Ginger (Zingiber officinale), its edible rhizome is a spice plant, known and valued for its unusual properties in many countries of the world. In Asia, it has been described in Chinese and Tibetan medicine for 3000 years, as well as in Ayurveda and traditional Japanese Kampo medicine. Ginger is an intense spice with a spicy sweet bitter taste, with a fresh, slightly woody aroma, valued in Asian cuisine, including a component of South Asian spicy curry or Indian garam masala. Currently, many of its health-promoting properties are known, some have been confirmed by laboratory and clinical tests.
PROPERTIES OF GINGER ROOT
- Warming, disinfecting, bactericidal: In the first stages of colds or flu, to get rid of chills and aversion to cold it is good to drink a ginger brew that causes sweat. Ginger root It works antipyretic and added to dishes increases their warming character. Eaten it disinfects and refreshes the mouth, protects the whole body.
- Expectorant: Active ingredients in ginger relax and help get rid of mucus from the lungs. It is rich in anti-inflammatory and antibacterial substances. Helps with coughing, bronchitis, asthma, infections and other breathing problems.
- Analgesic: Used during menstruation reduces menstrual pain, is helpful with postoperative pain, sore throat, reduces the incidence of migraines.
- Improves blood circulation: It is recommended for drowsy and sluggish people as well as for people with a tendency to cold limbs (hands, feet, knees), with a pale complexion, pale lips. It works against swelling, helps with thrombosis because it dilutes blood like aspirin, without causing stomach discomfort.
- It improves concentration - due to the fact that more oxygen reaches the brain along with the blood, it strengthens the heart. By boosting circulation, it also stimulates the sexual organs - in Asia it is considered an aphrodisiac.
- Stimulates digestion, prevents nausea: The oil contained in the rhizome stimulates the secretion of saliva and gastric juice, improves appetite, acts as a choleretic and diastolic. It is given with loss of appetite, stomach discomfort, diarrhea, abdomen, spikes, indigestion, flatulence, post-operative pain, motion sickness, general nausea, as well as morning sickness as well as chemotherapy or narcosis. It also has diuretic properties, strengthens and cleanses the kidneys.
- In cosmetics: Already in ancient times, ginger was also added to cosmetic preparations. Also now, ginger oil is used in slimming and modeling preparations, because it stimulates blood circulation and fights cellulite, accelerating fat burning.
GINGER ROOT - DOSAGE AND DIRECTIONS FOR USE
- Motion sickness: 1-2 capsules with ginger powder 30 minutes before traveling. It usually works for 4 hours. If nausea later occurs, take one or two capsules.
- Indigestion and digestive disorders: Daily about 1 g of powdered rhizome or 60-100 drops of tincture in a glass of water.
- Rheumatism and arthritis: Usually 5 g fresh ginger or 0.5 g dried (⅓ teaspoon) 3 times a day is recommended.
It is better to eat it with dishes to avoid burning in the mouth.
Examples of use / Recipes:
- Fresh ginger juice: (ginger grated on a fine grater), use for motion sickness, hiccups and vomiting, as well as for food poisoning. Dosage: 1-2 tablespoons of juice, washed down with warm water. Ginger juice can also be added to soups before the end of cooking.
- Foot bath: (with signs of freezing and trouble falling asleep, cold feet). Pour hot water and 2 tablespoons of ginger powder into the pelvis, mix, soak feet to above ankle, then wipe, put on warm socks and go to bed.
- Ginger drink that makes you sweat: On a cold (in the case of fever and chills and aversion to cold). Cook 15 g dried ginger in about 2 glasses of water for about 20 minutes, add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and drink.
- Tincture for digestion
⅔ ginger root
⅓ dried dates
good quality vodka
a large jar with a screw cap
Put alternately chopped ginger and whole dates into large jars. They should fill the whole jar. Pour everything over with vodka so that it covers all the ingredients and turn the jar off. Let stand for a minimum of 3 weeks. The older the tincture, the better, it can be stored for up to two years. Drink a small glass of tincture after eating (about 3 tablespoons).
- Ginger for cough: Peel a piece of fresh ginger (approx. 30-50 g), grate it and squeeze the juice. Then mix the juice with honey or cane sugar (about 1-1.5 tablespoons), add 1.5-2 cups of hot water. Drink 1 cup 3 times a day.
- Body bath: (for colds with fever and chills)
Ok. Boil 100 g chopped ginger root in approx. 1.5-2 glasses of water, rub the ready broth into the body. Then dress warmly and go to bed.
COMPOSITION
Ginger rhizome contains 0.6-3% of essential oil and non-volatile substances - resins. The composition of the oil varies depending on the origin of the raw material; solid are the main components responsible for the aroma, which include sesquiterpene hydrocarbons such as zingiberen, curcumin, b-bisabolen. Aldehydes, alcohols and monoterpene hydrocarbons are also present: citral (cis and trans forms), a- and b-fandren, limonene, linalool, camphene, a- and b-pinene. Zingiberol is a main fragrance carrier, which is a mixture of cis and trans isomers of b-eudesmol. The main biologically active ingredients among acute non-volatile substances are gingerols - combinations of the complex type of phenylpropane derivatives - identified as 1- (3´-methoxy-4´-hydroxyphenyl) -5-hydroxyalkan-3-ones. During processing and storage of the rhizome, products of dehydration of gingerols - shogaol are formed
Nutritional values
100 g contains - 50 kcal, 87 g of water, 1.4 g of protein, 0.7 g of fat, 8.7 g of carbohydrates, vitamins B1 and B2, 4 mg of vit. C, 20 mg calcium, 45 mg phosphorus, 0.6 mg iron, 387 mg potassium, about 3% of essential oils.
PRECAUTIONS AND INTERACTIONS
- Do not use in case of hypersensitivity to ginger.
- Ginger rhizome consumed in excess may cause gastrointestinal complaints.
- Ginger is not recommended for patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers and reflux.
- Ginger used as a spice or as an infusion is safe for pregnant and lactating women.
