Ginger

GINGER Pungent

2-inch piece fresh = 2 tbsp minced or grated

1/4 cup finely grated = 1 to 2 tbsp juice

Sweet and pungent, dry ginger has a heating effect that decreases Vata and Kapha and increases Pitta when used in excess. Fresh ginger, on the other hand, does no aggravate Pitta. Like cinnamon, ginger is considered a universal medicine in Ayurveda. Taken with honey, it can decrease body fat and congestion. With rock candy or sugar, it can balance Pitta. With sea salt, it is excellent for Vatas. Green tea with honey and fresh ginger is excellent for decreasing body fat, eliminating toxins, and increasing the digestive fire. Almost every ethnic culture uses ginger in their cooking. Crystallized ginger candy is one of my favorite treats…. Very low in calories but rich in flavor, it helps to cut fat.

From University of Maryland Medical Center: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm

Ginger, the underground stem, or rhizome, of the plant Zingiber officinale has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. In China, for example, ginger has been used to aid digestion and treat stomach upset, diarrhea, and nausea for more than 2,000 years. Since ancient times, ginger has also been used to help treat arthritis, colic, diarrhea, and heart conditions. In addition to these medicinal uses, ginger continues to be valued around the world as an important cooking spice and is believed to help the common cold, flu-like symptoms, headaches, and even painful menstrual periods. Native to Asia where its use as a culinary spice spans at least 4,400 years, ginger grows in fertile, moist, tropical soil.

From Cook's Thesaurus: http://www.foodsubs.com/SpiceEur.html#ginger

ginger = ground ginger = powdered ginger Notes: Recipes for baked goods often call for ground ginger. Don't confuse this with fresh ginger root, which is used mostly in Asian dishes. Substitutes: crystallized ginger (Substitute 1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger for every 1 teaspoon ground ginger called for in recipe. Rinse sugar off ginger first. This is an excellent substitution in many baked goods.) OR ginger root (Substitute 2 tablespoons grated ginger root for every teaspoon ground ginger called for in recipe. For best results, substitute only half the ground ginger in recipe with fresh ginger.) OR cardamom OR allspice OR cinnamon OR mace OR nutmeg

Also See:

• Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger
• The Cook's Thesaurus: http://www.foodsubs.com/Ginger.html
• NCCAM, National Institutes of Health Herbs at a Glance: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ginger/index.htm

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