Objective: This study was performed to investigate the effect of powdered ginger supplemented to the diet on blood lipid indices in individuals with moderate physical activity that are recommended only lifestyle intervention by Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation.

Methods: In this exploratory experiment, individuals were divided into 2 groups as ginger supplementation (n = 20) and control (n = 20). The ginger supplementation group received 1 ginger capsule (400 mg ginger extract, 80 mg gelatin) twice a day for a month. Blood lipid levels (total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and systolic blood pressure were measured, and Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation values were calculated.

Results: The systolic blood pressure and Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation values in the ginger supplementation group were decreased (P < .05). The systolic blood pressure values of the ginger supplementation group before and after the study were higher than the control group (P < .05). Systolic blood pressure values in both groups were decreased compared to previous levels. Before and after the study, the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation values of the ginger supplementation group were found to be lower than that of the control group (P < .05). The study showed that 85% of the ginger supplementation group remained in the category requiring a lifestyle change and possibly drug treatment, whereas 15% of the individuals moved to the category in which no intervention was required for lipid levels. However, 90% of the participants of the control group remained in the lifestyle change category.

Conclusion: The results of the current study implicate that consumption of ginger might be beneficial to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and further studies are needed to explore this effect in more detail.

Keywords: Blood lipid levels, coronary risk score, ginger