Prevent cancer with a combination of ginger and chili pepper (recipe included)
03/03/2021 / By Brocky Wilson / Comments
Prevent cancer with a combination of ginger and chili pepper (recipe included)

The fiery tang of ginger and chili pepper can be off-putting if you like their food on the milder side. But even if you’re spice-phobic, you may have a change of heart once you know what these potent superfoods can do for your health.

Researchers from the American Chemical Society found that combining certain compounds in ginger and chili can help prevent cancer. They arrived at this conclusion after feeding lung cancer-prone mice either capsaicin (a chili compound), 6-gingerol (a ginger compound) or both.

All the mice who received capsaicin developed lung cancer while half of those who had 6-gingerol developed the disease. On the other hand, only 20 percent of the mice who were given both compounds fell sick with cancer.

While the mechanisms behind this anti-cancer effect are yet to be determined, it is clear that adding more superfoods like ginger and chili to your diet can help keep you healthy and disease-free.

Health benefits of ginger

Ginger does not have the most pleasing taste of all superfoods, but it does make a strong case for being one of the healthiest. This spice doubles as a herb used medicinally for centuries to treat a wide range of ailments, including nausea, stomach problems like indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome, muscle pain, joint pain and menstrual pain.

Studies also show that taking ginger supplements helps alleviate post-chemotherapy nausea. On top of this, ginger extract coupled with turmeric and garlic extracts has been found to kill breast cancer cells by inducing apoptosis – a process where cells self-destruct.

Ginger can also help prevent heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Research shows that taking ginger supplements lowers triglycerides, total cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol while significantly increasing “good” cholesterol. Taking these supplements has also been found to decrease fasting blood sugar levels, improve blood sugar control and reduce the markers of Type 2 diabetes.

Moreover, gingerol is a powerful anti-inflammatory that can help relieve chronic and acute pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, among other conditions. While inflammation is a natural response to pathogens and injury, chronic inflammation can cause pain in your body and contribute to diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Health benefits of chili

Chili peppers also boast several health benefits, thanks to their active compound, capsaicin. Besides being responsible for chili’s heat, capsaicin is also the source of chili’s pain-relieving effects. The compound binds to your pain receptors – nerve endings that sense pain – which can make you less sensitive to pain.

Capsaicin also promotes weight loss by reducing your appetite and boosting fat burning. Studies show that consuming 10 grams of red chili pepper can significantly increase fat burning in both men and women.

Besides capsaicin, chili pepper is rich in many compounds that help ward off diseases. Capsanthin and ferulic acid, for example, are powerful antioxidants that can help fight cancer and prevent oxidative damage. Immature green chili peppers are also abundant in lutein, a potent antioxidant linked to good eye health.

Recipe for ginger chili garlic sauce

Spice up your meals with a drizzle of this ginger chili garlic sauce. Made with potent superfoods, this sweet-sour dressing is sure to boost your overall health besides enriching the flavor of your grub.

Ingredients for 1 jar:

  • 20 red bird’s eye chilis, deseeded
  • 2 inches ginger
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 8 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar

Preparations:

  1. Grind the chili, garlic and ginger into a coarse paste in a food processor.
  2. Transfer the paste to a bowl, then mix in the vinegar, salt and sugar.
  3. Store the paste in a clean glass jar. Always use a clean spoon when scooping up the paste to avoid spoilage. Your sauce should stay fresh for up to 1 month in the fridge.

Ginger and chili are powerful superfoods that are already incredibly healthful on their own. But pairing them further enhances their health-promoting properties to synergistic effects. Eat these two superfoods together as part of a balanced diet to prevent cancer.

Sources:

NaturalNews.com

VeryWellFit.com

ScienceDirect.com

Healthline.com

DailyCookingQuest.com

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