A Few Benefits Of Ginger
- eases indigestion
- may influence weight loss
- may reduce pain associated with arthritis
Keep in mind, most ginger research pointing towards these benefits is mostly from small, inconclusive studies that often use high doses of ginger extract.
Nonetheless, the use of ginger in cooking and as a home remedy has a long history and plenty of anecdotal evidence.
Improves Heart Health And Lowers Blood Pressure
A very important health benefit of both ginger and turmeric is their ability to naturally improve cardiovascular health.
The International Journal of Cardiology published studies on how curcumin extracts have protective effects on heart health. Among these are reducing the risk of blood clots, preventing irregular heartbeat, and having an anti-inflammatory effect on the cardiovascular system.15
Ginger also contains many therapeutic compounds that help improve your heart health. Two studies from 2005 found that among the cardio benefits of ginger are its ability to reduce blood pressure and prevent palpitations.16, 17
Where Does Ginger Come From
Originally ginger came from Southeast Asia, meaning Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei, Singapore and East Timor. This is where ginger grows naturally, though its now grown in most of Asia.
A cousin of cardamom and turmeric, it grows easily in ares of high heat and high humidity.
It arrived in Europe via the spice trade route, and was used by Greeks and Romans in many of their dishes. Nowadays though youll find the ginger root even in Hawaii, and can possibly find it grown in a greenhouse on any continent.
So if you were looking to know where your ginger comes from, its most probably from East or South Asia, as thats where it grows best.
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How To Make Ginger Tea But Avoid These Mistakes
When it comes to the question of how to make Ginger Tea, there are a handful of common mistakes that limit the efficacy of this age-old remedy. Few herbal remedies work as well as hot ginger tea for treating symptoms of the common cold.
Heres what to look for to get the very most out of this popular home remedy in fighting cold symptoms.
How To Peel Ginger Quickly And Easily
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For those who buy fresh ginger often but struggle to peel it without causing bodily injury or losing tons of ginger flesh too, here is a simple post on how to peel ginger the fastest, easiest method- with a spoon!
Fresh ginger root is an ingredient that I always have in my apartment and use every other day in cooking, drinks, smoothies, desserts, etc. After peeling ginger with peelers and a paring knife, over a few years, I turned to a simple spoon for how to peel ginger and havent looked back since. This blog post will take you through a few topics, including do you have to peel ginger? How to peel ginger, how to store it, and some of my favorite ways to use this ingredient.
I love ginger because, although its small, boy is it mighty. Ginger not only packs a punch of flavor and heat, but it also contains lots of health benefits, including alleviating nausea, helping with stomach and digestive issues, regulating blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and ever cholesterol. And that isnt all- to you can read more about the health benefits of ginger in this article.
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Ginger Tea: A Natural Cold Remedy
Ginger Tea for cold symptoms
We all know the symptoms runny nose, sore throat, and overall discomfort. According to Hildegard of Bingen, when seasons change, we become vulnerable to cold viruses this is particularly true in the cold seasons, starting on the fall equinox through winter. Most adults can expect to experience cold symptoms 2 to 4 times per year.
Weve become accustomed to reaching for quick-fixes, over-the-counter cold and flu medicine. Its easy to forget about effective home remedies to treat of colds. Ginger tea is one of the simplest home remedies for cold and flu symptoms.
As simple as it sounds, answering the question of how to make ginger tea can be effectively resolved by avoiding these common mistakes in preparation.
How To Store Fresh Ginger
If youve ever wondered how to store fresh ginger root, it couldnt be easier. Placing whole pieces of ginger that have not been cut or grated in a zip top plastic bag in the refrigerator is the best way to keep ginger root fresh the longest. Thicker pieces of ginger can last up to 8 weeks stored in the refrigerator this way.
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Ginger Tea Health Benefits
Ginger root has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. Were not doctors or nutritionists, but here are a few potential health benefits of ginger tea per a registered dietitian via BBC Food:
- Helps with digestion. Ginger has long been known to help with digestion and nausea. If youve got an upset stomach, ginger tea is much tastier than chewing on the actual root .
- May be anti-inflammatory. Ginger has key phytonutrients known as gingerols, and these may help to support a healthy biome.
- May relieve headaches and migranes. Some research has shown ginger tea to aid in pain relief.
For more more potential benefits of this ginger drink, see this article.
Ginger Tea For Coughing
The same way ginger can decongest your nose, it can also soothe a sore throat, and relieve excessive coughing. This is again because of the gingerol naturally found in ginger root.
This is the active ingredient in ginger, and the root of most of these health benefits.
Even if youre not directly drinking ginger tea for coughing, adding a few slices of ginger to a bowl of steaming water, and then breathing in the vapors laced with gingerol will help out.
Though as a treatment, Id think the actual tea, and sweetened with honey is more helpful.
