This Is What Happened When I Ate Ginger Every Day For A Year

Ginger is my all time favorite food, so accepting a challenge to eat it daily wasn’t all that hard. I love it on all sorts of food. When I decided to take on the challenge, I was hoping it’d live up to its hype. This is what I experienced.

1. I lost a bit of weight.

Over the course of a year, I lost about 10 pounds. I didn’t change that much. I was slightly more active. According to one study, eating a bit of ginger burns an extra 45 calories a day and ginger tea helps you feel fuller longer.

2. I didn’t get sick as much as normal.

On average, I’ll get 3 colds per year. This past year, I got one very minor, brief cold. Ginger contains antioxidants, in particular, Gingerol, a bioactive substance, that helps reduce the risk of infection and gives your immune system better tools for fighting disease.

3. My cholesterol decreased.

I have high cholesterol. So does everyone else in my family. It could be our genetics or our love of cheese, hard to say. What I will say is that with two tests under my belt, both 12 months apart, my cholesterol had been reduced by a bit. It could have been more if I’d opted to eat better and exercise.

4. My stomach problems were relieved.

I have stomach issues, largely a result of food allergies that I persist in ignoring. I wasn’t as gassy, my digestion felt better, and I was a bit more regular. Perfect.

5. I justified eating sushi more often.

What? It is technically something that happened when I started eating sushi every day.