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Ginger vs. Turmeric — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Elen Khachatrian by Elen Khachatrian | Last updated on July 28, 2023
Medically reviewed by Astghik Grigoryan Article author photo Astghik Grigoryan
Ginger
vs
Turmeric

Summary

Turmeric contains 3.9 times more calories than ginger. Turmeric has 5.3 times the protein content of ginger. Both turmeric and ginger have tiny amounts of fat. Both turmeric and ginger have no cholesterol.

The amount of carbs in turmeric is 3.7 times higher than in ginger. Turmeric contains 11.35 times more fiber compared to ginger. The estimated glycemic index of turmeric is 0, whereas the GI of ginger is 10.

Turmeric contains a higher concentration of minerals and vitamins compared to ginger.

Introduction

Both turmeric and ginger belong to the Zingiberaceae family.

Turmeric has been used for approximately 4000 years, dating back to the Vedic civilization in India, where it was utilized as a culinary spice and had religious importance. Because of its bright yellow color, turmeric is sometimes known as "Indian saffron."

Ginger's modern name is derived from the Middle English word gingivere, although its origins stretch back over 3000 years to the Sanskrit term srngaveram, which means "horn root" based on its look. Ginger, however, does not grow in the wild, and its exact origins are unknown.

India grows and consumes most of the world's turmeric and ginger. Indian turmeric is regarded as the best in the world due to its natural properties and high amount of the essential bioactive component curcumin.

This article will discuss the main differences in the nutrition of turmeric and ginger, focusing on their health impacts.

Appearance and Use

Turmeric has a golden yellow color and a bitter taste with a peppery flavor, whereas ginger is warmly spicy and has a light brown and pale yellow color.

The rhizome, which is the horizontal stem from which the roots grow, is the most commonly consumed part of ginger. Ketones in ginger, particularly gingerols, that appear to be its principal component and have been studied in many health-related scientific studies, contribute to its pungent scent.

Unlike turmeric, there are fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, crystallized, candied, powdered, and pulverized forms of ginger.

Turmeric and ginger are used in cooking, cosmetics, and medicine.

Nutrition

The nutritional values are described for 100-gram servings of turmeric (ground) and raw ginger root.

You can find nutritional infographics at the bottom of this page that visually show the differences between turmeric and ginger.

Calories

Turmeric contains 3.9 times more calories than ginger. Turmeric has 312 calories per 100g, whereas ginger contains 80 calories per 100g. However, people usually consume them in tiny amounts, so calories don't matter much.

Protein

Turmeric has 5.3 times the protein (including essential amino acids) content of ginger (9.68g against 1.82g per 100g, respectively).

Fats

Both turmeric and ginger have tiny amounts of fat. Turmeric contains 3.25g of fat per 100g, whereas ginger provides only 0.75g of fat. Both turmeric and ginger have no cholesterol.

Carbs

The amount of carbs in turmeric is 3.7 times higher than in ginger. Turmeric has 67.14g of carbs per 100g, whereas ginger has 17.77g of carbs per 100g. 

Turmeric contains 11.35 times more fiber compared to ginger (22.7g and 2g per 100g, respectively).

Glycemic Index

The estimated glycemic index of turmeric is 0whereas the GI of ginger is 10However, both are considered low GI foods.

Minerals

Turmeric contains a higher concentration of minerals. It has more calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium compared to ginger.

Iron is 90 times higher in turmeric than ginger. It also falls within the top 2% of foods as a source of iron and can fully meet your daily iron needs.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Ginger
1
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 31% 4.8% 37% 23% 75% 9.3% 15% 1.7% 30% 3.8%
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 149% 50% 184% 2063% 433% 123% 128% 3.5% 2583% 34%
Contains less SodiumSodium -51.9%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +383.7%
Contains more CalciumCalcium +950%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +401.2%
Contains more IronIron +9066.7%
Contains more CopperCopper +475.2%
Contains more ZincZinc +1223.5%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +779.4%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +8546.3%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +785.7%

