Ginger

Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory food, primarily due to its active compounds, gingerols and shogaols, which inhibit the synthesis of prostaglandins and leukotrienes through dual COX-2 and 5-lipoxygenase inhibition. A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials, published in *Cytokine*, found that 1-3 grams of daily ginger supplementation significantly lowered C-reactive protein (CRP) levels by 25% and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by 18%. While highly effective for reducing acute inflammatory markers, the precise mechanisms for all its traditional uses, spanning over 2,500 years, are still being explored by modern research.