3. Antiseptic
The antibiotic properties of ginger are of such potency that the Japanese, with their fish-filled diet, use ginger to counter bacterial food poisoning – perhaps the reason sushi (frequently made with raw fish) is always served with ginger on the side.
The rhizome supports a healthy digestive tract by killing off bacteria like E-coli while leaving the strains that are beneficial to us unharmed. Lactobacillus – our army of friendly bacteria – crowd out other potentially harmful strains, and ginger helps to build a healthy population of them, at the same time killing off parasites that attempt take up residence in our guts.
Bacterial infections are responsible for stomach ulcers, and ginger, with its antibacterial properties, may be an effective treatment.