Many chefs use ginger as a spice when cooking as it adds flavour to food, and nutritionists are all for it because it is said to be very healthy and can be used for many things, including medicinal purposes. Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist/dietitian at Amazon Nutrition Cabinet in Kigali, says that ginger offers very many health benefits. WHY IT’S HEALTHY Kamanzi says ginger can be used as a spice in tea, foods, juices, among other things. Because it’s grown in the soil, he says it has mineral salts that include sulphur, magnesium, copper and potassium. He says sulphur gives ginger its charming smell, and that the other minerals also have roles to play. Ginger helps the body when it comes to metabolism. Kamanzi says consuming ginger helps cleanse the body. “Because of our daily activities, our bodies are often exposed to toxins. For instance, the food one eats, lotions applied, the air we breathe, and so on, all increase the toxins in the body,” he says. Also, he says, poor food preparation practices expose the body to toxins. Joseph Uwiragiye, the head of nutrition department at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), says the toxins have negative effects on our body; they can cause cancer, trouble in breathing, and heart problems, among others. For this reason, he says, there is a need for people to consume foods that have such elements so that they detoxify the body. Detoxifying is done by removing impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin “Ginger, as a supplement or an ingredient in food and drinks, helps protect against obesity and chronic disease. It also has some other products that help burn fat,” Uwiragiye says. People fighting obesity, or those who want to lose body fat, Kamanzi says, should consume ginger. Erick Musengimana, a nutritionist at Rwanda Diabetes Association in Kigali, says ginger also has anti-cancer properties; they have antioxidants which can protect the body from cancer. The presence of potassium in ginger helps regulate the blood in the body, thus preventing high blood pressure. Musengimana says that the potassium in ginger neutralises the sodium in the body, regulating the fluid flow in the body. TAKING IT IN MODERATION Kamanzi, however, warns that everything, when taken in excess, always has side effects, pointing out that the consumption of ginger should be in moderation and if possible, recommended by a specialist. “One doesn’t have to use its health benefits as an excuse to consume it on a daily basis and exceed the daily recommended intake,” he says. For instance, Kamanzi says, because ginger burns fat, it has a high acidic presence, so when taken in excess, with time, it can increase gastric acid in the body. He explains that when this happens, gastric acid can damage the wall of the stomach and one can suffer from stomach ulcers. People who consume ginger daily without advice from a nutritionist, Kamanzi says, normally suffer from urinary tract infections. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
