Obesity is a global problem in dire need of concrete solutions. In the United States alone, almost 50 percent of adults are obese. The 2023 State of Obesity Report by Trust for America's Health, a non-partisan public health organization, reveals that obesity rates are the highest among Black and Latino adults, and that childhood obesity is also on the rise. Data from 2017 to 2020 shows that nearly 20 percent of children in America aged two to 19 are also dangerously obese.
Obesity is an urgent concern because it increases a person's risk of developing serious health problems. People who are obese are more likely to develop heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, fatty liver disease and certain types of cancer. On the other hand, research has found that even modest weight loss can improve the health of obese individuals and prevent conditions associated with obesity.
While prescription medications that induce weight loss and treat obesity are available, there are safer, natural ways to shed excess weight. One of those ways is to develop an exercise routine and increase your physical activity. Eating the right foods can also help you burn body fat and lose weight without relying on pharmaceutical interventions that come with unpleasant side effects.
One example of a food you can eat to fight obesity is ginger. A pungent spice widely used in Asian cuisine, ginger (Zingiber officinale) has a long history of use as a folk medicine for muscle aches, pains, rheumatism, arthritis, hypertension and indigestion. Ginger has also been found to possess anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antioxidant and anti-obesity properties.
Ginger extract found to reduce body fat and weight in obese individuals
In a recent study published in the journal Food Science and Biotechnology, Korean researchers investigated the effects of supplementing with a steamed ginger ethanolic extract (SGE) on the body weight, body mass index (BMI) and body fat levels of obese participants. They recruited eight individuals and randomly assigned them to either the treatment or placebo group.
During the 12-week clinical trial, those who received SGE daily were instructed to follow their usual diets and to not take any other dietary supplements or functional foods. The participants were asked to report their compliance as well as any adverse effects or changes to their lifestyle or eating patterns while taking the ginger supplement.
SGE, according to the researchers, is a ginger product whose 6-shogaol content has been increased by steaming and ethanol extraction. 6-Shogaol is an active component of ginger whose benefits include reducing inflammation, protecting against oxidative stress and fighting cancer. In an earlier study, researchers found that SGE can reverse the increase in total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein -- the so-called bad cholesterol -- caused by a high-fat diet. SGE also showed liver-protective properties by reducing lipid accumulation in the liver.
In the present study, researchers reported that obese individuals who took SGE daily had significantly lower mean body weights, BMI and body fat levels at the end of the trial than the placebo group. Only one participant in the SGE group reported an adverse event, although the researchers later deemed the event to be "not SGE-related."
The researchers attributed the anti-obesity effects of SGE to 6-shogaol, which has been shown to reduce the expression of PPAR-y and C/EBPa, two proteins that play a crucial role in the accumulation of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue makes up the subcutaneous fat and depots that accumulate at various sites in the bodies of obese individuals. The 6-shogaol in SGE has also been found to suppress the expression of genes involved in lipogenesis (fat formation) and insulin resistance.
Given their findings, the researchers concluded that combining healthy lifestyle modifications with SGE supplementation could be an effective weight management strategy for people who are overweight or obese.
Ginger is a potent medicinal herb that you can use as a remedy for a wide variety of ailments. As a superfood, ginger is also an excellent source of essential nutrients, such as B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, iron and phosphorus, that can help you fight obesity.
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