Ginger is a perennial herbaceous plant native to Asia. Its active ingredients are present in the rhizome (root), rich in essential oils and antioxidant phenolic compounds. The best known are gingerols and shogaoli with anti-inflammatory action. This spice has different properties and benefits: it is digestive, purifying, it makes weight loss, anti-rheumatic, anti-cellulite, it also counteracts the formation of intestinal gas and abdominal bloating, it protects the gastric mucosa also counteracting gastroesophageal reflux, reduces blood pressure and improves blood flow.

Thanks to this last inflammation action, ginger is used to prevent the gastric ulcer, also due to the intake of drugs, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ginger (even the candied one, as long as consumed in moderation as it contains sugar) is also recommended against car sickness, nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. Fresh or in the form of an infusion or herbal tea, ginger fights the excess mucus in the respiratory tract and in the intestine.

Ginger and recipes: its use in the kitchen The fresh root used raw: it tastes all kinds of food, from fish to meat, from cereals to vegetables, from fruit to desserts. It can be grated to obtain a powder or cut into thin slices or a stick. Addition to fatty foods limits the absorption of lipids. The fresh root used in cooking: it can be combined with food during cooking, even the classic sautéed, but it loses some of its properties. The dried and ground root: it is used in the dough for desserts, like the classic Christmas cookies from the countries of Northern Europe, or to flavor the various dishes. Better to add it to already cooked food or at the end of cooking. In India and China, ginger is the ingredient of numerous condiments for savory meat or fish dishes, for the preparation of syrups, biscuits and fermented beverages. In India, it is part of the curry composition (more correctly masala), a mixture of spices used for flavor the food.

Ginger and some of its healthy and slimming combinations

The brown rice is boiled and sautéed in a pan with a little oil, a few slices of ginger and a chopped onion is anti-swelling. If you cook the fish with steam, then serve it on the table dressed in a little oil and a little grated fresh ginger. If you cook it in the pan, you can add the spice at the end of cooking. So you get a slimming dish. The turkey proteins contain all the essential amino acids in an ideal mix to nourish the muscles and burn more calories. Taken with ginger, enhance their weight loss. The boiled vegetables, steamed or sautéed, can be enriched with slices of ginger to increase the slimming and diuretic action.

A super antioxidant and slimming remedy: ginger and apple juice This juice, to drink once a day, combines the antioxidant properties of the apple with the tonic and stimulating properties of ginger. Prepare it this way: centrifuge 2 red apples with peel and 20g of fresh ginger cut into slices. Put in a glass, two leaves of chopped mint, and drink immediately. If you take it at breakfast, your metabolism will be faster throughout the day and you will improve diuresis.