How Galangal Supports Gut Health and Weight Loss
"At the heart of Chinese Medicine is a focus on nourishing our life force energy—our Qi—which is the basis for all optimal functioning of all our organs and systems," Dr. Roginski explains. She goes on to tell us that one of the oldest medical texts, the Huang Di Nei Jing, teaches that "the source of our energy and health is the diet," and that digestion functions like a "cooking fire."
"When our digestion is warm and toasty, our metabolism is literally firing on all cylinders," she says. But habits like eating too many cold or raw foods, multitasking during meals, or skipping meals can take a toll on your digestive system, leading to the accumulation of "incompletely digested foods and their by-products," which Chinese medicine refers to as "Damp." Dr. Roginski notes that Damp is "roughly equivalent to our modern idea of inflammation," and it can leave you feeling sluggish, foggy, bloated, and prone to weight gain.
This poor digestion can disrupt the gut microbiome. "The undigested food ferments in the gut, disrupting the microbiome…irritating the gut (leading to inflammation, leaky gut, SIBO, etc.)," Dr. Roginski explains. And your gut is closely linked to your weight management; an off-balance microbiome could make it difficult to lose pounds and keep them off.
That’s where galangal comes in. "Galangal boosts digestive function, which means less undigested accumulation, cutting off Damp/inflammation at the root," Dr. Roginski says. And when your digestion improves, your energy, metabolism, and mental clarity will follow!
Dr. Roginski also notes that galangal is considered an antioxidant and is able to "beneficially modulate bacterial populations in the gut," making it a great choice for gut health and weight management.
Galangal can also support your energy levels, potentially improving your overall energy flow in the body. "Galangal is also a powerful mover of Qi—our life force energy," Dr. Roginski explains. Qi supports everything from circulation and immune health to cellular metabolism and mitochondrial function. When energy doesn’t flow properly, pain and inflammation can develop. As the saying goes, "Where there is pain, there is no free flow; where there is free flow, there is no pain"—and, as Dr. Roginski notes, galangal helps restore that movement.
How To Use Galangal
Incorporating galangal into your routine is surprisingly easy. "You can use galangal in teas and in cooking," Dr. Roginski says, noting its zesty, refreshing flavor. You can steep a few slices of fresh galangal for tea, add lemon and honey, or even drop it into black tea. Dried galangal works too, she says.
For meals, she suggests adding "several slices (or ½–1 teaspoon dried) to soups, stews, and curries to lift the flavor and support digestion." It’s a simple upgrade that could make a meaningful difference in gut health, inflammation levels, and metabolic function. Sign us up!