Ginger offers many health benefits. You may be familiar with it from Asian and Indian cuisines. But it has medicinal properties, too.
This ingredient is a popular remedy for stomach upsets. However, it may also help to manage blood sugar levels as well. This may be welcome news for diabetics looking for more ingredients to add to their diet. Take a look below to find out the benefits of ginger for diabetics.
Ginger & Blood Sugar
Ginger may not be a magical ingredient that erases diabetes symptoms. But it may help control your blood sugar levels. Here are a few ways that ginger and blood sugar share a connection:
Better Glycemic Control
According to one study, ginger supplements may have a hand in improving fasting blood sugar. The participants took 2 grams of powdered ginger every day for 12 weeks. After the study, they showed lowered fasting blood sugar levels as well as hemoglobin A1C.
Alternatively, scientists collected promising data for diabetics in an animal study. Obese rats with diabetes took a mixture of ginger and cinnamon with positive results. Amongst those benefits includes:
- increased insulin levels
- decreased glucose levels
- reduced body weight
- reduction of body mass fat
Further studies are needed to pinpoint which ingredient had a greater impact. But preliminary data looks promising.
Glucose Level Regulation
High blood sugar levels are one of the biggest concerns for diabetics. But glucose level management may be one of the benefits of ginger for diabetics.
As mentioned before, one animal study from 2014 revealed that ginger and cinnamon may have a variety of benefits. One benefit is decreasing blood sugar levels.
In addition, a review of randomized clinical trials also pointed towards ginger as a potential way to lower glucose levels.
Changes the Way the Body Processes Carbs
Carbs can be a big problem for diabetics. Eating too much can cause dangerous blood sugar spikes. And high glucose levels can lead to a variety of other problems.
However, researchers found that ginger may affect the way the body processes carbs. They discovered that extracts from an Australian-grown ginger may affect the way muscles absorb glucose. These extracts may increase the acceptance of glucose into muscle cells without having to use insulin. They concluded that this may assist in managing high blood sugar levels.
Using Ginger for Blood Sugar Management
There are many studies that link ginger and blood sugar together. However, scientists need to conduct more studies to draw solid conclusions.
If you’re thinking of adding ginger to your diet, there are a few precautions to remember.
First, keep your ginger consumption to under 4 grams per day. Otherwise, you may experience some digestive side effects. Also, don’t forget to consult with your doctor before adding it to your diet. Ginger may affect and interact with some diabetic medications, so make sure it’s okay before you try to reap the benefits of ginger for diabetics.
