Just 1/4 Tsp. of Ginger Daily Could Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Markers
Anytime you can treat, prevent, or even eliminate a common modern medical problem with food or herbs, it’s exciting. Largely because we are so bombarded with toxic formulas for everything form a skinned knee to an upset stomach, these natural treatments are a breath of healing fresh air. One of the latest studies affirming the benefits of the easily-found ginger root indicates it may only take about a quarter-teaspoon of the food each day to significantly reduce inflammatory markers associated with Type 2 diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association estimates some 25.8 million U.S. adults and children have type 2 diabetes. That’s 8.3% of the population. It’s the leading cause of kidney failure, increases your risk of heart disease and blindness, and is one of the most common causes of limb amputation. Most important of all—it’s entirely preventable, and many would say curable with strict adherence to diet.
The latest study, published in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, sought to examine the effects of ginger consumption on lipid profile, glycemic status, and inflammatory markers associated with type 2 diabetes.
The double-blind, placebo controlled study involved 70 type-2 diabetes enrolled for 12 weeks either in a ginger group or the control group. Each day, one group received 1600 mg of ginger, the equivalent of approximately ¼ of a teaspoon.
Read: The Many Health Benefits of Ginger
After the 12-week cycle, those in the ginger group experienced a significant reduction in the following markers when compared with the control:
- Fasting blood glucose
- Insulin
- Triglycerides
- Total cholesterol
- HOMA, which according to GreenMedInfo measures insulin resistance and the function of beta-cells in the pancreas
- HbA1C, a measurement of damage to red blood cells by sugar and a glimpse into whole body damage by “chronically elevated blood sugar”
- Prostaglandin E2 and C-reactive protein—both markers of inflammation
The researchers concluded:
“Ginger improved insulin sensitivity and some fractions of lipid profile, and reduced CRP and PGE2 in type 2 diabetic patients. Therefore ginger can be considered as an effective treatment for prevention of diabetes complications.”
What’s particularly helpful about this study is the ginger regimen is one type 2 diabetics can institute RIGHT NOW. One-quarter teaspoon of ginger can easily be put in a smoothie, meat dish, curry, salad dressing or taken in a capsule. This isn’t something you need to wait on a drug for, as there has never been a reported incidence of someone harming themselves with ginger—there are no negative side effects.