Ginger is an antioxidant-packed spice that helps boost your immune system and also enhance your fitness by lowering inflammation and dulling pain in the muscles. There have been many studies on ginger and perhaps one of the most notable comes from recent findings showing that ginger speeds muscle-strength recovery after you lift weights. 

Research has revealed ginger's ability to kill cancer cells in two ways. Ginger works directly on cancer cells to cause apoptosis and autophagy. In apoptosis, the cancer cells “commit suicide” with no harm to surrounding cells. While in autophagy, the harmful cells are duped into eating themselves.  Ginger can be used in soups, sauces, marinades or your favorite drink.

Taken together, these findings make a solid case for working more ginger into your diet — especially when working out in fall and winter’s cooler temps, and at the start of cold and flu season.

Here are the other health benefits of ginger: 

• Ginger can treat morning sickness and other forms of nausea
• Relieves muscle soreness and pain
• Anti inflammatory effects help with osteoarthritis
• Ginger lowers blood sugar and improves risk factors of heart disease
• Ginger treats chronic indigestion
• Reduces menstrual pain
• Lowers high cholesterol
• Improves brain function and prevents Alzheimer's disease