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The Spoon Peeling Method
Begin by scrubbing any dirt from the ginger, using a little water and a scrubbing brush, then dry.
Next, its time to peel the ginger with a spoon. Some people use larger spoons, but I like to use a teaspoon. I find the best way to do this is to press my thumb into the base of the spoon bowl shape and use the edge of the spoon in firm, downwards movements oven the skin.
While doing this, you can either hold the ginger in your other hand or press it onto your counter/chopping board, for leverage.
Within no time at all, youre done!
Beginners Guide To Ginger Tea
Ginger is one of those plants that are constantly being praised for their health benefits. But what about ginger tea, how does it help ?
How did ginger tea come about, and where does it grow ?
And how do you make your own, in the comfort if your own home ?
All this and more will be covered in this beginners guide to ginger tea. I plan on bringing you all the info I can on ginger tea, and ginger root. Lets begin.
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Strain The Ginger From The Tea
Finally, remove the ginger slices from the tea.
All you have to do is pour the tea into a cup through a fine mesh strainer to catch the ginger pieces.
If you steeped it in a kettle with a strainer lid, simply pour the tea into a cup.
Or if you used a french press or tea press, press it and pour the tea into a mug.
Can You Drink Ginger Tea Every Day
Yes, if youre not pregnant, or under 2 years of age, then you can drink ginger tea every day. The only catch is that you should not drink more than 3-4 grams of ginger root extract. Youd need a lot of tea to get to get that far, since 1 gram of ginger extract is:
- half a teaspoon of powdered ginger
- a full teaspoon of raw, grated ginger
- or one regular ginger teabag
And seeing as each of these makes about 1 cup of 8 oz/236 ml of tea, youd need about 3-4 cups of ginger tea to reach the safe limit. No matter how great ginger tea is, I doubt many people will drink this much.
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More Delicious Tea Recipes
Another couple of amazing refreshing teas you should try out is both the super-easy rosemary tea and also the refreshing hibiscus tea. These both have lots of fantastic health benefits, making them perfect if youre a feeling a little run down.
You can also buy this tea in either tea bag form or loose-leaf, and you can find it over at Amazon. They have some pretty good ginger tea bags, or if you prefer it, then ginger tea in loose-leaf form.
If you have your variation, thoughts, or anything else you would love to share with us on this ginger tea recipe, then please drop us a comment below.
Ginger In A Tube Vs Fresh Ginger
If you read this blog regularly, then you know I use Ginger Paste from Gourmet Garden. But the nutrients of ginger are compromised in the tube, so for this tea, use fresh ginger. It’s worth the extra effort.
BTW, you don’t need to peel the ginger for this recipe, only coarsely grate it.
And now, let’s make this tea.
Update! This tea was recently included in a roundup of 50 teas on the Tea Leafed website . If you’re looking for more tea ideas , go check it out here!
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How To Make Ginger Tea From Fresh Ginger Root
This method for how to make ginger tea from fresh ginger root will surprise you with how easy it is to make such a potent and delicious tisane.
Ginger root tea is one of my absolute favorite drinks to make at homeand it doubles as a wellness tonic that costs merely cents and minutes to prepare. With just a small nub of fresh ginger root, water, and honey, you can make a potent tea that is both soothing and delicious.
According to WebMD, ginger helps to settle stomach aches and nausea, and it may also help alleviate symptoms from muscle pain, menstrual cramps, and respiratory ailments including asthma, coughs, and bronchitis. In addition to these wellness effects, I find that drinking ginger tea is simply soothing and invigorating, highly enjoyable and relaxing. And when made fresh, the tea can be extremely refreshing, having a very different quality of spunk and refreshment than tea made from dried ginger.
In order to make this tea successfully, the trick is to truly simmer the ginger root, not just steep it in hot water. Merely steeping ginger in hot water will give you little more than water with a tinge of ginger flavor. But in boiling the ginger, youre able to actually extract the flavor and essence of ginger right into the water, making a powerful and spirited tea.
What Does It Taste Like
The flavor of fresh ginger is slightly peppery and sweet, with a pungent and spicy aroma. Much like garlic, fresh ginger mellows with cooking and turns bitter if burned. The ground form is not as strongly flavored but has a warm bite and a little sweetness. Ground ginger is used often in desserts and is not easily swapped with fresh ginger.
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How To Know The Ginger Is Ready
No matter which method you use, what youre looking for is completely dry ginger. It needs to be a crunchy kind of dry that snaps rather than bends.
Any moisture left in the ginger will cause it to become paste-like when ground, instead of a powder. It will also impact the shelf life so make sure theres no bend to the ginger before moving to the next step.
You can use the ginger slices, as is, to make homemade ginger tea too!
GRINDING THE DRIED GINGER
You can follow the next step for both methods.
Place the dried ginger slices or dried ginger pulp into a grain/seed grinder or into a food processor/blender.
Grind the dried ginger into powder.
