EnXtra Alpinia galangal, which is found to provide many health benefits to an individual. It is known as galangal, a type of spice commonly used in Asian cooking. Other than cooking, it was also used as a traditional herb to treat illnesses. The health benefits of galangal are now supported with more scientific studies. Current studies show that galangal is rich in antioxidants, thus helping in improving of conditions such as:
Enhance Focus Attention
When we are sleepy, and unable to focus on what we are doing, coffee is usually the answer to our needs. However, coffee alone might not be able to provide a sufficient effect. With the addition of galangal to the coffee, it was found to further improve the efficacy in promoting our alertness and productivity. By adding the galangal extract to the coffee, response times are significantly reduced, indicating that coffee combined with galangal extract can improve our alertness in comparison with just coffee alone. [1]
Avoid Coffee “Crash”
When we drink coffee, it is often recommended to drink in moderation and at the right time. This is because there is a potential effect of the coffee, or what we call the caffeine crash that happens after coffee consumption. The potential effects include extreme tiredness, loss of concentration, irritability or headache.[2] It was found that galangal is able to impede the caffeine crash, when it is combined with coffee.[1]
Anti-Inflammatory Effect
Inflammation is a self-defense mechanism as a part of our immune response. However, it will become harmful if it becomes chronic, which leads to more diseases. It was found that galangal contains different types of antioxidants and it works well as an anti-inflammatory agent. Studies show that consumption of galangal can fight against inflammation in our body, while having a pain reduction effect. [3]
Improve Lipid Profile
Lipid profile, including cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels could be harmful if it gets too high. Lipid metabolism disorders such as high cholesterol and high triglyceride are found to be associated with higher risks of cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure or stroke. Galangal was found to improve the lipid profile in our bodies, especially in lowering the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is also known as bad cholesterol. [4]
Improve Brain Function
Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease that starts with mild memory loss, but can eventually lead to loss of ability to carry out daily activities. This is caused by the degenerative progress of our brain cells, causing brain function to deteriorate. The polyphenols of the galangal are found to protect your brain cells from oxidative stress and damage, thus lowering the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.[5]
Improve Male Fertility
Nearly 1 in 7 couples are infertile, and male infertility plays at least a partial role in half of these incidence. Male infertility can mean low sperm count, abnormal sperm function or blockage and it could be stressful and frustrating. Galangal was found to increase sperm count, especially
the healthy sperm quantity of an individual. This could be contributed by the phytochemical content of galangal, as it can reduce the oxidative damage that affects sperm quality in the body. The improvement of sperm quality will further increase the pregnancy rate and lower the risk of genetic disease.[6]
Alpina Galangal, other than adding flavor to your cooking, also adds antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and lots of health benefits for you. It also lowers the risks of diseases as well as boosting male fertility.
References
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2017
- Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2022
- Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2020
- Journal of Food and Dairy Science, 2019
- Molecules, 2022
- Andrologia, 2018