Vitamins

Turmeric contains a significantly higher amount of vitamins compared to ginger. It provides more vitamin Evitamin K (it’s 130 times higher in turmeric than in ginger), and B vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, B5, and B9. Ginger is high in vitamin C (it contains 7 times more vitamin C compared to turmeric) and vitamin B6.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Ginger
2
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 17% 0% 5.2% 0% 6.3% 7.8% 14% 12% 37% 0% 0.25% 8.3% 16%
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 2.3% 0% 89% 0% 15% 35% 25% 33% 25% 0% 34% 15% 27%
Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +614.3%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +49.5%
Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E +1603.8%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +132%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +341.2%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +80%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +167%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +13300%
Contains more FolateFolate +81.8%
Contains more CholineCholine +70.8%
~equal in Vitamin A ~0IU
~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

Health impacts

Cardiovascular Health

Studies suggest that taking turmeric and ginger over extended periods of time may lower systolic blood pressure. However, further studies are needed to identify the mechanisms of action and confirm these findings. It should be noted that, unlike turmeric, ginger has diuretic effects, which also contribute to the reduction of blood pressure (1.2).

As mentioned above, the essential bioactive component of turmeric is curcumin, and the essential bioactive component of ginger is gingerol. Research has found that curcumin and gingerol may lower LDL (bad cholesterol) levels in the blood. This effect is important for preventing atherosclerosis. It’s also important for people with coronary artery disease and for people who have had a myocardial infarction (3.4).

Salicylates, which are present in ginger and turmeric, allow them to mimic some of the antiplatelet actions of aspirin and other cardiovascular drugs (5).

They also have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which may prevent atherosclerotic plaque formation due to a variety of mechanisms such as inhibition of LDL oxidation, reduction of generated reactive oxygen species, improvement of endothelial dysfunction, vasodilation, and others (5.6.7).

Statin therapy is known to impair liver function. The benefits of using statins in combination with other lipid-altering medications include an increased lipid-lowering effect, a lowered statin dosage, and a lower risk of side effects. In this investigation, it was shown that, compared to treatment with AT alone, the combination of ginger extract and Atorvastatin (AT) significantly reduced AT-induced hepatic alterations and increased total AT efficacy in decreasing cholesterol (8). This kind of study has not been done with turmeric.

Diabetes mellitus

Both of these products have beneficial effects on people with diabetes mellitus.

Most of the major symptoms of diabetes, such as insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and pancreatic islet apoptosis and necrosis, may be positively impacted by curcumin, so turmeric extract may help stabilize blood glucose levels and make diabetes more manageable. Additionally, diabetic nephropathy, microangiopathy, and retinopathy are some of the harmful effects of diabetes, and curcumin may help with their treatment (9).

This study of 41 people with type 2 diabetes found that consuming 2 grams of ginger powder per day reduced fasting blood sugar by 12% (10).

Cancer

Ginger and turmeric derivatives have important antiproliferative, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties, whether they are isolated chemicals or extracts (11.12).

Curcumin in turmeric has been shown in vitro and in animal studies to inhibit cancer cell development. It can promote cancer cell death and reduce angiogenesis. In addition, curcumin is a desirable therapeutic development prospect since it can only kill tumor cells and not healthy cells (12).

Brain Function

According to animal studies, ginger's antioxidants and bioactive compounds can inhibit inflammatory responses in the brain (13).

There is also some evidence that ginger can directly improve brain function. Daily doses of the ginger extract improved reaction time and working memory in a 2012 study of healthy middle-aged women (14).

According to a UCLA study, curcumin may aid macrophages in removing the amyloid plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease, making turmeric a potentially effective treatment for the disease (15). 

Digestive Health

Due to its ability to increase bile secretion, curcumin is not suggested for those with biliary tract obstruction. Additionally, those who have gallstones, obstructive jaundice, or acute biliary colic should avoid it. Gallbladder contractions in healthy individuals have been shown to increase with a 20–40 mg daily curcumin dose (15). This effect is unknown for ginger.

Allergy

Ginger can alleviate rhinitis symptoms because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties (16). These effects are also characteristic of turmeric (17).

Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Education: Nutrition & Microbiology at YSU
Last updated: July 28, 2023
Medically reviewed by Astghik Grigoryan

Infographic

Ginger vs Turmeric infographic
Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Ginger
1
2% 18% 79%
Protein: 1.82 g
Fats: 0.75 g
Carbs: 17.77 g
Water: 78.89 g
Other: 0.77 g
10% 3% 67% 13% 7%
Protein: 9.68 g
Fats: 3.25 g
Carbs: 67.14 g
Water: 12.85 g
Other: 7.08 g
Contains more WaterWater +513.9%
Contains more ProteinProtein +431.9%
Contains more FatsFats +333.3%
Contains more CarbsCarbs +277.8%
Contains more OtherOther +819.5%

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Ginger
1
40% 30% 30%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.203 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.154 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.154 g
60% 15% 25%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 1.838 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.449 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.756 g
Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -89%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +191.6%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +390.9%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Ginger Turmeric
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in Glycemic Index ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in price ok
Lower in Cholesterol Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Ginger Turmeric Opinion
Calories 80kcal 312kcal Turmeric
Protein 1.82g 9.68g Turmeric
Fats 0.75g 3.25g Turmeric
Vitamin C 5mg 0.7mg Ginger
Net carbs 15.77g 44.44g Turmeric
Carbs 17.77g 67.14g Turmeric
Magnesium 43mg 208mg Turmeric
Calcium 16mg 168mg Turmeric
Potassium 415mg 2080mg Turmeric
Iron 0.6mg 55mg Turmeric
Sugar 1.7g 3.21g Ginger
Fiber 2g 22.7g Turmeric
Copper 0.226mg 1.3mg Turmeric
Zinc 0.34mg 4.5mg Turmeric
Phosphorus 34mg 299mg Turmeric
Sodium 13mg 27mg Ginger
Vitamin E 0.26mg 4.43mg Turmeric
Manganese 0.229mg 19.8mg Turmeric
Selenium 0.7µg 6.2µg Turmeric
Vitamin B1 0.025mg 0.058mg Turmeric
Vitamin B2 0.034mg 0.15mg Turmeric
Vitamin B3 0.75mg 1.35mg Turmeric
Vitamin B5 0.203mg 0.542mg Turmeric
Vitamin B6 0.16mg 0.107mg Ginger
Vitamin K 0.1µg 13.4µg Turmeric
Folate 11µg 20µg Turmeric
Trans Fat 0g 0.056g Ginger
Choline 28.8mg 49.2mg Turmeric
Saturated Fat 0.203g 1.838g Ginger
Monounsaturated Fat 0.154g 0.449g Turmeric
Polyunsaturated fat 0.154g 0.756g Turmeric
Tryptophan 0.012mg 0.17mg Turmeric
Threonine 0.036mg 0.33mg Turmeric
Isoleucine 0.051mg 0.47mg Turmeric
Leucine 0.074mg 0.81mg Turmeric
Lysine 0.057mg 0.38mg Turmeric
Methionine 0.013mg 0.14mg Turmeric
Phenylalanine 0.045mg 0.53mg Turmeric
Valine 0.073mg 0.66mg Turmeric
Histidine 0.03mg 0.15mg Turmeric
Fructose 0.45g Turmeric
Omega-3 - ALA 0.003g Turmeric
Omega-6 - Gamma-linoleic acid 0.081g Turmeric

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Ginger Turmeric
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet ok

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
9%
Ginger
23%
Turmeric
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
23%
Ginger
575%
Turmeric

Comparison summary

Which food is richer in minerals?
Turmeric
Turmeric is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
Turmeric
Turmeric is lower in glycemic index (difference - 10)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Turmeric
Turmeric is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Ginger
Ginger is lower in Sugar (difference - 1.51g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Ginger
Ginger contains less Sodium (difference - 14mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Ginger
Ginger is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 1.635g)
Which food is cheaper?
Ginger
Ginger is cheaper (difference - $2)
Which food contains less Cholesterol?
?
The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Ginger - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169231/nutrients
  2. Turmeric - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172231/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.