Kitchen Staples ◦ 1 ◦ Ginger
- Rukshia Sritharan
- Nov 16, 2023
- 5 min read
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If there's a root that I consume daily in my Tamil household, its ginger. I recently found myself convinced to give the ginger turmeric wellness shots a try as part of my current health and wellness journey, so the supply of fresh ginger root in my home is endless whilst making my weekly supply for my mum and myself (my skin has never looked better by the way), so what better ingredient to start the kitchen staple series with than ginger!
Even before I started the wellness shots, ginger has been a key ingredient in many of the Tamil dishes cooked at home; from the marinade paste used to make meat dishes like Chicken 65 to Inji Thayir Pachadi (Ginger Flavoured Yoghurt), and drinks like spiced masala tea, its flavour addition has become a staple in the South Asian kitchen.
Ginger has been used in South Asian medicine and Ayurveda for centuries, not only for its own power in healing, but also for its role in boosting the effect of other herbs and spices. This has been passed down through generations, to the home remedies and cures that we have today, such as Inji Ezhumicha (or Lemon Ginger) Rasam for coughs and flu.
Health Benefits of Ginger
In the healthcare setting, ginger has been used as a natural anti-emetic (anti-nausea), which has been suggested for patients undergoing chemotherapy, and is also endorsed by Macmillan UK, who have suggested the use of ginger teas and ginger biscuits to be used alongside medication to combat nausea. This has also been proven useful to reduce nausea in women experiencing morning sickness in pregnancy (though not more than 1000mg per day), in sea sickness (with contradicting research regarding motion sickness), and varying results when it comes to post operative nausea.
It has also been shown that ginger can decrease inflammation and swelling, however there is contradicting research surrounding its effectiveness in treating conditions such as arthritis of any body part and rheumatism. This research surrounding inflammation and arthritis highlighted the analgesic, or pain relieving powers of ginger, showing effectiveness in joint pains and muscular pains so can still be used for symptom management purposes. Its pain relief also extends to period pains - in some Tamil households a ginger paste is applied to the stomach area for pain relief, similar to the western concept of the 'ginger compress' or topical ginger, to which there is research to support this as effective.
Research is currently investigating the anticancer properties of ginger, and its role in the prevention of cancer as well as the slowing of tumour growth. In addition to this, there is ongoing research surrounding the effects of ginger to combat high cholesterol, as well as the improved glucose tolerance found after ginger consumption and its role in diabetes management.
Which form of ginger is best?
Ginger is most commonly available in the UK in its fresh root form or as a powder (ground ginger). With a larger presence in baking and sweet treats than cooking in western recipes, you may also be able to find preserved, crystallized and candied ginger in home baking sections. Some health and wellbeing stores and pharmacies may stock ginger root capsules (although I personally believe in using a food first approach before capsules, and in this case it is a non-essential supplement so there is no requirement to be supplementing if you aren't having it naturally).
For this instance, we will explore the forms that it can be found in a produce and spices aisle.
| Fresh Ginger | Ginger Paste | Ground Ginger |
Flavour | Strong flavour | Can be strong dependant on brand | May not be as strong a flavour |
Shelf-Life | 2-3 week shelf life in the fridge, can be frozen | Approximately 2 month shelf life | Long shelf life of 2-3 years |
Price | Middle option | Most expensive option | Cheapest option |
Preparation | Peel, then chop/mince/crush | No preparation needed | No preparation needed |
Dependant on your needs, there may be a more convenient option for you. I personally use fresh ginger for day to day cooking and making juices, ginger paste when I'm feeling too lazy or don't have the time to make marinades, and occasionally ground ginger to add to top fruits, so there is no right answer!
Ways to incorporate ginger in the diet
The active compounds in ginger (such as gingerols and shogaols) allows us to have flexibility when it comes to adding any form of ginger to the diet, as you can implement both the raw and cooked form.
Some ideas to try implementing ginger into the diet:
◦ Mince and add into cooking for a warm and spicy addition to meats, fish and vegetables. Here are some dishes that have the அம்மா // Amma stamp of approval! Add some ginger when frying your aromatics (herbs, spices and vegetables) for some extra flavour
✻ Aubergine Curry
✻ Sambar
✻ Sambal
✻ Mushroom Stir Fry
✻ Korma (Meat e.g. Chicken, Vegetable etc.)
◦ Mince/Crush and add as part of a marinade or sauce topper for foods
✻ Ginger Soy marinades or sauces for Indo-Chinese style cuisine (e.g. Szechuan-styled sauces). I enjoy remaking a Saravanaa Bhavan classic, chilli paneer, with garlic for that extra warmth and zing
✻ Ginger Lime marinades (good for BBQ style foods)
✻ As part of a Gochujang (red chilli paste) sauce for a spicy addition to meats, vegetables, noodles, rice dishes and Korean cuisine
◦ Adding pickled ginger as a side dish, a garnish , to add to salads, or as a palate cleanser between plates
◦ Top baked goods with shaved ginger (goes beautifully alongside a candied lemon garnish)
◦ Add some ground ginger to top fruits (funnily enough, in my Tamil household, 90% of any fruit I cut for dessert already has that ginger garlic infusion from the cutting board, but some ground ginger really elevates that taste!)
◦ Add to smoothies or juices for an extra kick or make it into tea (you can use raw ginger root and seep in hot water alongside honey and/or other spices like cinnamon or turmeric, as well as citruses like lime to taste). If trying the trending wellness shots such as the Ginger Turmeric shots, keep in mind that there is little evidence supporting drinking these shots for disease prevention or treatment, but can still be drunk for its health benefits: please ensure you are mindful of the quantity of ginger, as too much can cause stomach upset, low blood sugar and in large amounts of consumption, thinning of blood.
Please note: If looking to increase ginger in the diet whilst on Warfarin or Nifedipine, or are struggling with gastrointestinal issues, please consult a healthcare professional to ensure it is safe to do so first.
With the wonderful health benefits and versatility of ginger in the kitchen, it really is a brilliant ingredient to be adding to your diet! Do you use ginger in your kitchen, and if so, how do you use it in your cooking? What other ingredients would you like to see in this series? Let me know in the comments below!
மீண்டும் சந்திப்போம் // until next time,
Rukshia
Further reading
Timba, P.P., Giri, S.G. and Panchal, R.V., 2019. Health benefits and possible risks of turmeric, garlic and ginger: a short. Health, 6(4), pp.4656-4659.
Mao, Q.Q., Xu, X.Y., Cao, S.Y., Gan, R.Y., Corke, H., Beta, T. and Li, H.B., 2019. Bioactive compounds and bioactivities of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe). Foods, 8(6), p.185.
Bode, A.M. and Dong, Z., 2011. The amazing and mighty ginger. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition.
Rayati, F., Hajmanouchehri, F. and Najafi, E., 2017. Comparison of anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of Ginger powder and Ibuprofen in postsurgical pain model: A randomized, double-blind, case–control clinical trial. Dental research journal, 14(1), p.1.
Therkleson, T., 2014. Topical ginger treatment with a compress or patch for osteoarthritis symptoms. Journal of holistic nursing, 32(3), pp.173-182.
Vasala, P.A., 2012. Ginger. In Handbook of herbs and spices (pp. 319-335). Woodhead Publishing.
Zhang, X., Iwaoka, W.T., Huang, A.S., Nakamoto, S.T. and Wong, R., 1994. Gingerol decreases after processing and storage of ginger. Journal of food science, 59(6), pp.1338-1340.
Davis A., Vakharia K., 2022. Health-boosting ginger shots: fad or fact? Patient.info [Online] Available here
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