Ginger has been famous for its healing power since ancient times. It has a wide therapeutic and prophylactic spectrum of action: it is a powerful antioxidant, analgesic, antibacterial, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and choleretic agent. Ginger tones up well and strengthens the immune system, fights against toxicosis and colds. It is able to cure diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, help with nausea and indigestion, lower cholesterol levels. But in order for such a useful root to be able to show its medicinal qualities, you need to know how to use ginger. In terms of its properties, it is comparable to drugs, therefore, how useful it will be, whether it will cause harm, depends on the correct use.
Ginger can be consumed in two forms - fresh and dried. Fresh product has a bright invigorating taste, while dry - more spicy and piquant. For tea, for example, freshly cut root is more suitable, and for flavoring buns and pies, dried powder is more suitable.
How to choose and prepare the ginger?
Before using ginger, be sure to verify its quality. The fresh root should have a smooth skin and be firm. Dents and black spots indicate the unsuitability of the product. Fresh ginger stays great in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, you just need to pack it well so that it does not absorb various odors. The dried root should smell good. This is the main condition for a quality product. If there is a distinct smell of mustiness or "antiquity", then this indicates the obvious spoilage of the spice.
Proper harvesting of ginger root is also the basis for ensuring that the product will bring maximum benefits. To prepare a fresh root, you need to clean it well of all kinds of dirt and wash it under running water. Then you should clean the root from a thin layer of skin, since it is under the skin that all the "usefulness" is preserved.
For whom is ginger contraindicated?
Before you start pampering your body with this miracle root, you need to make sure that there are no individual contraindications. Despite its wide track record, ginger is still a very specific product. It owes its beneficial effect to the high content of essential oils in the composition. So who should stop eating ginger anyway?
- Expectant mothers (ginger can provoke an increased tone of the uterus);
- heart patients and hypertensive patients;
- ulcers;
- people with kidney and / or bladder stones.
These people will not benefit from ginger, on the contrary, it can aggravate the condition, complicate the course of the disease and harm the body. People with heart disease and hypertension should be especially careful. In addition, any inflammatory process in the body is a contraindication to the use of ginger, even for medicinal purposes.
Proper use of ginger
This root will only be beneficial when used correctly, so it is important to know how to properly consume ginger. In order for it to retain the maximum of useful substances, some features must be taken into account. So, adding ginger to a variety of dishes, you should observe the time when it is supposed to season dishes with this spice:
- Baking. Dried ginger powder is added directly to the dough. If it is used as a decoration, then it is sugared and put on ready-made baked goods.
- Meat dishes. For the preservation of useful properties, ginger is added about 20 minutes before the end of cooking.
- Sweet food. For sweets - 3 minutes before cooking.
- Sauces. They are seasoned with spice only after thermal exposure.
If we talk about dosage, then it is believed that you need to use 1 g of ginger root per 1 kg of dish. But it should be borne in mind that the ratio of dried and fresh ginger is different. So, 1 tbsp. l. fresh spice is equal to 1 tsp. dried.
Ginger for weight loss and for colds
Ginger is a universal spice. It is added to the first and second courses, to various desserts and drinks. Ginger is popular with people who want to lose weight because it reduces hunger. For this purpose, it is cut into thin slices and tea is prepared, which is drunk 20 minutes before a meal.
The same tea, only with the addition of honey and lemon, is very useful for colds. The daily intake of ginger tea is 2 liters. For sushi lovers, the use of ginger is simply necessary, because it is famous for its good antihelminthic effect (as you know, fresh fish contains many parasitic organisms and their eggs).
To improve overall well-being, simply eat ginger or brew delicious and healthy teas. Having chosen ginger and making it a rule to regularly season dishes with it, you can strengthen the immune system and even rejuvenate. The main thing is to remember that abuse is fraught with many unpleasant and unnecessary health problems. Therefore, in order to save yourself from trouble, you should observe the measure.
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