Ginger vs Turmeric – Compare These 2 Great Herbs

By Cindy Wilson

BS, Dietetics and Nutrition

Updated May 2, 2021 · 10 min read

Ginger and Turmeric are both superfoods. They belong to the same family. These belong to the same family and have been used by people for generations because of their health benefits. In fact, a lot of people have incorporated ginger and turmeric into their diets by making foods out of these ingredients and buying supplements packed with ginger and turmeric from reliable brands, such as Tranquility Labs.

Ginger and turmeric have been commercially available in different forms for decades, but not everyone is fully aware of how beneficial these are.

Ginger and Turmeric belong to the Zingiberaceae family, and both of them are rhizomes. The rhizome is the stem that gets modified as the root.​ There are some differences in the composition of both of them.

For your information and clarity, I will do a detailed analysis of Ginger vs. Turmeric in the sections below.​

So, let’s start with knowing Ginger better.​

What is Ginger?

Ginger is a perennial plant belonging to the family Zingiberaceae. It has a long history of medicinal use. Southeast Asian countries use Ginger widely to flavor their food.

It is nutritive and fibrous. Ginger has a thin outer skin that can be easily peeled off. It is known for the antibacterial and digestive properties.

Ginger is produced in South East Asia, especially in India, Jamaica, Fiji, Indonesia, and Australia.

Ginger has been used in folk medicine for conditions such as flu, but some studies of ginger have not been of high quality. Ginger is also said to have weight loss benefits.

What is Turmeric?

Turmeric is a perennial species of herb belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, the same as ginger. It is a stark yellow to orange in color.

Turmeric is also a rhizome that is used extensively for its anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric is originally from India. China, India, and many other parts of southeast Asia grow and use Turmeric.

Turmeric has numerous health benefits. People in India and China have been using Turmeric as medicine for 4000 years.

Turmeric comes from the plant of Curcuma Longa. It is essentially the rhizome of this plant. It comprises phenols.

Out of the three phenols, Curcumin shoes maximum benefits. The yellowish-orange color of Turmeric is also because of Curcumin. The health activities of turmeric are commonly attributed to curcuminoids, which include curcumin.

Are Ginger and Turmeric the Same?

Ginger and Turmeric belong to the same family but have different genus. The Genus of Ginger is Zingiber and Turmeric is Curcuma.

Although they possess almost similar contents and nutritive value, Turmeric shows more health benefits than Ginger.

Also, Ginger and Turmeric differ in their tastes. Ginger has a brownish color, while Turmeric is stark yellow or orange.

But they have the same kind of outer skin and appearance. Turmeric is used in a powder form while Ginger, is mostly used as a root in food preparations.

The contents and nutrition value of Ginger and Turmeric differ. Have a look at the nutritional value of both.

Which Has Better Nutritional Value of Ginger or Turmeric?

Apart from all this, Ginger also contains gingerols, salicylate, and beta-carotene, which are responsible for its antibacterial activity.

Other than these, Turmeric also has other components like Curcuminoids, Turmerone, Zingiberene, and Arturmerone. There are three Curcuminoids, namely, Curcumin Demethoxycurcumin, Dihydrocurcumin, and 5’- Methoxycurcumin, which are natural antioxidants.

Curcumin is responsible for the color of Turmeric. Components other than curcuminoids are responsible for the aroma of Turmeric.

Now that you know the nutritional value of each one of Turmeric and Ginger, I will take you to their health benefits. Both of these herbs have a lot of health benefits.

Health Benefits of Ginger

Digestion

Ginger is known to reduce the gastric interventions in your stomach. When there is an imbalance between digestive juices in the stomach, acidity starts. This causes severe pain in the stomach to the point where you can no longer sit up straight or stand up for long periods. Over time, stomach acidity can disrupt your digestive tract, making it hard for you to digest food and absorb the nutrients from the foods you eat.

You can steer away from this direction by eating or drinking water mixed with garlic every day. Note that ginger can itself cause heartburn in some people. Ginger helps in the proper digestion of food. It also prevents the digestive fluid and food from moving back to the GI (Gastro-Intestinal) track.

When food is mixed with the digestive liquids in your stomach, it becomes acidic. This acidic food travels to the GI tract and causes heartburn. Ulcers are a different problem: their most common causes are H. pylori infection and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ginger Tea keeps your stomach healthy.

Nausea

Ginger is a natural remedy to treat nausea. If you are suffering from morning sickness, ginger can help.

Also, cancer patients often suffer from nausea. It's uncertain whether ginger is a helpful addition to standard treatments for nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Pregnant women who suffer from nausea may find ginger helpful, but should consult their health care provider first.

However, it is always advisable to consult your physician before taking any herbal remedy. People with cancer and pregnancy might be sensitive to ginger.

Pain Reduction

Ginger can reduce pain. Especially the menstrual pain that is sometimes intolerable for women, ginger helps to reduce it. Ginger’s ability to reduce menstrual pain can be a godsend for women as they can continue to move and work even if they have a heavy flow. But ginger can have side effects such as abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth and throat irritation.

Ginger can warm your body. During menstruation, the body undergoes spasms, so the lower abdomen aches. Ginger helps to release the spasms. Ginger helps relax the muscles around the abdomen.

It is not very evident how helpful ginger is in reducing another kind of pain. For menstrual cramps, research suggests ginger supplements might help reduce the severity.

