Gingerols and shogaols
Specific molecules
The warm heat of ginger. Drying turns gingerols into shogaols, even more pungent.
Fresh and ground therefore do not provide the same molecule: they are two different entries, and rightly so.
Effects and benefits
The warm bite of ginger calms nausea: in meta-analyses of trials, a gram a day reduced that of early pregnancy. It also speeds stomach emptying and, at 2 g a day, reduced muscle soreness after exercise.
The gingerols of fresh ginger become shogaols when dried, even hotter, then zingerone when cooked, milder. They act on serotonin receptors of the digestive tract involved in nausea.
A meta-analysis of trials confirmed the effect on the nausea and vomiting of early pregnancy, with about 1 g a day (Viljoen et al., 2014); ginger at cooking doses is considered safe then, a supplement is discussed with the doctor or midwife.
Measured by ultrasound, 1.2 g of ginger sped up stomach emptying (Wu et al., 2008). And 2 g a day for eleven days reduced next-day muscle pain after exercise (Black et al., 2010).
Sources: Viljoen et al., Nutr J, 2014 · Wu et al., Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2008 · Black et al., J Pain, 2010
Where to find it (3)
- Fresh ginger
- Ginger
- Ground ginger