HEALTH BENEFITS OF GINGER

In the next few posts we will discuss some popular condiments and find out how we can get the most out of them.

 

 

Ginger is an old plant which originated from China from whence it has spread to different parts of the world including West Africa.  Ginger is a root tuber plant that is widely used for a variety of things. Approximately 2,000 years ago ginger was an export product from China and Ancient India to the Roman Empire. During medieval times Ginger became popular in the preparation of sweets around Europe and around this period in England 1pound weight of ginger is equivalent to one sheep.

 

PRESERVATION;

Ginger can be preserved by drying it out and then stored in an air tight jar. The shelf life is further increased by storing up in a refrigerator this way it can last as long as one (1) year. Another way is to store the fresh unpeeled ginger, here the trick is to buy fresh, young organically grown ginger and store in about 5 degrees in the freezer and this can keep the ginger fresh for between three (3) to six (6) weeks.

 

BENEFIT

Ginger can be used in various ways and along with this is a long list of researched and even ongoing research on the benefit of consumption of ginger;

GINGER IN SCRAMBLED EGGS

 

 

 

1. Ginger can be boiled with palm tree juice (palm wine) and taken to prevent flu.

 

2. "Ginger eggs" is made by dicing ginger root into scrambled eggs this is a home remedy for cough

 

3. Ginger has been known to be useful in the treatment of inflammation and osteoarthritis

 

4. In India it is common to paste up ginger and apply it to the temple to relieve headache.

 

5. It is known also to reduce fatigue and control poor dietary habits

 

6. It can be sometimes used to flavor tea and used to relieve sore throat.

 

7. It is also used to prevent morning sickness in pregnant women, ovarian cancer, asthmatic symptoms, painful menstruation and muscle pain

 

8. Ginger can be boiled up in water for treating stomach aches

 

9. Ginger is believed to aid blood circulation

 

10. Ginger is good for firing up your appetite. If you don’t feel hungry even though it already lunch time then eat a fresh piece of ginger root

 

11. Ginger helps in the absorption and assimilation of nutrients in the body

 

12. Ginger tossed in honey is a great way to cure nausea.

 

13. Ginger helps to reduce flatulence

 

14. Ginger also helps overcome post-surgical nausea, morning sickness and chemotherapy nausea. It has been found to be more effective than placebo but not found to be better/superior to placebo on general terms

 

15. It has some aphrodisiac properties hence helps in curing Bedroom blues

 

16. Ginger acts as a good food preservative

 

17. Ginger has been promoted in western world to keep tumors from developing though there is no scientific evidence to support this believe. Ginger has been researched and found to slow down the growth of tumors in animals. But it is not known if it has the same effect in human beings.

 

18. It has been researched and found to be effective on treating diabetic cataract and ovarian cancer

 

19. It stimulates the production of saliva which makes swallowing easier

 

20. It is used to treat burns on the skin

 

POTENCY:

 

 

 

 

Juice from old ginger roots are more potent than other types of ginger however, the time you add ginger to your recipe would generally determine how gingery you want your dish to taste. Add ginger (fresh/ powdered) to your dish at the beginning of preparation and you will get a mild taste of ginger when it is done. But for a gingery dish add ginger towards the end of your preparation and leave to simmer.

 

CAUTION:

Children under 2years of age should not be given Ginger, also pregnant women should take less than a regular portion for an adult because ginger is mutagenic (there are conflicting study results on this) and may affect the foetus.

Ginger is also known to interact with medications used in treating diabetes, blood thinning and high blood pressure

 

With powdered ginger you may experience bloating, gassing, heartburn and even nausea.

 You may also experience allergies in form of rash.

 

RECIPE; Ginger, Carrot and Apple Juice

 Ingredients

1 bulb of peeled fresh ginger

6 carrots

3 apples

250cl of water

Sugar (optional)

 

Preparation;

 

Slice the ginger, carrots, pineapple and apples and blend.

Pour out paste add 250cl of water and sieve. You can also add sugar to taste

Serve; chilled. 

 

 

Now that our ginger juice is ready come join me in enjoying this cold glass of ginger juice.

 

Finally, for those with the entrepreneurial mind you can produce and sell ginger juice commercially. It’s a great way to generate income. Wink* till next time people let’s continue to embrace and enjoy this newly found tuber.

Till next time, stay healthy wealthy and wise.