Turmeric vs. Ginger — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Summary

Turmeric is higher in vitamins, manganese, iron, potassium, fiber, and copper. Also, the glycemic index of turmeric is lower than that of ginger.

Ginger contains more Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C and less sodium. Besides, ginger provides less sugar and saturated fats than turmeric.

Introduction

This article will discuss the main differences in the nutrition of turmeric and ginger, focusing on their health impact. Both turmeric and ginger belong to the Zingiberaceae family and are native to the Indian subcontinent.

What's The Actual Difference?

Ginger is used to flavor soups and rice; minced ginger adds flavor to fried rice and stir-fries, meat marinades and glazes, and vinaigrettes. In contrast, turmeric is one of the main ingredients in curry and vegetable curry. 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.

Nutrition

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

Calories

The number of calories in turmeric is almost four times higher than in 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.

Fats

Both turmeric and ginger have tiny amounts of fat. Turmeric contains 3.25g of fats per 100g, whereas ginger provides only 0.75g of fat.

Carbs

The amount of carbs in turmeric is almost four times higher than in ginger.

It has 67.14g of carbs per 100g, containing 22.7g of fiber and 44.44g of net carbs. Ginger has 17.77g of carbs per 100g, of which 2g is fiber and 15.77g are net carbs.

Cholesterol

Both turmeric and ginger have no cholesterol.

Minerals

Turmeric contains a higher amount of minerals. It has more copper, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and potassium.

Iron is 90 times higher, and zinc is 12 times higher in turmeric than ginger. It also falls in the range of the top 2% of foods as a source of iron and can fully convert your daily iron need.

However, ginger contains less sodium.

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.

Turmeric

9

:

1

Ginger

Contains more Calcium +950%

Contains more Iron +9066.7%

Contains more Magnesium +383.7%

Contains more Phosphorus +779.4%

Contains more Potassium +401.2%

Contains more Zinc +1223.5%

Contains more Copper +475.2%

Contains more Manganese +8546.3%

Contains more Selenium +785.7%

Contains less Sodium -51.9%

Turmeric

Ginger

Contains more Calcium +950%

Contains more Iron +9066.7%

Contains more Magnesium +383.7%

Contains more Phosphorus +779.4%

Contains more Potassium +401.2%

Contains more Zinc +1223.5%

Contains more Copper +475.2%

Contains more Manganese +8546.3%

Contains more Selenium +785.7%

Contains less Sodium -51.9%

Vitamins

Turmeric contains a significantly higher amount of vitamins. It provides more Vitamin E, Vitamin K, folate, Vitamin B3, folate, Vitamin B2, and Vitamin B1. Vitamin K is 130 times higher in turmeric than in ginger.

Ginger is high in Vitamin C and Vitamin B6. The amount of Vitamin C is six times higher in ginger.

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.

Turmeric

7

:

2

Ginger

Contains more Vitamin E +1603.8%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +132%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +341.2%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +80%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +167%

Contains more Folate +81.8%

Contains more Vitamin K +13300%

Contains more Vitamin C +614.3%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +49.5%

Turmeric

Ginger

Contains more Vitamin E +1603.8%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +132%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +341.2%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +80%

Contains more Vitamin B5 +167%

Contains more Folate +81.8%

Contains more Vitamin K +13300%

Contains more Vitamin C +614.3%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +49.5%

Glycemic Index

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

Health Benefits

Diabetes

One study shows that ginger has insulinotropic and anti-diabetic properties. The study suggests that eating a regular rather than a high-fat diet may result in anti-diabetic effects [1].

Another study of 41 people with type 2 diabetes found that consuming 2 grams of ginger powder per day reduced fasting blood sugar by 12% [2].

Turmeric's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties can help control blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. One study shows that turmeric extract may help stabilize blood glucose levels and make diabetes more manageable [3].

Cardiovascular Health

Research shows that ginger has cardiovascular benefits. It has hypotensive, anti-hyperlipidemic, and anti-platelet properties. Furthermore, ginger functions as a cardiotonic, increasing the efficiency of heart contraction and improving blood flow throughout the body [4]. Ginger may reduce abnormalities in diabetic cardiomyopathic patients.

One study demonstrates that turmeric may improve the function of the endothelium that lines your blood vessels [5].

Cancer

Curcumin is abundant in turmeric. Curcumin has been shown in vitro and in animal studies to inhibit cancer cell development. It can promote cancer cell death and reduce angiogenesis [6].

Gingerol, a component of ginger, inhibited the growth of human colorectal cancer cells. Gingerol has been shown to inhibit the growth of skin tumors [7].

Brain Function

According to animal studies, ginger's antioxidants and bioactive compounds can inhibit inflammatory responses in the brain [8].

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 [9].

Downsides and Risks

Allergy

In rare cases, turmeric can cause side effects such as stomach upset, dizziness, or diarrhea [10].

Ginger can alleviate rhinitis symptoms because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties [11].

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6455977/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4277626/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857752/
4. https://europepmc.org/article/med/33297926
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30651162/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2758121/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9719454
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3253463/
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4211852/
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30883393/
11. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0955286315002260