Its best to sieve the powder to collect any larger pieces which you can then grind again.
Youll be left with a super-fine ground ginger powder that you can then transfer into an airtight glass jar and store for around six months. You could also store it in the freezer for even longer likely 12 months or more.
Let Me Know What You Think
So, to end my post about how to make ginger root tea, I ask you to let me know your impressions of these recipes and how you most like to enjoy this versatile beverage!
If you try ginger root tea out, I hope you love these recipes as much as I do
Also, please check out my recent post on the health benefits of ginger.
This wonderful ingredient is a herbal root has been used for thousands of years both medicinally and as a dietary addition, and its no wonder with its unique taste and valuable health benefits.
Anyway, thats all for this post. Coming up soon will be a food list , so keep an eye out
Until the next one, stay healthy
James
References:
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Using Ginger Juice Pulp
Whenever I make Ginger Juice, I save the pulp into teaspoon-sized servings in an ice-cube tray. Once frozen, I pop them into a silicone bag and use them as needed.
When making this tea, remove 1-2 tsp sized pieces of pulp from the freezer and place it in a tea strainer.
Pour the boiling water over the pulp and then leave to steep for 5-10 minutes. The flavor of ginger pulp tea will differ from that using fresh ginger. Not only because of the change in the steeping method, but also the texture of the ginger.
Once steeped, add lemon slices and honey and enjoy your honey ginger tea!
Health Benefits Of Fresh Ginger Root Tea Include The Following:
Ginger has antiviral properties that can inhibit the attachment of viruses to the cell, stimulates antiviral macrophage activity, and inhibits viral proteases.
Ginger is also antibacterial, anti-diarrheal, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and an immune stimulant.
Many bacteria use elastase to break down cellular tissue to penetrate and invade the body. Ginger is an elastase inhibitor to prevent bacteria from invading.
Ginger has antimicrobial properties against bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumanii, angiostongylus, campylobacter jejuni, candida Albicans, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, h.pylori, Klebsiella pneumoniae, porphyomonas gingicalis, staphylococcus aureus, and toxoplasma gondii.
Ginger can be used for a wide range of viral infections, including colds, influenza, hepatitis, herpes, yellow fever, measles, chickenpox, enterovirus, and respiratory viral infections.
Ginger also helps to calm nausea, reduce diarrhea and stomach cramping by relaxing the intestinal wall, reduce fever by stimulating sweating, reduce cold chills, reduce inflammation in the bronchial passageway, thins mucus to move it out of the system, helps to reduce coughing and has pain-relieving properties.
These antimicrobial and antiviral health benefits of ginger root, among others, make fresh ginger root tea a great immune-supporting drink to have in times of feeling unwell or coming down with the flu or a cough.
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Questions You May Have
Is there caffeine in this drink?
Theres no caffeine at all in ginger tea. You can drink it all day without worrying about it keeping you up at night.
Can I grate ginger ahead of time?
You can grate ginger ahead of time and freeze it. Store it in a resealable plastic bag, flattening it before freezing. When you need some grated ginger, snap off a piece.
Can I eat the ginger pulp instead of straining it out?
Yes!
Does honey lose its nutrients once its added to hot water?
There are claims that you destroy the good enzymes in honey if you add it to boiling hot water. If youre worried about this, add the honey to your teacup after the tea has steeped and poured.
What should I look for when buying ginger root?
Avoid buying fresh ginger root thats shriveled and dry. Look for plump and firmness. Its sold by weight dont be afraid to break off a piece of the freshest ginger root you see in the pile if its too big.
Immunity Boosting Benefits Of Honey Lemon Ginger Tea
Honey’s antioxidant and antibacterial properties help improve the digestive system and boost immunity. Its antioxidants are also very effective for removing free radicals from the body.
Lemons boost the immune system with both its abundant vitamin C and potassium, and help detoxify your body of illness-promoting free radicals. Even if you don’t make this tea, start your day with a glass of water and a lemon wedge.
Ginger is closely related to another health powerhouse turmeric, and has a long history of use in both traditional and alternative medicine. Ginger aids digestion, kick-starts your metabolism, and is an effective detoxifier. Additionally, its anti-inflammatory properties help fight off the flu and common cold.
When you combine all three, my friends, you have a powerful immunity booster that is ready in minutes and tastes great.
Additionally, as I posted in a newsletter to readers subscribing to my Vegetarian Challenge series, it boosts energy during the day. Go check out my 5 Easy Ways to Boost Energy post, if your energy flags during the day.
If you’re struggling with switching to a more vegetarian diet, join my Monthly Vegetarian Meals Challenge. Each month I post tips, must-have kitchen appliances and ingredients for the vegetarian pantry, ways to build flavor, and more. Additionally, we tackle 1 3 seasonal recipes tied to the theme that month. Subscribe to Monthly Vegetarian Meals Challenge.
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