Ginger garlic paste nutrition and benefits: Is it good for health?
Ginger-garlic paste is a key ingredient in Indian cooking. It forms the flavour base of many savoury preparations along with the tempering. Without the trusty ginger-garlic paste, Indian kitchens are incomplete. They can elevate the flavour of many dishes, making it fragrant and delicious.
What is ginger-garlic paste or ginger-garlic masala?
Ginger-garlic paste is made by crushing ginger and cloves of garlic with a little bit of coarse salt and oil. It is traditionally ground with a mortar and pestle.
Some recipes also use green chillies along with ginger and garlic for a spicy kick. Ginger-garlic paste is also used as a marinade for meat and seafood.
Also Read: Chilli paste nutrition facts and health benefits: An immune-boosting and fat-burning ingredient
Ginger garlic paste nutrition
A tablespoon (19 gram) of ginger garlic paste contains the following nutrients:
| Nutrients | Measure (Daily Value) |
| Calories | 61 |
| Total fat | 5.4 gm (8%) |
| Saturated fat | 0.6 gm (3%) |
| Trans fat | 0 gm |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 258 mg (11%) |
| Potassium | 54 mg (2%) |
| Carbohydrates | 3.2 gm (1%) |
| Dietary fibre | 0.3 gm (1%) |
| Sugars | 0.2 gm |
| Protein | 0.5 gm |
| Vitamin A | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 3% |
| Calcium | 1% |
| Iron | 1% |
Also Read: Shrimp paste: A stinky but healthy condiment
Health benefits of ginger garlic paste
Ginger garlic paste has the combined benefits of two highly-nutritious aromatics. Ginger is loaded with antioxidants and compounds like gingerol, shogaols, zingiberene, zingerone, terpenes, vitamins, and minerals. It benefits digestive health, lowers cholesterol, reduces cancer risk and helps manage diabetes.
Garlic is another medicinal herb that has a potent compound known as allicin, which gives it its anti-microbial, anti-hypertensive, anti-cholesterol and anti-cancerous qualities. Here are some of the health benefits of ginger garlic paste.
- Good for heart health
- Lowers cholesterol
- Good for digestive health
- Reduces nausea
- Reduces cancer risk
- Helps manage diabetes
- Reduces pain
- Reduces inflammation
- May reduce menstrual blood loss and soothe cramps
- Protects liver
- Antimicrobial
- Reduces risk of chronic diseases
Potential health benefits of ginger garlic paste:
- Good for heart health: Both the ingredients -- ginger and garlic -- are good for cardiovascular health. Ginger lowers blood sugar levels and reduces the risk factors of heart diseases. Garlic lowers blood pressure, prevents the hardening of arteries, reduces serum cholesterol and triglycerides and stops platelet aggregation and dissolves clots. Bear in mind that store-bought ginger-garlic paste may be high in sodium content, which could blunt some of the health benefits of the masala mix.
- Has anti-cancer and anti-tumour effects: Garlic and ginger both have anti-cancer properties in the form of allicin and gingerol. There is evidence that allicin stops the risk of developing malignancies, especially of the digestive system, blood and skin. Gingerol can also reduce the risk of colorectal, pancreatic and liver cancer.
- Aids weight loss: Studies say that ginger has an effect on body fat mass, body fat percentage, total cholesterol, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and insulin resistance. Garlic has also been found to promote weight loss by reducing weight gain, enhancing fat oxidation and improving energy expenditure.
- Can fight infections: Garlic and ginger together make a great antimicrobial duo that can fight infections and pathogens like bacteria, fungus, viruses and protozoa. Garlic can reduce instances of common colds and flu. Gingerol in ginger can inhibit the growth of different types of bacteria.
References:
1. Anh, N. H., Kim, S. J., Long, N. P., Min, J. E., Yoon, Y. C., Lee, E. G., Kim, M., Kim, T. J., Yang, Y. Y., Son, E. Y., Yoon, S. J., Diem, N. C., Kim, H. M., & Kwon, S. W. (2020). Ginger on Human Health: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of 109 Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients, 12(1), 157. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010157
2. Bayan, L., Koulivand, P. H., & Gorji, A. (2014). Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, 4(1), 1–14.
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