Jess Translating Science

Target audience: any adult interested in nutrition and personal health

Reading time 4 minutes

Jessica Desamero, PhD

From decorating colorful gingerbread houses to making people-shaped cookies, gingerbread has become a Christmas staple in many parts of the world. What gives this confection its signature flavor is its warm spice blend, which includes ginger. And because of ginger’s health benefits, gingerbread can also possibly be a nutritional holiday treat. Let’s take a closer look at how.

Reviewing some health benefits of ginger

Ginger is packed with many key nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin B9 (folate), potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and fiber. Table 1 lists some of these nutrients’ roles in the body:

Nutrient	Some Roles in the Body
Vitamin C	Antioxidant; helps in immune system function and iron absorption; helps the body make collagen, the structural base of bones, teeth, skin, and tendons
Vitamin B9 (folate)	Aids in making DNA, the body’s genetic material; helps break down amino acids, the building blocks of protein
Potassium	Aids in muscle movement and nerve function; maintains the balance of fluids in the body
Magnesium	Helps the body produce energy; aids in muscle and nerve function; promotes healthy bones
Phosphorus	Helps keep bones and teeth strong; aids in the growth and renewal of tissues
Fiber	Aids in digesting food and controlling blood sugar levels; lowers cholesterol

In addition, ginger contains many substances that interact with the body and have positive health effects. Most notably, its main components, called gingerols, possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Gingerols may even play a role in cancer. One study found that gingerol lowered the activity of an enzyme widely expressed in colorectal cancer. Another study found that gingerol enhanced the number of immune cells that naturally enter tumors to fight cancer. This, in turn, stopped further tumor growth in mice with several types of cancers, including melanomas, renal cell carcinomas, and colon carcinomas. Shogaols are another component of ginger with inflammation-reducing and anticancer properties. Preclinical studies have found that shogaols stopped white blood cells from migrating into inflamed tissue and suppressed pro-inflammatory responses.

In a comprehensive review of past studies, researchers assessed the quality of existing evidence on ginger’s healing effects. They found the strongest evidence for the findings that 1) ginger treats nausea in pregnant women, 2) relieves pain in patients with osteoarthritis, and 3) helps better manage blood sugar levels. It is also strongly supported that ginger also helps with blood pressure, painful menstrual cramps, and chemotherapy-induced vomiting. Future clinical trials with more patients and standardized ginger products would be needed to better establish how these findings have real-world importance for patients. Still, ginger has clear potential in benefiting human health.

Research studies on consuming gingerbread

According to several studies, consuming gingerbread specifically has also led to health benefits. In a 2017 observational study, Allaert and a team of researchers in France assessed how eating magnesium and vitamin B-enriched gingerbread affects the cognitive well-being of 185 adult men and women. In this study, they found that consuming gingerbread significantly reduced stress, improved mood by 26%, and increased sleep quality by 23%. In a 2024 laboratory study, Shawir and a team of researchers in Egypt assessed how eating ginger-fortified bread affects liver and kidney function in rats with chronic liver and kidney damage. They found that consuming this bread remarkably lowered the amount of “bad” cholesterol in the blood. Bread consumption also decreased levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Chronic liver and kidney damage causes elevated TSH levels, indicating a problem with the thyroid gland, which controls the body’s metabolism. Therefore, decreasing TSH levels improved thyroid gland function. Overall, this study showed that kidney and liver function improved in these diseased rats. It also suggests that adding ginger to bread as part of our daily diet may also be beneficial.

And according to a 2024 study, using more nutrient-rich ingredients may further enhance the health effects of gingerbread. In this study, researchers made three sets of gingerbread cookies: one with 100% whole wheat flour, one partially substituted with quinoa flour, and one partially substituted with defatted apple seed flour (DASF). DASF is a flour made by collecting and crushing apple seeds, removing oil from them, and milling the resulting product into a powder. It is especially high in protein, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. After several quantitative analyses of the gingerbread cookies, they found that using DASF for the cookies increased crude fiber content and improved their antioxidant properties.

Conclusion

Many more studies need to be done to determine the true extent of how consuming ginger and gingerbread benefits human health. But from the research done so far, the health effects of ginger and gingerbread are promising. Most notably, their antioxidant properties can help protect your cells from oxidative damage. As long as the gingerbread cookies are eaten in moderation and don’t have too much added fat and sugar, these holiday treats can be both sweet and nutritious!

Header Image Source: Pickpik.com

Main References

1. Edo, G.I., Igbuku, U.A., Makia, R.S. et al. Phytochemical profile, therapeutic potentials, nutritional composition, and food applications of ginger: a comprehensive review. Discov Food 5, 25 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00280-2
2. Crichton M, Davidson AR, Innerarity C, Marx W, Lohning A, Isenring E, Marshall S. Orally consumed ginger and human health: an umbrella review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Jun 7;115(6):1511-1527. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqac035. PMID: 35147170; PMCID: PMC9170469.
3. Allaert FA, Schueller R, Herpin F, and Rigaudier F. Observational Study of the Effect of Consumption of a Magnesium- and B Vitamin-Enriched Gingerbread on Cognitive Well-being (Mood, Stress, and Sleep). Vitamins and Minerals 6, 2 (2017). https://www.hilarispublisher.com/open-access/observational-study-of-the-effect-of-consumption-of-a-magnesium-and-bvitaminenriched-gingerbread-on-cognitive-wellbeing-mood-stres-2376-1318-1000162.pdf
4. Shawir, S., Eltayip, A., & Lotfy, T. (2024). Protective Effect of Pan Bread Fortified with Ginger on Liver and Renal Function of Hepatotoxic and Nephrotoxic Albino Rats. Egyptian Journal of Chemistry, 67(13), 361-369. doi: 10.21608/ejchem.2024.257594.9039
5. Pejic, L.D., Milincic, D.D., Rabrenovic, B.B. et al. Characterization of gingerbread cookies enriched with quinoa and defatted apple seed flour: nutritional, antioxidant and sensory properties. Food Measure 18, 8782–8793 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-024-02844-9
6. Sizer FS and Whitney EN. Nutrition: Concepts & Controversies. Cengage, 2022.