Losing weight, or at least not gaining weight, is hard for most of us. While there is no magic bullet for weight loss, the good news is that nature holds the answer to how our long-held question: how do we lose weight? And how do we lose weight in a healthy way? Movement, fresh foods in our diet, fresh air, choosing water over juice, getting good sleep, mindfulness... For most of us, weight loss is about getting back to the old basics. But it is also nature that provides us with "tricks" to help us along our weight loss journey. Ginger for weight loss is one of nature's brilliant "tricks." Humans have used ginger for weight loss for thousands of years. In Jamu, Indonesia's traditional herbal medicine, ginger is one of the most revered staples for a healthy weight, metabolism, muscle-to-fat ratio, and immune system. Here is why it helps with weight loss and weight management. Trust us when we say, it works!
Health benefits of Ginger
Using ginger for fat and weight loss in these ways can certainly help to boost your energy and spice up the food in your recipes. But the following should not be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment alone. Rather, what is listed below is more so an additional way to improve your health and fight off belly fat from a holistic perspective.
Ginger Boosts Your Metabolism
Ginger is a spice that contains multiple anti-inflammatory properties that can greatly improve your health. So when you consume ginger, whether it be through a ginger extract, ginger powder in your food, ginger root, ginger serum, ginger mixed with lemon juice, supplements, or fresh ginger, you'll notice how your belly gets warm after ginger consumption. So no, it's not your imagination. As ginger warms the body, it increases your metabolism. And such metabolic responses are crucial for your health and weight loss journey. So for getting rid of belly fat and body fat, ginger may be the best way for you to keep off that extra body weight.
Ginger Suppresses Your Appetite and Increases Satiety
A study by the New York Obesity Research Center and Columbia University showed that participants who consumed ginger before breakfast felt fuller for a longer period of time in comparison to those who did not take a ginger supplement. It has been theorized that ginger may improve leptin levels - the essential regulating compound to lipid metabolism that plays a role in feeling full and satisfied after a meal. And this can greatly enhance your weight loss journey.
You might be skeptical about ginger and its ability to satiate your appetite. But it really works. I have tried it as a way to control my appetite, by drinking a cup of ginger tea before a meal. And even though I find myself still hungry, I am less ravenous which makes it easier for me to slow down, be mindful with every bite, and be more aware of when I am actually full. Additionally, adding lemon to my water has helped me find a refreshing solution that keeps me away from sugary juice!
Ginger Suppresses Stress Hormone Production
Hormonal changes and chronic stress can spike your cortisol levels, which disrupts our metabolic tendencies as well as our finely calibrated mechanism that signals hunger and satiety. By balancing cortisol production, as research has shown, ginger helps protect this natural mechanism and can reduce oxidative stress while protecting you from heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, unhealthy cholesterol, unbalanced blood sugar, and more. Its anti-inflammatory effects also make ginger the perfect treatment for those looking to regulate their insulin response and lower their blood sugar.
Ginger Improves Digestion
Researchers have theorized that poor nutritional absorption is partly responsible for your not feeling satisfied after a meal. Your body feels like it needs more nutrients even after you've eaten! But this can make the diet process feel even harder. By incorporating ginger into your regular diet, whether as a spice in your foods, as a root in your drink, a spritz in your water, or as a freshly squeezed juice, ginger can aid the digestive process, helping you "get more" from the food you eat. Plus, you will have fewer annoying symptoms like bloating, cramps, and heartburn because of its anti-inflammatory side effects.
How to Consume Ginger for Weightloss?
For weight loss, ginger is extremely versatile and can be consumed in various ways. While a simple ginger tea before meals is an easy way to incorporate ginger into your weight loss regimen, why not get creative and have fun with it, even outside of your daily meals? Here is a refreshing ice tea recipe by my partner Metta Murdaya that'll go perfectly with those balmy Summer get-togethers.
REFRESHING LEMON GRASS GINGER TEA RECIPE (by JUARA Co-Founder Metta Murdaya)
The weather is warming up. So it's time to pop out the colorful glasses and get ready for outdoor cheer with friends! This drink recipe is an easy way to spruce up a party or a meal by upping the ante while still helping you in your weight loss journey. And this 2-ingredient charmer makes this simple iced tea all the more accessible as ginger and lemon are easily found in most grocery stores. But maybe the best part about this drink recipe is that you can make it in bulk and save it for later occasions!
Great things come in pairs. And in this case, that pair is Lemon-grass and Ginger -a combination so happy together it’s like the Peanut Butter and Jelly of teas in Indonesia. Ginger’s signature spice is warming and familiar while lemon-grass is citrusy with floral/grassy notes. Together, they balance each other out and create a flavor that is both comforting and rejuvenating, making it a winning combo.
To prepare your Ginger-Lemon-grass happy-duo, you will need the following ingredients.
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 20-30 mins
Total time: 35 mins - 1 hour (for cooling)
Ingredients
- 2 stalks of lemon grass, cut into pieces that are 3" long (or approximately the length of your index finger)
- A generous handful of fresh ginger
- Honey, brown sugar, or coconut sugar to taste
Directions
Slice the ginger into thin pieces and rinse until the loose skin pieces fall off and the water runs clear. Slice the lemon-grass pieces down the middle from top to bottom so it exposes the center and lets the lemon aroma out.
Fill a pot with a quart of water, add the ginger slices and lemon-grass in, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Note that this recipe is loose in the proportions of ginger and lemon used and can be adjusted to taste. For a brighter, citrusy note preference, add more lemon grass. For a heatier, hotter punch, add more ginger. The amount of water used can also be adjusted to taste.
Pro tip: Smash and pan roast the ginger pieces before slicing until the skin is dark. We use this trick in Indonesian recipes as this process helps release the flavors and brings out the heat of the ginger. To decorate like we do in Indonesia, add a stalk of lemon grass to the drink and use it as a stirrer for the sweetener. Slip in a few pieces of the boiled ginger slices in the drink as well for that exotic and enticing look. Not to mention the added benefits of more ginger in your drink!
This tea can be served hot or iced, during a meal or after a meal to aid in digestion and weight loss.
GINGER INSIDE OUT & OUTSIDE IN?
Given the numerous benefits that Ginger has to provide your body from the inside, it's not surprising that ginger also has significant benefits for your outside body, most namely your skin. Rich in antioxidants and naturally anti-bacterial properties, ginger can help promote balance within your diet and overall health like it does in our Sweet Black Tea & Ginger Oil-Free Moisturizer. It can also protect your skin from free radical damage as it does in our Ginger Coffee Firming Treatment.
Here's to enjoying this ancient healing plant head-to-toe, inside and out for total health, weight loss, and well-being!
