Next time you’re feeling under the weather with a cold, mild sore throat or tummy ache, head to the kitchen before opening the medicine cabinet and look for some ginger.
Ginger root is a versatile, healthful and delicious food, and it can also help ward off colds and flu, soothe a scratchy throat and stave off nausea. If that weren’t enough, ginger root is relatively inexpensive, making it a great addition to add to your kitchen cupboard through the winter.
Originally grown in China, a country that still produces much of the world’s crop of ginger today, the roots (or rhizomes, more accurately) are put to many culinary uses in most countries of the world. There are literally hundreds of ways to enjoy the delicious and soothing taste of ginger, most with the added benefit of making your feel better.
Ginger root may be peeled and grated, or chopped to add flavour and healthful properties to stir fries, sauces or soups such as lentil or carrot. The sliced root is often pickled and served as a condiment with Japanese food such as sushi. Fermented ginger root has additional healing properties. Organic ginger is a great choice for healing and culinary uses if you can find it.
If you feel a cold coming on, strengthen your immune system and chase away toxins by drinking a pot of ginger root tea. To make it, simply bring four cups of water to a boil and add a quarter cup chopped, peeled ginger root to the pot. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes; strain and flavour with a squeeze of lemon and sweeten with honey, if desired.
Drink it warm, throughout the day when you are feeling under the weather. Ginger tea will also help with nausea and can even provide some relief from mild asthma. A dash of cayenne spice will add the anti-inflammatory benefits of curcumin to your ginger tea.
The dried powder obtained from ginger root is called ginger spice and is used to flavour sweet pastries and cookies such as gingerbread and ginger snaps. The western palate generally restricts use of ginger to these sweet foods or beverages such as ginger ale. But you might also enjoy a dash of ginger spice in your next cup of coffee or black tea. Plus, you can take it in capsule form to help soothe nausea.
Candied ginger root is a sweet, spicy candy-like treat and makes a wonderful addition to sugar cookies or sweet buns. Simply chop the candied ginger and add a half cup to your favourite vanilla or chocolate cookie recipe or mix into any bread or sweet bun recipe as a substitute for raisins or candied fruit peel. When travelling, a small amount of candied ginger is a great addition in your carry-on or travel bag as you can chew this delicious snack to ward off air- or car-sickness.
