According to the most recent Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, obesity is a chronic health problem. The National Center for Health Statistics indicated that 39.6% of US adults age 20 and older were obese as of 2015-2016 (37.9% for men and 41.1% for women). The rates of obesity have been on a continuous rise since 1990 in all states, including Virginia. It is estimated that 3/4 of the American population will likely be overweight or obese by 2025. We conducted research to determine ginger’s phenolic content and antioxidation properties at different harvesting times and test its effects on lipid droplet formation in 3T3 adipocytes. Ginger samples at various stages of maturity were harvested every two weeks, starting from October 15, 2017, until January 15, 2018. Our data indicate that ginger has the highest content of phenolic compounds and superior antioxidation activity when harvested early (immature baby ginger); however, the concentration of phenolic compounds and its antioxidation activity were progressively reduced up to 50% as ginger matures. Furthermore, the data indicate that ginger was able to reduce oil droplet accumulation by 25%-40% in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner, possibly via inhibition of de novo fatty acid synthesis, which consequently resulted in 50% inhibition of triglycerides accumulation in the adipocytes. Ginger treatment of 3T3 cells inhibited genes involved in adipogenesis, including CEBP-beta, and genes involved in lipogenesis, including Acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Our results suggest harvesting ginger at an appropriate (early) time to optimize or maintain the qualitative and quantitative levels of biologically active compounds. The data also indicate that regular use of ginger can potentially lower incidences of obesity and obesity-related complications, a growing concern in the state of Virginia.
December 28, 2025