Ginger – 5 reasons why you should include it in your daily diet

Cranberry sauce with Ginger - A Whole Foods suggested Recipe

Zingiber officinale or ginger is native to Asia, where it has been known to have been used by cultures over four thousand years.  In Asia it is a popular accompaniment to most meal plans or used as a cooking spice. Scientists have shown the presence of several volatile oils and pungent phenols and are researching the active ingredients for traditional therapies. Click here for hundreds of photographs of ginger rhizome, the flowering plant and illustrations (although some are of animals and people named ginger).

A Ginger Rhizome at the Grocery Store

GINGER RESEARCH – 5 major health benefits

The ginger rhizome extracts could reduce bacterial load (Gaus et. al., 2009); have strong anti-oxidative activity (Kikuzaki & Nakatani, 2006); and have potential anticancer agents (Miyoshi et. al., 2003), especially gastric cancer chemo-prevention (Gaus et. al., 2009). Ginger extracts have strong inhibitory effects on COX-2 enzyme activity, an enzyme responsible for inflammation and pain (Tjendraputra et. al., 2001).

GINGER SCIENCE

Ginger has been used fresh or as a dried powder. The rhizome of the plant holds the active ingredients used in traditional therapies. The fresh rhizome is the form in which ginger is sold and it is used in Asia in hot, boiling teas which probably assists in extracting the active ingredients. Herbalists supply it as extracts, tinctures, capsules and oils. For more information on the biology, and volatile and non-volatile constituents of ginger visit the University of Maryland Medical Center site which includes ginger on its list of top ten foods that prevent inflammation.

Alpinia purpurata - Hawaiian Red Ginger plant in the field

Ginger has been traditionally used to treat:

The common cold; Motion sickness; Chemotherapy nausea; and Inflammation.

It is so easy to include a little amount of ginger in your daily diet. Doing so may prevent some inflammation from bacteria, and pain and certain types of cancer. Below we include examples of how different people all around the world are doing so.

RECIPES WITH GINGER 

Please, visit the sites below with links for the ginger recipes by different authors, several creative and delicious international ones from our wordpress community:

1) Hot tea – soothing

Add slices of fresh ginger to boiling water and continue to boil for two minutes, add favorite tea bag or loose tea and steep following directions one to nine minutes. Visit this amazing Boston tea site for ginger teas.

2) Alcoholic – delightful

Visit Aimee’s site for a ginger mojito.

3) Fabulous chicken meal – great for hungry men.

Tested by brothers and made by a loving sister.

4) Healthy fruit sauce – tested by busy graduate student.

Uses a teaspoon of dried ginger in a apple-pear sauce.

5) A mouth-watering apricot chicken recipe.

Uses ginger powder and incorporates caramelized figs.

6) A fish recipe – ginger glazed salmon.
Utilizes the juice of fresh ginger.

7) The classic gingerbread man.

A recipe that makes lots of ginger cookies using ginger powder.

8) An amazingly beautiful chicken soup for the common cold.

9) Apple peel, jalapeno, ginger jelly – Wow!

A creative young man came up with this clever “Keep the doctor away” sweet, spicy and HOT recipe that you can keep in a jar.

10) A delicious chocolate cake with ginger by ‘Eatmeetswest’ is simply delicious.

This cake makes it easier for the young creator of this AWESOME recipe to cope with those Australian winters.

The main ingredient is ginger and this recipe uses a generous helping of it! The photos and step by step guide are so helpful on this site.

11) The cranberry sauce with ginger sauce recipe from Whole Foods.
Perfect, for family fall gatherings like Thanksgiving, or a year – round recipe for sour and spicy good times.

GROWING GINGER – at home :

According to a ginger enthusiast in Hawaii, it is not too complicated to grow ginger at home. It would be fun to try it to have a constant fresh supply at home.

Hawaiian Ginger - 5 days after leaves noticed on planting

Hawaiian ginger - One month after sprouting

Lemons, Limes, and Oranges – Vitamin C and Prevention of cancer

The benefits of citrus fruits, Vitamin C and Citric Acid include prevention of cancer when included in a diet in combination with other minerals and vitamins.

Check out this colorful video about shopping for citrus fruits at Whole Foods, Columbus Circle location in New York City. However, this variety should be available in your local food market easily. Click on this Youtube video about a fresh fruit shopping experience at Whole Foods.

Vitamin C may prevent cancer. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (Journal National Cancer Institute, 1993) have shown that Vitamin C in combination with beta-carotene, selenium, and Vitamin E could reduce the risk of cancer. However, it cannot treat cancer.  Scientists have shown that Vitamin C in high doses could not slow down the progress of colorectoral cancer (New England Journal of Medicine, 1985). Scientists have also shown that daily doses of Vitamin C did not benefit patients with advanced cancer (New England Journal of Medicine, 1979). It is so joyful to see the bountiful colorful citrus fruits piled up at the food market.

A Lemon Tree

Immunology and Respiratory scientists (at Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; 2007) have brought to our attention the fact that a person allergic to peanuts may also be allergic to citrus because of a slightly similar protein.

A Bunch of Limes

The average person is very well aware of the benefits of fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits as in Mignonesia’s blog.

