The Amazing Benefits of Ginger!
Ginger has natural medicinal properties beyond what you thought imaginable!
Fresh ginger will invigorate your whole system, lift your mood, awaken your taste buds and relieve congestion. It's pungent and light which stimulates your digestive fire, called Agni in Ayurveda. Fresh ginger will get your juices flowing to help digest, absorb and assimilate your food to nourish your body, blood and bones (to all the 7 tissues layers of the body)!
When food isn't fully digested it ferments and rots, leading to indigestion, gas and bloating. The waste accumulates in the gut to form a toxic residue, called Ama. Fresh ginger purifies and cleanses; increases motility in the GI tract helping to remove unwanted waste and relieve constipation.
The amazing qualities of fresh ginger is that it not only stimulates digestion without aggravating acidity but studies have also shown that the active constituents in ginger make this fiery root an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant too! Helping to reduce chronic inflammation and prevention of disease!
Ayurveda recognises the influence foods have on the body once fully digested. We're well aware of the heat of fresh ginger and how this packs a punch on the taste buds but after digestion, it's vipaka or post digestive effect, is sweet and this is cooling and nourishing to the tissues.
It's worth noting that ginger powder is hotter than fresh ginger and drying; which can aggravate and doesn't have the same calming and soothing qualities as the fresh root. If you have a tendency to easily get overheated or irritable then try the fresh root ginger instead. If your body still reacts to the milder heat then have less or stop. For individuals who would benefit from extra heat in their bodies then powder ginger would be for you - Ayurveda looks at the needs of each person's unique constitution!
How to use ginger everyday
Fresh Ginger & Lemon Tea - a morning mug of fresh ginger and lemon tea will help to awaken your body and get your digestive juices flowing. Grate a piece of fresh ginger (peeled) and squeeze the juice into a mug of warm water then add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lime (cooling for pitta).
Chopped fresh root ginger can be added to your cooking along with other mild digestive spices like cumin, coriander and turmeric!
Ginger chutney balances and regulates agni, aids digestion, awakens taste buds and stops cravings for sweet and salty foods. Grated ginger juice, black pepper, rock salt, lemon juice and honey (optional):
Recipe
Mix ingredients together and keep in a sealed jar. Take 1/4 teaspoon from the spoon, or make it into a drink with warm water, 15 minutes before meals.
4 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp honey (optional)
2 tsp lemon or lime juice
1⁄4 tsp Himalayan salt
1⁄4 tsp black pepper
Ginger is definitely one herb to always have in the kitchen as a natural remedy.
