We tell you what ginger is, what properties and benefits this plant can provide us, and how you can use it in famous recipes such as Christmas gingerbread cookies.
The benefits of ginger have been explored since ancient times. Used as an efficient remedy for coughs, premenstrual syndrome or joint pain, it can also be found on the table in the form of an infusion, biscuit or even curry.
Ginger is an ingredient made in the image and likeness of a root that, whether fresh or dehydrated, helps improve our health and delights us with all its culinary uses. Useful for reducing nausea during pregnancy, under medical supervision, for coughs infused with lemon, as a digestive or simply as an ingredient with which to enjoy an afternoon making gingerbread houses and cookies, this rhizome is full of potential. Today, we explore the culinary virtues and uses of ginger.
What is ginger and what is it used for?
Ginger ( Zingiber officinale ) is a rhizome, a kind of tuber-like stem from which roots and branches emerge, belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, like turmeric or cardamom, which grows in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Africa and America. It is famous throughout the world for its medicinal properties and the exceptional spicy taste given to it by gingerol, a relative of capsaicin and piperine, present in chili or black pepper.
It is often used in cooking in many ways, especially in Asian cuisine, for its aromatic and spicy properties as it is a versatile ingredient: as a spice or condiment to season all kinds of dishes, from soups to stir-fries; mixed with other spices for example in curries, sauces, marinades or chutneys; for the preparation of pickles such as gari or pickled ginger that is used with sushi to cleanse the flavors of the mouth or to make preserves; it is a recurring ingredient in bakery and pastry to prepare bread, cakes or the famous gingerbread man-shaped cookies that are eaten at Christmas… It is also used in drinks such as teas, infusions, milkshakes or even cocktails, in fact, two drinks as popular in cocktail-making as ginger ale are made with ginger.
From a medicinal point of view, ginger is beneficial for the digestive, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. Its consumption is recommended in cases of nausea or vomiting, as well as contributing to the proper functioning of the digestive system. It also acts as an analgesic, helping to soothe muscle pain, and some of its components have antioxidant effects. Its anti-inflammatory properties make it perfect for fighting coughs and it can act as a neuroprotector and as an ally of the cardiovascular system due to its inotropic activity.
Today, the main exporters are China and India, and the main importers are the Netherlands, the United States, and Germany. In the latter, ginger is used in Christmas cookies, while in India and Pakistan, ginger continues to be the main ingredient in chai tea and curries.
Properties and benefits of ginger
Studies have shown that the antioxidants and active ingredients gingerol and shogaol present in ginger are the components that act beneficially on the digestive system, the nervous system and the cardiovascular system, having multiple health benefits. The properties of ginger collected by traditional Chinese medicine and the Ayurvedic school have been studied in depth in the scientific world. Below are the most notable functions of ginger:
Reduces nausea and vomiting and benefits the digestive system by being antiemetic.
Thanks to the antiemetic properties of ginger, its consumption helps reduce nausea and vomiting. In addition, it stimulates the flow of saliva, the secretion of gastric juices, regulates dyspeptic disorders, and activates the thermal receptors of the stomach, slightly increasing the temperature and causing the well-known sensation of heat. This increase in temperature in turn keeps the metabolism active.
It is analgesic and antioxidant due to its gingerol content.
Thanks to the action of gingerol, ginger acts as a powerful analgesic. Studies have shown that 2 g of raw ginger a day is enough to help soothe muscle pain and that both gingerol and the content of flavonoids, tannins and shogaol have a powerful antioxidant effect that collaborates with the immune system by reducing the amount of free radicals.
It is anti-inflammatory and acts as a neuroprotector due to shogaol.
Shogaol is the active ingredient into which gingerol is transformed when ginger undergoes the dehydration process. This component has anti-inflammatory power and thanks to its action on different tissues of the body, it is beneficial at different levels.
It is recommended to relieve rheumatic pain, to reduce pain associated with premenstrual syndrome, as well as to reduce coughing by reducing inflammation of the respiratory tissues. In addition, it has the ability to act on neuronal inflammatory tissue, helping to prevent or reduce neuronal deterioration and thus becoming a neuroprotective ingredient.
It is good for the cardiovascular system due to its inotropic effect.
Ginger has positive inotropic activity, which means it has the ability to increase the strength of the heartbeat, as well as stimulate muscle tone, resulting in a positive effect on our cardiovascular health.
How to take ginger: fresh or dried?
Ginger can be taken either fresh or dried, and each has its specific uses and associated properties.
Fresh ginger has a more intense, aromatic, and spicy flavour and should be used in moderation. Nutritionally, it also contains more nutrients than dried ginger. It is commonly found in drinks and all kinds of savoury dishes.
The main advantage of dried ginger is that it keeps for a longer period of time . However, its aroma and flavour are quite different from that of dried ginger – not to mention its texture – and it contains fewer nutrients. It is often used as a spice or condiment, both on its own and with other spices, as well as in the preparation of bread or biscuits.
Nutritional values of ginger
Nutritional values accompany its benefits, as ginger has a high water content, a good carbohydrate content, and practically no fat and cholesterol content. On the other hand, it contains calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus in its composition.
Specifically, according to IENVA, the Center for Research in Endocrinology and Clinical Nutrition, 100 g of ginger contains 50 kcal, almost 2 g of protein, 9.5 g of carbohydrates, 2 g of dietary fiber, just 0.2 g of saturated fat and 0 g of cholesterol.
