in the gut and tackle cold and flu symptoms. Ginger also contains anti-inflammatory agents, which we’ll touch on below. These agents allow the immune system to work less hard to combat cell inflammation.

Anti-Inflammatory

Inflammation is a highly common, yet dangerous struggle that thousands of people suffer with daily. Inflammation can cause pain in the joints, skin irritations, and migraines, among other unpleasant symptoms. Applying a bit of ginger mixed with olive oil the painful joints is an excellent pain reliever. Have a toothache? Try lodging a piece of ginger between your tooth and cheek and leave it there for a few hours, letting the ginger juice soak into your gums and relieve pain.

Freshens Breath

A ginger shot is chock-full of Vitamin C, which can attack and kill bad bacteria that causes bad breath. Simply mix a bit of ginger juice in water and swoosh it in your mouth for a few minutes and your breath will be fresh and clean. We love to do this each night before bed as a preventative.

Fights Acne

Just as ginger has been shown to fight inflammation, it can be a great remedy for acne, as acne’s underlying cause is internal inflammation. Topically applying ginger juice to a spot can help dry up a blemish and kill bacteria, thanks to ginger’s Vitamin C potency. We’d also like to note here that ginger juice can be applied topically to wounds to help prevent scarring (and it can have the same effects for preventing acne scarring).

Increases Nutrient Absorption

You may not know that your body does not actually absorb everything you put into it. Even the healthiest eaters, therefore, may not be reaping all the benefits of the nutrients they put into their bodies. The good news is, though, that drinking

How to Add More Ginger to Your Diet

Not only is ginger extremely good for you, it’s also incredibly easy to incorporate into your diet daily. Our favorite way to consume a ginger shot is to add it to warm water in the morning. Sometimes, we mix a bit of lemon into it for sweetness and it makes for a great morning pick-me-up.

Ginger can also be mixed into smoothies, soups, teas, and more. Below are just a few of our favorite recipes to incorporate ginger into your diet.

Minty Fresh Ginger Juice

Ingredients:

A few big handfuls of unpeeled ginger root
About 8 cup water (or more if desired)
3 lemons
A large handful of mint leaves
One handful ice

Directions:
Mix all ingredients (except lemon and mint) together in a blender until smooth. Add more water if you’d like a less thick consistency. Remove the mix and strain with a cheese cloth, squeezing out the juice from the pulp as much as possible. Now, mix in the squeezed lemons and muddle the mint. Serve over ice with a mint garnish.

Juicy Ginger Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 cups kale
1 cup frozen mango cubes
1 handful sliced, peeled ginger
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup water or almond milk (can sub hemp or soy as well)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender, packing kale first, then mango, ginger, lemon and milk. Blend until creamy, adding ice if desired. If consistency is too thick, add more milk or water. Serve immediately.

Raise a Glass of Ginger Juice for Total Health

As you can see, ginger is such an amazingly powerful spice that not only tastes great, but can do wonders for your health. Even those not currently suffering from health issues can benefit from a ginger shot daily. It’s easy to incorporate into a variety of dishes, from curries and stews to smoothies and juice, and the flavor is something the whole family will love. It’s no wonder this powerful spice has been utilized for centuries by ancient Romans, Indians and Asian cultures as a holistic remedy for a variety of health conditions. Next time you’re feeling ill, rather than reaching for a bottle of aspirin or other over-the-counter cure, consider looking to your diet to combat symptoms and heal the body from within, rather than just masking your ailments with drugs.

Have questions about the benefits of ginger juice or how to incorporate ginger into your daily routine? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Pure Green!

The Amazing Benefits of Ginger Juice