INGREDIENT GUIDE
Ginger
Nothing tastes quite like ginger, that spicy-citrus flavor warms a dish like no other. Ginger is actually not a root, but rather an underground stem! It promotes digestion and stimulates metabolism, which leads to increased calorie burning. The creation of the first gingerbread man cookie is credited to Queen Elizabeth I.
Select ginger that has smooth skin and a firm texture, and feels heavy for its size. Avoid pieces that feel soft, wrinkled, or appear moldy.
Store ginger in a resealable plastic bag with the air pushed out, and place the bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Ginger tea is great for a sore throat and sinus congestion. Make ginger tea by simmering a two-inch cube of ginger cut into slices with a cup of water covered over low heat for 10 minutes.
Add grated ginger to your smoothie to aid digestion and improve energy.
Chewing on ginger can help take the edge off nausea caused by an upset stomach, pregnancy, motion sickness, or chemotherapy treatment. It goes directly to the stomach to treat the problem rather than blocking messages to the brain like some anti-nausea medications. Toss pieces of ginger in honey to help with the spiciness.
White scar? Cut some fresh ginger and dab it on the scarred areas everyday for a few weeks. Don’t wash the juice off, you’ll notice the scar fade.
Cooked ginger tastes sweeter and less spicy than raw ginger because when you cook ginger, the gingerol turns into a zingerone which is more mellow and spicy-sweet than gingerol.
Ginger has a mild anticoagulant (blood-thinning) effect, so if you’re on blood-thinning medication, you shouldn’t consume too much.
Instead of a peeler, use the side of a spoon to easily (and safely) scrape the skin off of ginger. Young ginger skin doesn’t need to be peeled.
Powdered ginger is actually stronger than fresh. When seasoning food, start with less and add more as needed.
Grate a touch of ginger over a vanilla panna cotta or strawberry sorbet to wake up the flavor.
A knob of ginger from a root purchased in a mainstream grocery store will likely be between a 1/2 inch to 2 inches in length.
The chemical gingerol in ginger is an anti-inflammatory agent, which helps reduce swelling for people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The chromium, magnesium and zinc found in ginger help to improve blood flow, as well as prevent chills, fever, and excessive sweat.
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