Ginger Root

               

Ginger, a root, is an excellent ingredient to incorporate into your daily diet. Ginger is available all year long and you can find it in the produce section of most food stores. 

 How to Prepare

1.  Cut small/medium sized piece of ginger off of larger roots (see picture)

2.  Using the back of a spoon, scrape the skin off of the ginger. (You will waste more ginger using a knife.) 

3.  Prepare ginger (slice, mince, grate) according to recipe 

*Tip* You can use a citrus zester to finely grate the ginger for use in sauces. 

(Thanks La!)

                       

Health Benefits of Ginger

These are just a few... 

1. Digestive system relief - Ginger is effective in curing aching bellies, gas, motion sickness and relieving indigestion. Ginger can also help pregnant women alleviate morning sickness!   
2. Immune System Boosting - Ginger can help relieve congestion and prevent the common cold.  It is also reported that ginger contains cancer fighting properties, which may help prevent cancers of the prostate, colon, breast, ovarian, and lung. 
3. Anti-inflammatory / Arthritis relief -   We read about several studies that provide evidence ginger blocks the formation of inflammatory compounds and has been shown to reduce pain and swelling in arthritis patients.  A very good friend with a history of painful arthritis has experienced a noticeable improvements to the way she feels ever since she has incorporated ginger into her daily diet.  This is amazing to me because I know how much pain she used to go through for such a long time. 

After seeing the difference in my friend and reading more about the health benefits of ginger, we will also be working hard to make sure we use ginger on a daily basis. 
On Thursday we'll have a recipe that uses ginger - check back in!