Ever noticed that a lot of Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines pair ginger with rice, lentils, or beans? That’s not just for the flavor—ginger actually gives your digestive system a helping hand. It’s packed with compounds called gingerols and shogaols, which have been shown to stimulate saliva and digestive juice production (Mao et al., 2019, Food Science & Nutrition). This means your gut gets a head start breaking down starchy foods, helping to reduce common complaints like gas or bloating, especially with beans and other legumes.
Ginger can also speed up how fast food leaves your stomach—technically called gastric emptying—so you don’t get that heavy, sluggish feeling after a carby meal. Studies suggest just a couple of grams of fresh ginger root (think a thumb-sized piece, sliced or grated) can make a difference (Hu et al., 2011, World Journal of Gastroenterology).
Try tossing sliced ginger into boiling rice, or grate some into your bean stew. You’ll get a zesty bite and give your digestion a boost at the same time. Bonus: it makes leftovers taste even fresher the next day.
