Food of the Week: Ginger

Ginger has been used medicinally and as a gastrointestinal remedy for about 3000 years. Today, research shows that “gingerol”, an antioxidant in ginger, does have medicinal properties. It’s not just a myth - As your mother may have told you for years, ginger improves symptoms of nausea, vomiting and motion sickness. More than that, it may also ease indigestion, and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that may help those with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

For therapeutic use, try the following doses of powdered ginger (rhizone):

For indigestion: 2-4 grams per day

Motion sickness: 1 gram 30 minutes before travel, 1/2 - 1 gram every 4 hours if symptoms continue

Arthritis: 1-2 grams per day

For a therapeutic ginger tea, try placing a few slices of ginger root in a tea strainer, and steep for 10 minutes.

*Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any supplement.

Ginger facts:

• Queen Elizabeth I is said to have created gingerbread men to look like palace guests
• Fresh ginger, as we buy in the store, is actually the knobby root of the ginger plant.
• Jamaica is the world’s largest supplier of ginger, and also grows in South east Asia and the Caribbean
• Fresh and ground ginger have very different tastes, and therefore are not interchangeable in cooking

Ginger will keep in the fridge in wrapped plastic for up to one week, or frozen for up to three months.

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