Can you spice your way to better health with ginger?

Introduction

Worldwide, more than 1.9 billion adults are overweight, with 650 million of them being obese. In the U.S., 70% of the population is overweight or obese, and it is projected^[1] that 51% will be obese by the year 2030. Current trends in the weight of the nation, shown in Figure 1, pose substantial challenges to the future of healthcare as obesity increases the risk of numerous diseases, including diabetes^[2], cardiovascular disease^[3], cancer^[4], and hypertension^[5].

It goes without saying that there is an urgent need to develop simple yet effective interventions to reduce fat mass. Ginger, the root of Zingiber officinale Roscoe, has been investigated as an intervention that may aid in weight loss and benefit blood glucose^[6], blood lipids^[7], and insulin sensitivity^[6]. However, no meta-analysis has yet to consolidate these trials and provide an overview of ginger’s effects.

The present study was a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of ginger intake on weight loss and metabolic profiles in people who are overweight or obese.

Overweight and obesity rates continue to rise alongside the risk of diseases like type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Ginger has been investigated for its ability to facilitate fat loss and improve metabolic health. The study under review was the first meta-analysis of these randomized controlled trials.

Who and what was studied?

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