The yellow root originally hailing from China is widely popular worldwide. It's no surprise, as ginger not only tastes incredibly fresh and invigorating, but also offers numerous other advantages. Discover them in this article!

The Oldest Spice

Ginger is one of the oldest spices known and – unsurprisingly – belongs to the family of Zingiberaceae, which also includes turmeric, galangal, and cardamom. They all share their vibrant yellow color. Ginger grows as a rhizome and is boiled in hot water after harvest. The starch it contains undergoes gelatinization through this process. Ginger is available in the market as black ginger when unpeeled, or as white ginger when peeled. Besides its native land of China, ginger is now cultivated in many tropical countries such as Brazil, India, China, and African nations. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the most widespread spices alongside salt.

The Effects

Ginger is not only a welcome addition as tea or cooking spice. According to the source "Healing Spices" by Dr. Bharat B. Aggarwal, ginger can provide relief or act preventively for conditions like arthritis, asthma, stroke, high cholesterol, and migraines. Dr. Bharat B. Aggarwal also highlights its positive effects on the digestive system: heartburn, indigestion, and nausea can be alleviated by ginger.

Petra Kühne also emphasizes ginger's digestion-boosting, antispasmodic attributes in the gastrointestinal tract and muscles, as well as its anti-inflammatory effect. It's also known to be warming, appetite-stimulating, and sweat-inducing. Ginger is believed to induce bright sensations and have a calming effect on nerves and thoughts.

Ginger in the Kitchen

Ginger is a spicy spice and, in our experience, extremely versatile in the kitchen, especially during winter. Dr. Bharat B. Aggarwal recommends using ginger in combination with cardamom, chili, cinnamon, coriander, or coconut. It's no surprise that ginger is also used in many curries. It imparts a special touch to chutneys, oranges, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes alike. In our opinion, ginger works excellently in classic ginger lemonade or ginger cookies.

The versatile bulb has captured hearts all around the world long ago. Its versatility, especially the warming effect of the yellow root, rekindles spirits and creativity in the kitchen!