And as for the amount of vitamins and minerals, it provides per 100 g about 17 mg of calcium, approximately 0.7% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), 35 mg of magnesium, which represents 8.5% of the RDA, 0.4 mg of zinc, which is 4.4% of the RDA, 330 mg of potassium, almost 10% of the RDA, and 27 mg of phosphorus, almost 4% of the RDA.
In every 100 g of fresh ginger, we find:
- Energy: 50 kcal
- Proteins: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 9.5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Fats: X (of which saturated fats 0.2 g)
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Calcium: 17 mg
- Magnesium: 35 mg
- Zinc: 0.4 mg
- Potassium: 330 mg
- Phosphorus: 27 mg
Contraindications of ginger
Ginger is much better known for its virtues than for its contraindications, but at certain doses it can cause certain problems. Abdominal discomfort and even diarrhea have been observed in people who consume more than 5 g/day. On the other hand, who cannot take ginger? It is not recommended for pregnant women without medical supervision to treat nausea. Likewise, it is not recommended for patients with gallstones, for whom the oxalate content of ginger could cause complications.
Origin and history of ginger
When we talk about the origin of ginger, it happens like with any of those ingredients that decided to inhabit our lives long before our countries existed and that is, it is difficult to discern a specific geographical and historical place.
However, it is known that it was already cultivated in China more than 3,000 years ago and used to treat digestive, immune, and menstrual problems. In neighbouring India, it occupied entire chapters in Ayurvedic medicine treatises, where its anti-inflammatory use was also highlighted and it was even believed to be beneficial for neurological ailments.
It traveled to ancient Greece and was established in the Roman Empire via trade routes from India, rivaling the Romans’ esteemed pepper, a fact which was noted by Dioscorides, a 1st-century pharmacologist, in his work “The Materia Medica”: “Ginger is a particular plant. It has the virtue of warming and of digesting. It softens the stomach slightly and is very pleasant to the stomach. It resolves the impediments that cloud the sight and is mixed into medicines against toxic poisons. In short, it has almost the strength of pepper.”
After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was the Arab merchants in Spain who were responsible for maintaining its presence and significance in the culinary world. Centuries later, we find it fully established in Europe, after the 9th century it was soon used to make ginger ale, ginger beer or ginger tea. Gingerbread, which became part of the English tradition under Queen Elizabeth I around the 16th century, gave rise to an endless number of versions that now represent a crucial part of many traditions. These are the gingerbread houses created in Germany and inspired by the Grimm brothers’ tale of Hansel and Gretel, the Swiss gingerbread cake Luzerner lebkuchen or the famous gingerbread cookies, which had already become a classic Christmas decoration by the 19th century, flooding Christmas trees either in the form of animals or dolls. Today, we are used to seeing the little man with the glazed smile in his most rounded and sweet form.
Uses of ginger in cooking
Ginger has gone from being an ingredient in the traditional cuisine of various Asian cultures to a common ingredient in contemporary global cuisine. Thus, it has been the star of the most classic dishes, basic recipes with few ingredients such as stews, soups or broths, an ingredient in many spice mixes such as curries and masalas or as an essential accompaniment to sushi, in addition to its role in European pastries or in the preparation of drinks.
Today, all these uses are still valid, but like any other ingredient, ginger has been explored in all kinds of recipes, and has become a versatile and recurring ingredient in fusion cuisine. It is used in meat and fish dishes or in sauces. Its use in drinks such as teas, infusions or smoothies is the order of the day thanks to healthier trends, properties that are also used to make energy bars or food supplements. In regards to baking and confectionery, it is also still used, and even more profusely than in the past, motivated by new consumer trends.
How to preserve ginger?
Storing fresh ginger is not the same as storing dried ginger. Fresh ginger should be stored in a cool, dry place if it is whole and unpeeled, where it can last perfectly for several days. However, if it is peeled or cut, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Some of the solutions that are often used in these cases are wrapping the ginger in some damp paper and storing it in an airtight container or putting it in a jar with rice vinegar, gin or vodka, which will help preserve it for weeks. Another way to preserve it is by freezing it, for which you will only have to peel it and cut or grate it to taste and put it in a freezer bag, vacuum-sealed if possible.
It is recommended to store dried ginger in a cool, dry, and dark place in an airtight container, for example, in the pantry. It is important to keep it away from light and heat sources. This way it can last for years in good condition. Although it can be frozen and its shelf life will be extended even further, in this case, it does not make much sense to do so.
You should also keep in mind that ginger can come in other forms (paste, candied). In each case, it will have a different shelf life.
Recipes with ginger
Through the best recipes with ginger, we can discover all its possibilities. We can replicate at-home Asian recipes such as pho soup, Vietnamese spring rolls, noodles with vegetables and soy, pork scam, or chicken tikka masala. We can also experiment with all kinds of curry recipes where it is normally used as a spice and, of course, discover how easy it is to make pickled ginger at home.
Its role as an ingredient in fusion cuisine is made clear when used in Mexican tacos al pastor when seasoning a Hawaiian-style quinoa and tuna poke bowl or used as part of an Ecuadorian chicken charlatan. We can also use it in more traditional cuisine by adding it to carrot and ginger cream or pumpkin soup or opting for a recipe completely dedicated to this ingredient such as ginger chicken.
When recommending recipes with ginger, it would be impossible not to mention gingerbread cookies and their role in baking, just as it would be impossible not to mention ginger infusion or ginger and lemon tea if we want to drink it as a liquid.