Good old ginger

Ginger, or the ginger root, which is the underground stem of the Zingiber Officinale plant, has been widely regarded as one of the super foods that can cure almost every ailment known to man. Is this a fact…or a myth?

Let us dig a little deeper into this nutrient-packed super food.

PREVENTS NAUSEA

Chewing on a piece of sliced ginger can miraculously relieve nausea and prevent vomiting. A dose of 1gram of ginger can help tackle morning sickness, the layman term for "nausea and vomiting caused by pregnancy."

RELIEF FROM OSTEOARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Although both terms are widely used by laymen to describe joint pain, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis refer to specific problems. Ginger is known to reduce inflammations in the body, and thus reduce pain!

BETTER DIGESTION

Ginger helps in absorption of nutrients in the gastro-intestinal tract and can help prevent ailments like diarrhoea or abdominal pain. 

SAY GOODBYE TO RESPIRATORY DISEASES

This superfood aids in expanding the lungs, and loosening the phlegm as it is a natural expectorant that removes mucus from the system. This helps in relieving coughs and makes it easier to breathe, all together making the respiratory system active.

FIGHTS CANCER

According to studies at the University of Michigan, ginger is effective at killing cancerous cells in the ovary just as much as standard drugs.

A HEALTHIER HEART

Ginger lowers LDL (the so-called 'bad cholesterol'), while increasing the amount of HDL (the 'good cholesterol'). Not just that, despite their presence in trace amounts, the chromium, magnesium and zinc in ginger helps prevent blood clots.

PREVENTS COLD

Consuming ginger two to three times a day can help prevent colds and flus, and has been used for this purpose in Asia for thousands of years.

RECIPE

GINGER FRIED RICE

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked brown rice

2 tbsp fresh ginger (chopped or grated)

2 cups vegetables, diced (spinach, broccoli, carrot, and snap peas work well!)

½ cup egg substitute or egg whites (2 eggs)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar

3-4 tbsp soy sauce

Method

Cook rice according to package instructions and set aside. Scramble eggs, and set aside. Once the eggs and the rice are cooked, heat oil over medium heat in a large pot or skillet. When oil is hot, add ginger. When ginger becomes fragrant (about 1 minute), add the vegetables and sauté until cooked through (almost soft). Add cooked rice and eggs to the ginger and vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Season with rice vinegar and soy sauce, and mix thoroughly.

ICED ORANGE GINGER GREEN TEA

Ingredients

4 cups water (distilled or spring)

5 organic green tea bags

2 tbsp ginger, finely grated or minced

3-4 tbsp honey (add more to taste)

2 cups fresh orange juice

½ cup fresh lemon juice

Method

Heat water to a good simmer, almost to the boiling point.  Turn heat off and add tea bags. Add the ginger and let steep for 2 - 3 minutes. After the tea cools, pour through a strainer into a pitcher. Stir in the honey. Add the orange juice and lemon juice. Stir to blend. Serve chilled over ice. Garnish with mint leaves

Essentials

A 2-gram piece of ginger contains 1.6 calories; 2.4 mg omega-6 fatty acids, and 0.7 mg omega-3 fatty acids. It also contains 0.1 mg of Vitamin C; 0.2 mg of folate; 0.3 mg of calcium, 0.9 mg of magnesium, 8.3 mg of potassium, 0.3 mg of sodium and 0.7 mg of phosphorus. Ginger does not have much in the form of side effects, but the portion of raw ginger consumed in a day should be noted. People who are already suffering from heart problems or diabetes should consult their doctor before consuming too much of raw ginger. The same applies for pregnant women, or people who are on blood thinning medication.

Recipes and Photo: Collected