Oh Ginger, You Gorgeous Thing

Ginger rhizome

...and no, I'm not talking about that sexpot movie star Ginger from Gilligan's Island (though I did secretly wish to emulate her as a 5-year-old). Ahem.  I'm talking about ginger...as in the root.  Oh yes, we North Americans revere said root when it's pulverized and used to erect walls for a delicious gingerbread house.  We celebrate it when it's crystallized and drenched in dark chocolate (oh wait...maybe that's just me...can't help it...it was my nanny's favourite - must be in my genes).  Jamaicans bring to us the spicy, refreshing ginger beer.  No Asian menu nor Indian masala chai is complete without this delicious rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale.

I have a little bit of a crush on ginger.  It's true. And really, if I'm going to have an obsession with any (inanimate) thing, ginger it should be!  We all know and love the taste of ginger.  It conjures cozy Christmas memories, no?  But, wait - did you know that while you were devouring Aunt Gertie's gingerbread cookies you were doing yourself a veritable WORLD of good??  Yes!  Devour the cookies...you heard me!  Ginger is rooted (haha...pun fully intended) in history in several cultures across the globe.  The ancient Indians used ginger as a physical cleanser, to treat digestive complaints and as a spiritual healer.  Greeks also used ginger for digestive issues.  In England, ginger was added to beer to create a tonic for easing stomach upset.  Perhaps the most well-known culture to use ginger has been the Chinese, whose history of use dates back as far as 3,000 BC.  Believing, to this day, that ginger is a powerful herb, the Chinese use it their food often.  Today, ginger is still relied upon to help control nausea and ease digestion (I well remember the days when my  mum would give me gingerale for nausea).  The reality is that ginger is a STELLAR herb and its benefits extend much beyond treating nausea.  I sell several healing herbs in  my shop and ginger is my superstar.  Let me talk about inflammation...you know, the thing that is basically the root of all disease. Ginger is a potent natural anti-inflammatory.  For those with digestive upset, arthritis and MANY other ailments caused by inflammation, ginger should be part of your daily routine.  You can cook with the fresh root in your food, you can drink a ginger tea - just get it into you; your body will thank you.  The gingerols (anti-inflammatory compounds) found in ginger inhibit the production of nitric oxide, which is responsible for joint pain and arthritis.  Who knew!  AND, did you know that ginger is an important herb for boosting your immune system...geesh, after the flu that just ripped through our household, this is good to know!  You see, ginger is considered a 'hot' spice, meaning it it produces a warming effect on the body; it increases metabolism, circulation. Also, it is this warming effect that kicks sweat glands into a higher gear, which provide increased immunity (think of that old saying 'you have to sweat out a cold' - there's something to it).  The health benefits are sincerely too numerous to list.  I have a theory - when something sticks around in several cultures for thousands upon thousands of years, chances are it's good for you.  In this era of finding the next 'superfood', ginger should top the list.  

India is one of the major producers of ginger.  From pots in gardens to large scale operations, it's grown on a local and commercial scale.  Interesting fact: in 2003, India grew over a quarter of a million tones of rhizomes- almost three quarters more than thirty years ago.  It's also grown (smaller scale) in Bangladesh and Pakistan.  I just learned that I, in Canada, can even grow my OWN ginger successfully.  If you Google it, you'll tons of info about it.  I am going to give it a whirl.  


Anyway, with summer around the corner, I am gearing up to make my famous ginger iced tea.  I use a pure, dehydrated ginger and steep it for a LONG time (I like it spicy!) and then throw over ice.  A refreshing drink on a hot, humid day....and it keeps my joints happy!  Soooo, here's to another thousand years celebrating ginger!  Yum!