Interesting facts about ginger including its
history and the many health benefits of eating ginger as a garnish in cooking.What is Ginger?
Ginger is the common name for Zingiber
officinale, which was originaly cultivated in China and now equally spread
around the world.
Ginger is a herb but is often known as a
spice, with a strong distinct flavor that can increase the production of
saliva. The part that is used as spice on the plant itself is the rhizomes or
ginger root. This ginger root is traditionally used with sweet foods in Western
cuisine being included in popular recipes such as ginger ale, ginger snaps,
gingerbread, ginger biscuits and ginger cake. It is also used in many countries
as a medicinal ingredient which many believe in. Some say it can help cure
diabetes, head aches, colds, fatigue, nausea and the flu when used in tea or
food.
Is Ginger Good for You?
For over 2 thousand years Chinese medicine has
recommended the use of ginger to help cure and prevent several health problems.
It is known to promote energy circulation in the body while positively
increasing the body's metabolic rate.
Here is a list of medicinal properties ginger has
been known to have throughout history.
- antiemetic/antinausea
- anticlotting
agent
- antispasmodic
- antifungal
- anti
inflammatory
- antiseptic
- antibacterial
- antiviral
- antitussive
- analgesic
- circulatory
stimulant
- carminative
- expectorant
- hypotensive
- increases
blood flow
- promotes
sweating
- relaxes
peripheral blood vessels
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Ginger is good for your health and has been
said by some to be a plant directly from the Garden of Eden. It is also said
that consuming Ginger before taking a plane flight can prevent motion sickness.
It can make good tea, or you can use it as a spicy addition to almost any
recipe.
History of Ginger
Ginger was widely used by the ancient Romans
and it was a very expensive spice, one pound of ginger was equivalent to the
price of a whole sheep. Ginger almost became lost in history after the fall of
the Roman empire but became popular again when Europe re-discovered it. Ginger
has influenced the history of man since ancient China, wars were waged and
entire dynasties rose and fell with the objective of seizing it. The trade of
such spices were the root of the world's economy for centuries.
Ginger Facts
The ginger root is not actually a root, but a
rhizome.
The major producers of Ginger today are China
and tropical/subtropical places in Asia, Brazil, Jamaica, Nigeria.
The health benefits of honey and ginger in
treating respiratory problems are unmatched by any other concoction.
The ginger plant is approximately 30 - 60 cm
tall and is extremely rare to find in the wild.
Even today Ginger is one of the most important
spices world wide.
Ginger for Health
Ginger has a wide variety of effects on the
human body and is known to be effective for the treatment of cataracts,
amenorrhea, heart disease, migraines, stroke, , angina, athlete's foot, colds,
bursitis, chronic fatigue, tendinitis, flu, coughs, depression, dizziness,
fever, erectile difficulties, infertility, kidney stones, Raynaud's disease,
sciatica, and viral infections.
Home Remedies using Ginger
Ginger has many uses in the home remedies
department and can be used to help arthritis, diarrhea, flu, headache, heart
and menstrual problems, diabetes, stomach upset and motion sickness.
Muscle Strains - Apply warm ginger paste with turmeric
to the affected area twice a day.
Sore Throat - Boil some water and add a dash of cinnamon, a little
piece of ginger, 1 tsp honey and drink.
For a persistent cough - Take a half teaspoonful of ginger
powder, a pinch of clove with a pinch of cinnamon powder and honey in a cup of
boiled water and drink it as tea.
Ashma - A teaspoon of fresh ginger juice mixed with a cup of
fenugreek decoction and honey to taste acts as a excellent expectorant in the
treatment of asthma.
Headaches - Dilute a paste of ginger powder, about 1/2 a teaspoon,
with water and apply to you forehead.
Colds - Boil a teaspoonful of ginger powder in one quart of
water and inhale the steam - helps alleviate colds.
Ginger Compress - This method stimulates blood and body
fluid circulation, helps loosen and dissolve toxic matter eg. cysts, tumors.
Place about a handful of coarsely grated ginger in a cloth and squeeze out the
ginger juice into a pot containing 4 liters of hot water (do not boil the
water). Dip a towel into the ginger water and wring it out. Apply very hot to
the affected area.
Diabetes - Some doctors recommend some drinking ginger in water
first thing in the morning to help regulate your glucose level.
Ginger Tea - Make with fresh ginger root. Grate a small piece of
ginger, about the size of a nickel, into a mug. Add the juice of a half a
lemon. Fill the mug with boiling water. Stir in a teaspoon of organic honey.
For relief of nausea - Ginger is generally taken in doses of 200 mg
every 4 hours.
For relief of flatulence - Ginger is generally taken in doses of
250 to 500 mg 2 to 3 times a day.
Growing Ginger at Home
Ginger is cultivated all year round and can be
cultivated approximately 3 - 5 months after it was planted.
Ginger is very easy to grow and can be grown
indoors or outside in pots filled with potting mix, allow enough room in the
pots, about 10 to 12 inches deep, for the actual ginger roots to form.
The best time to plant ginger is in the
spring. Simply buy some fresh ginger roots at a local grocery store or Asian
market. Choose a smooth, shiny looking root that has some buds beginning to
form.
Soak the roots you bought in some warm water
overnight. The following day plant them in the pot(s) just beneath the soil
level. Water well.
Once the ginger has started to grow, feed
every two to three weeks with a general pot-plant feed.
A mature ginger plant will grow between two to
four feet tall. Stems and leaves may reach up to a foot long and resemble those
of a lily.
Harvest ginger roots after the rhizome has
grown for around three to four months.
Harvest ginger roots can either be stored in a
dry cupboard or refrigerated for later use.
