This article has been updated since its initial publish date to include more expert insight.
As you are probably already aware, avoiding sicknesses and illnesses is possible with a well-balanced diet, adequate sleep, hydration and exercise. While focusing on all of these areas, health experts recommend drinking one tried-and-true, antioxidant-rich beverage that also promotes optimal gut health: ginger tea.
We reached out to dietitians and nutritionists for one tea suggestion that can prevent nighttime bloating and boost immunity while also providing a plethora of other vital benefits. Read on for insight and reasons why ginger tea may benefit your diet from Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements and Liana Werner-Gray, certified nutritionist, natural food chef, and founder of The Earth Diet.
READ MORE: 2 Gut-Healthy Beverages You Can Drink Every Day For A Flatter Stomach
1. Ginger Tea Is Anti-Inflammatory
Ginger is unique to inflammation in that it contains compounds known as gingerols and shogaols, Best explains. These compounds create an antioxidant effect in the body that reduces free radical damage. This damage, she adds, leads to an "increase in oxidative stress that can both cause and exacerbate obesity."
This damage occurs at a cellular level, and once those damaged cells replicate the body's natural processes that maintain homeostasis, they can "become disrupted," leading to decreased metabolism, energy, and more," she notes.
"Opting for ginger tea over coffee or other flavored teas that offer no benefits is a great way to get antioxidants and boost your overall health," she advises. Best also dubs ginger tea "an easy addition to your current health regimen and daily routine," all without losing the flavor and warmth of other hot beverages you'd be enjoying otherwise.
2. It Promotes Smoother Digestion
Whether you're feeling bloated and want an instant way to soothe your stomach or want to prevent indigestion entirely, Werner-Gray says ginger tea is your best bet. "The most effective tea in the morning to soothe morning belly bloat is hands down ginger tea," she says. Ginger in particular, she nots, helps to relieve gas and cause bowel movements.
"It’s known as an anti-inflammatory and soothes the GI tract. Ginger is rich in chemical constituents such as phenolic compounds, organic acids, raw fibers and lipids," she adds. Ginger is also known to help "relieve nausea and reduce inflammation and swelling," Werner-Gray reiterates, which is mainly attributed to its phenolic compounds.
Ways To Prepare Ginger Tea
You can purchase ginger tea bags at the store, Werner-Gray says, or even make the beverage on your own. "You can make ginger tea by boiling some chopped ginger root for 15 minutes until the water turns slightly brown or yellow," she says, "or buy some organic tea bags."
At home, Werner-Gray notes that she will also "add a dash of turmeric for another anti-inflammatory component, and some dried lavender to help relax the digestive system and relieve bloating."
Werner-Gray concludes that additionally, since "gluten and grains can contribute to sluggishness, bloating and inflammation," drinking ginger tea after eating gluten "can help immensely." The more you know!
