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What’s better? A cup of coffee or a ginger drink?

Coffee is one of the most popular drinks. Around 2.25 billion cups of this daily drink are consumed worldwide! For many of us, it has its own routines. As a matter of fact, some of us cannot imagine starting the day without a cup of coffee, we drink coffee as soon as we arrive at work, we organise a coffee break at work or meet up over coffee. To make the taste and properties different, it is worth trying ginger drink instead of coffee. So combine the pleasure with the benefits by treating yourself and your loved ones with this aromatic drink

Coffee

Coffee contains many substances of a health-promoting nature, such as bioactive compounds: the polyphenols. Polyphenols trigger a number of biological actions in the human body: they neutralise free radicals, chelate heavy metals and modulate enzyme activity. In fact, numerous research studies have confirmed the link between the consumption of coffee rich in polyphenolic compounds and a reduction in the incidence of certain diseases. It appears that drinking coffee may protect against liver disease and reduce the risk of liver cancer. Other studies have shown that people who drink one to five cups of coffee a day were found to have a 25 per cent lowered risk of stroke. Drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of depression and type II diabetes, and consuming up to six cups of coffee a day is linked to a lower chance of developing Parkinson’s disease by up to 63%.

However, that is only one aspect of the story. It has been common knowledge since the 1960s that coffee also contains substances that are considered by some to be less desirable and have a negative effect on the human body. These include caffeine, which has a stimulating effect. Moreover, despite its beneficial effects, coffee should not be consumed, in particular on an empty stomach, by people with gastric and duodenal ulcers.

Ginger

Ginger is one of the best recognised spices available on the market today. We can find ginger in the shops in its raw form, as dried ginger roots and crushed ginger; pickled ginger, used for sushi, candied ginger and ginger jam. The flavor of fresh ginger is aromatic, with a fiery taste.  Ginger is also a very valuable material used in conventional medicine and herbal medicine. It is one of the strong stimulants and warming agents, whilst in smaller doses it is used to strengthen the stomach and improve digestion.  Ginger has anti-inflammatory effects, can be used for arthritis, bronchitis, accelerates gastric emptying, and has a cholagogue action.  It also has some anti-motion sickness effects and has been documented as potentially analgesic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. Ginger extract reduces cholesterol, LDL oxidation, and atherosclerosis. Ginger contains many active biological substances that determine its antioxidant properties. A good measure of its value as a spice is the content of essential oil and gingerol, which are also responsible for its characteristic taste.

Ginger is recommended for bacterial infections of the digestive system, food poisoning, and enteritis. Research has shown that using ginger drink when suffering from a cold can significantly reduce the course of the illness thanks to its antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Moreover,  ginger teas have a warming effect, so they are ideal for the winter chill.

Ginger drink recipe

Ingredients: 

  • Ginger root
  • Lemon
  • Honey

Put the slices of fresh ginger into a glass, and then pour the boiling water into the glass. After a while, add a teaspoon of honey and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Mix it and drink while still warm.

The combination of coffee and ginger

Ginger, like cinnamon, is not only an ingredient of baked goods. When combined with coffee, it can form an ideal combination. Coffee with ginger is considered to speed up the metabolism and stimulate fat burning. Furthermore, the combination has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial actions and thus it is recommended during the seasonal flu and cold. Coffee with ginger also has an anti-migraine effect and improves blood circulation to the brain, supporting memory, concentration and general mental abilities.

So, wouldn’t such a drink be perfect to start the day? An espresso or a classic black coffee with a pinch of dried ginger can set your mind on the right track! The caffeine in the coffee will boost your body and have a positive effect on your concentration, while the ginger itself can improve your brain’s performance.

More articles on nutrition can be found on Akademia Dobrego Smaku SGGW

Author: dr inż. Alicja Ponder, Department of Functional and Organic Food, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences

Sources:

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  17. Tavani A., La Vecchia C. (2000) Coffee and cancer: a review of epidemiological studies, 1990-1999. European Journal of Cancer Prevention, 9(4), 241-256.
  18. Ruhl C. E., Everhart J. E. (2005) Coffee and tea consumption are associated with a lower incidence of chronic liver disease in the United States. Gastroenterology, 129(6), 1928-1936.
  19. Larsson S. C., Virtamo J., Wolk A. (2011) Coffee Consumption and Risk of Stroke in Women. Stroke: American Heart Association Journals, 119, 1116-1123.
  20. Lucas M., Mirzaei F., Pan A., Okereke O. I., Willett W. C., O’Reilly É. J., Ascherio A. (2011) Coffee, caffeine, and risk of depression among women. Archives of internal medicine, 171(17), 1571-1578.
  21. Van Dam R. M., Hu F. B. (2005) Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. Jama, 294(1), 97-104.
  22. Ascherio A., Weisskopf M. G., O’reilly E. J., McCullough M. L., Calle E. E., Rodriguez C., Thun M. J. (2004) Coffee consumption, gender, and Parkinson’s disease mortality in the cancer prevention study II cohort: the modifying effects of estrogen. American journal of epidemiology, 160(10), 977-984.
  23. Clarke R., Vitzthum O. G. (2008) Coffee: recent developments. John Wiley & Sons.
  24. König W. A., Sturm R. (1982) Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry as an aid for the investigation of high boiling coffee constituents. In 10th International Colloquium on the Chemistry of Coffee (pp. 271-8).
  25. Stranc A., Sławińska H. (1993) Ocena zawartości związków drażniących w niektórych kawach naturalnych. Przem.Spoż., 9, 254–255.
  26. Lang R., Bardelmeier I., Weiss C., Rubach M., Somoza V., Hofmann T. (2009) Quantitation of β N-alkanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamides in coffee by means of LC-MS/MS-SIDA and assessment of their gastric acid secretion potential using the HGT-1 cell assay. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 58(3), 1593-1602.
  27. Maier H. G. (1981) Kaffee, Verlag Paul Parey, Berlin u. Hamburg.
  28. Witas T., Kiszka M. (2007) Optimisation of Physical and Chemical Conditions of Releasing and Marking Malone Dialdehyde (MDA) in Roasted Coffee in the Presence of Glyceral (GAL). 12 Scientific Journals of the Maritime University of Szczecin, (12), 203-218.
  29. Rubach M., Lang R., Seebach E., Somoza M. M., Hofmann T., Somoza V. (2012) Multi‐parametric approach to identify coffee components that regulate mechanisms of gastric acid secretion. Molecular nutrition & food research, 56(2), 325-335.
  30. Nebesny E, Budryn G (2002) Effect of the roasting method on the content of 5-hydroxytryptamides of carboxylic acids in roasted coffee beans, Food, 46, 279-282.