An Orange grove

A Colorful Display of Citrus Fruits at Whole Foods, NY

Decrease fatigue with Peony root tea

Peony root

Paeonia  radix may bring about reduced fatigue. How does it do it? Dr. Hong and colleagues of the College of Oriental Medicine of Seoul, South Korea studied the process in rats (2003). They showed it could increase time to exhaustion on the treadmill (in rats) and suppressed the expression and synthesis of two exercise – induced substances, both during rest and exercise. 5-hydroxytryptamine synthesis (5-HT) and tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) expression were studied by these scientists.

Peony root

The Peony flower

 

Prescribed as a tea, it is used sparingly. Use wisely and proceed with caution. A tiny bit or a pinch of this herb goes a long way. It does not mean that more is better because it may not. We just don’t know. Some people may have adverse reactions from even a pinch of this, so I cannot imagine using large amounts could be beneficial to anyone. Some adverse reactions, like nausea, has to be judged against the benefits, which may outweigh the slight nausea.

[/caption]The effective part discussed for decreasing fatigue is the root of the perennial plant, Paeonia japonica MIYABE, which belongs to the family, Paeoniaceae. It is also prescribed in ancient Chinese Medicine. It is commonly known as Paeony.

The white Peony flower

The tea can be bought from various sources. Each site has listed further medicinal claims such as reduce toxins in the liver, reduce pain and regulate menstruation. These claims I have not checked personally for peer – reviewed support, although several clinical trials on alternative medicine are ongoing and I shall update this site. I firmly believe the fatigue reducing claim. Some tea suppliers are cited below, although we do not endorse any supplier:
1) MDidea Exporting Division;
2) a global trade site called Alibaba.com which lists several bulk suppliers

The Natural database lists common names and scientific names and medicinal uses of what is commonly called Peony when cultivated in the garden. For a photo of colorful wild or cultivated Paeony varieties or Paeonia lactiflora , is available at this Japanese site and Steven Fosters photography site and plenty of beautiful photos on this site from which all the photos on this site were borrowed.

Why you should add beet in your diet?

Russian centenarians traditionally consumed beets and were protected from cancer (colon cancer primarily), birth defects, heart disease, eye health, nerve health and liver toxicity. Beets have a mix of anti-oxidants: two anti-oxidant carotenoids are lutein and zeaxanthin; vitamin C; and manganese. This combination provides anti-inflammatory benefits and may thus, help alleviate symptoms of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

A Beet Bunch

There are enough sites listing the nutrient list of beets. I can emphatically add my support about adding beets to your diet. It is a root vegetable and is a ‘must have’ in your winter menu. It is not really too difficult to cook, once you are determined to add it to your diet. It’s looks forbidding! The tough skin. I simply peel it. However, others recommend that you keep it for it’s added benefits. Once I ate the steamed, cooked red interior, in a spiced mixture with onion, garlic and ginger and rolled inside white bread and fried to a golden brown color, there was no turning back for me. Beets became the best health food for me and it looked just like ‘junk food’ when presented as a fried roll. That is precisely how the Bengalis of India present it to you on major occasions. They give you healthy food during feasts and disguise it as unhealthy so that you feel special. Go figure! It is an ancient culture so there is no knowing when they figured out that people prefer to eat ‘junk food’ so that is the only way to serve good food. The Bengalis fry everything and they have centenarians in every village.

Maybe, the Russians and the Bengalis know something about how to eat their beets – make the dish colorful and irresistible. The beets are so sweet. They are delicious! Once I had it in a side dish I was smitten! My dish had steamed, sliced yam, potatoes and beets. I found myself making the few beet slices last longer to lengthen the pleasure of that special, sweet taste. What a dish! We felt healthier last winter when we had beets once a week. Cannot remember getting sick last winter. This winter, is the coldest in several decades. Bring on the beets! I am hoping that you will check to see if I am a centenarian, surviving happily to write about my life and eating beets. At least, I hope I will be happy to be a centenarian, because I love eating beets.

A side effect is red colored urine, which is a reflection of your iron load (too high or too low). I would continue eating beets and ignore that. Also, the high manganese content in beets may be an issue with those having manganese intolerance, but can be taken in moderation for the other benefits that beets provide.

If you want to detoxify then beets must be in your diet. Health food stores, family farms and Farmer’s markets sell beets. Beet is the common name for Beta vulgaris which produces about 30% of the world’s sugar.  The edible portions include the fleshy root and the gorgeous, green leaves. An older lady whom I met at Whole Foods advised me how to eat the leaves. She said wash the leaves, sprinkle with salt and pepper (I add red chilly flakes), drizzle with olive oil lightly, and simply toast lightly. Watch to avoid burning (fire !) and viola! A fabulous snack and it hits the taste buds in unimaginable regions. Detoxify while you munch and start saving and adding to your retirement portfolio. If you eat beets and live to be a centenarian, you will need your money to buy beets to continue to live healthy.

You may want to check out the sites, Beet – New World Encyclopedia and WHFoods: Beets for beet nutrients, history, and recipes. Some more recipes are:
Chewy beet leaves with sweet beets in Beets and Green – a foodie;
A Polish Beet Salad – see if you can avoid draining the beautiful, red water you boil the [cleaned] beets in;
Roasted (and candied) beets by the food blog “The Partial Ingredients”.

Please, let me know if you tried any of the recipes I suggested and feel healthier each day. I would love to hear from you!