Inflammation

Inflammation happens because of the free radicals in the body. Ginger helps to destroy these free radicals and makes the body immune. The body naturally produces free radicals, but having too many can put the body off balance. When this happens, your body will become weaker and more susceptible to illnesses and disease.

The free radicals bind improperly with the cells and cause mutations in the DNA resulting in inflammation. Inflammation can put pressure on your joints and muscles, making it hard for you to move. This can also become the reason why walking and even standing up can cause excruciating pain. Hence, the longer you leave this problem untreated, the more severe the effects are on the body.

Especially in arthritis, where the joints are swollen and painful, ginger helps to relieve the pain.

Other health benefits of ginger are listed below:

• Reduces a headache
• Relieves the pain in a migraine
• Motion sickness (most studies have not shown ginger helps)
• Helps during Bronchitis
• Lowers Diabetes

Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric is full of nutrition. It has million-dollar health benefits. Check them out below:

Lowers Cholesterol

Cholesterol is one thing that is bad for health in many ways. It increases the chances of a heart attack.

There are two kinds of Cholesterol in the body. One is good cholesterol, while the other is bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol does not stick to the walls of your artery. Bad cholesterol does.

Lipoproteins carry cholesterol in your blood and throughout your body. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is sometimes called "good" cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is sometimes called "bad" cholesterol.

The blood needs to excrete out the LDL. So the liver has the receptors to take up LDL from the blood.

Many studies have looked at turmeric or curcumin for high cholesterol, but we don't know enough yet to say if it helps.

Anti-inflammatory

Turmeric is super beneficial in decreasing inflammation. You can take an oral dose of turmeric to reduce pain and swelling. People who have arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, find turmeric to be helpful.

Turmeric destroys the free radicals in your body. In arthritis, it reduces joint pain and swelling. You can also have turmeric applied topically on your joints. But it's unclear whether topical curcumin helps knee osteoarthritis pain, and topical curcumin can cause hives or itching.

Turmeric has been used in traditional medicine for the common cold, but there isn't enough evidence to say turmeric or curcumin helps it.

Turmeric and Cancer

No herbal products, turmeric included, have been shown to be effective for treating cancer.

Some herbal products may be harmful during chemotherapy or radiation therapy, so if you have cancer, talk with your doctor about any herbal supplements you use.

Some studies suggest some herbs may help patients cope with the side effects of cancer treatment, which is not the same as treating cancer.

Weight Loss

Turmeric helps in weight loss. I have lost weight with the help of the turmeric diet.

Some other benefits of turmeric are listed below:

• It helps in improving the skin complexion
• Fights with acne and pimples
• Reduces wrinkles
• Prevents hair fall
• Reduces blood sugar
• Reduces pain
• Reduces gastritis

You must be wondering, what is better for weight loss, ginger or turmeric?

Which one is better for weight loss, Ginger or Turmeric?

To make it clear to you, I will do a Ginger vs. Turmeric for weight loss analysis below:

If it is about the widely preferred methods for weight loss, out of ginger and turmeric, it will be turmeric. Why I say, this is because turmeric shows a better and quicker response to weight loss.

Ginger can also help you to lose weight, but you will not see noticeable results as you will see with turmeric. Ginger has phenols but not curcumin, which turmeric has.

Curcumin is a major component of turmeric. But claims that you can lose weight without changing your habits just aren't true.

Ginger is a good antibacterial and boosts immunity.

Can You Take Turmeric and Ginger at the Same Time?

My answer is Yes. Ginger and Turmeric act in synergy for health benefits. You can prepare your food using both the herbs together. You can also have both the herbs individually on the same day.

To use ginger and turmeric together in your food, slice the ginger and take turmeric powder. Put sliced or chopped ginger in your stir-fried vegetables, and you can also sprinkle turmeric powder while cooking.

Use not more than 1/4 tablespoon per serving. Ginger tea is good for weight loss. You can add peeled and grated ginger in the boiling water to make your tea.

If you want the ginger to be less flavourful in your tea, use sliced or chopped ginger. To lose weight using turmeric, use curcumin powder. Take lukewarm water, add 1/4 teaspoon curcumin powder in it and add honey to taste.

Have this every morning, with an empty stomach. Oral turmeric can cause nausea, acid reflux, or stomach upset, and turmeric supplements may be unsafe during pregnancy.

Where to Buy Ginger and Turmeric?

Ginger and Turmeric are available at any hypermarket near you. If not, then you can buy them online.

You can also buy turmeric and ginger capsules for weight loss. But, do not forget to consult your physician before doing it.

Ginger and Turmeric can cause certain side effects in people. Both herbs can cause side effects, such as heartburn from ginger and stomach upset from turmeric.

If you are looking to buy the most quality turmeric, check out this post here.

What are the Side Effects of Ginger?

• Dizziness
• Heart Burn
• Acidity

What are the Side Effects of Turmeric?

• Indigestion
• Increase of pain in joints
• Excessive bleeding
• Nausea Vomiting

You need to take precautions while having these herbs during pregnancy, lactation, and heart diseases. If you are suffering from any serious ailment like cancer, Alzheimer’s, Blood Pressure, etc., consult your health specialist first.

Herbs are beneficial but, they are not suitable for every person.

If you are looking for weight loss, talk with your health care provider before trying curcumin powder. But be aware of the possible adverse effects. It is always better to start taking any herb as medicine with minimal doses.

You can then increase the dose with time. So, if you enjoyed reading my article, kindly share this with your friends. They will find it interesting too.

If you have any queries or thoughts, please mention them in the comments below. I will happily get back.