Thursday, July 18, 2013

Spice Rack Remedies! A Case for Ginger

Hello my dear Aalayam family!

I am back! And I promise the next few posts are going to be scintillating! I know you guys might have been expecting the Karmasuthra brand showcase and much awaited home tour (Yes!! it's a two post series) of the force behind Karmasuthra - Divya Thomas!

Well, you won't have to wait long. While we here at Aalayam are busy (and having a gala time) cranking out the upcoming two-post series, we thought we'd sneak in a quickie post! 

Here we are again, talking about house hold spices and their curative properties. You might fondly recall the cases made for Cardamom and Coriander and the gastronomic journeys we took with them! Today, let's put our hands together for Ginger in ....

Spice Rack Remedies!
What our kitchen counter might hold, to cure what ails us.




Ginger is one of the ancient, revered medicines of India and Asia. Popular medical journals say that Ginger's ability to combat a variety of diseases and conditions is due in part to its impact on excessive inflammation, which is a significant underlying cause of many illnesses.

Ginger is particularly useful in treating chronic inflammation because it partially inhibits two important enzymes that play a role in inflammation gone awry -- cyclooxygenase (COX) and 5-lipoxygenase (LOX). A 2010 study found that people who consumed two grams of Ginger daily for 11 days experienced about a 25 percent drop in exercise-induced muscle pain! All the more reason to eat curry before hitting the gym! Right?


Deemed as a super-food, Ginger helps combat nausea, and helps relieve stomach cramps and indigestion.  Scientists believe that through various processes in the digestive tract, including blocking serotonin receptors in the small intestine - Ginger can help keep us from throwing up. This is thought to be because of the spice’s high levels of gingerol; a powerful component that gives it its natural zingy flavor.

So, reach for that ginger tea, or just chew on a piece of candied ginger when you get a case of the tums or the gags! Trust me, it works.


Ginger’s current name comes from the Middle English "gingivere", but this spice dates back over 3000 years to the Sanskrit word "srngaveram", meaning “horn root,” based on its appearance. Indians and Chinese are believed to have produced ginger as a tonic root for over 5000 years to treat many ailments, and this plant is now cultivated throughout the humid tropics, with India being the largest producer. 


A popular food blog Food Matters quotes the following and I am happy to pass some juicy tips along!

Terrific Benefits of Ginger:

1. Haven’t been feeling hungry? Eat fresh ginger just before lunch to stoke a dull appetite and fire up the digestive juices.

2. Ginger clears the ‘microcirculatory channels’ of the body, including the pesky sinuses that tend to flare up from time to time.

3. Can’t stop the toot-a-thon? Gas—oops—guess what?! Ginger helps reduce flatulence!

4. Just had surgery? Chewing ginger post-operation can help overcome nausea.

5. Stir up some ginger tea to get rid of throat and nose congestion. And when there’s a nip in the air, the warming benefits of this tasty tea are even greater!

6. Bedroom blues? Try adding a gingery punch to a bowl of soup. (Psst...the Ayurvedic texts credit ginger with aphrodisiac properties) 



Fantastic right? I hope you enjoyed this post. Finally, I leave you with my favorite recipe for Ginger Fried Rice. Do try it and let me know how it turns out!! CANNOT go wrong with Ginger folks!

Love,
Supriya

P.S. Aalayam is proud to present the India Circus tray (remember The Grand Aalayam Giveaway, winner Preety!?) lovingly put to use to serve a scrumptious home cooked meal.  Preety is a food blogger, owns and writes in Preety's Kitchen. We love what she serves up!! 





7 comments:

  1. Cant do without ginger ! Have this home made ginger tonic syrup which appa suggested that its a must have u have growing kids at home. It infact works for all of us. Recipe as follows. Finely Grate ginger and squeeze out the juice. Mix with honey and a few stands of grated ginger and bottle it. Half or less t spoon with cure just abt anything!
    Nice read suppi !

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  2. Thank you Deepti!! This tonic syrup recipe sounds delicious. And a perfect remedy to cure anything from tummy upsets to mood upsets! :)

    Thank you for sharing this with our readers!

    Love,
    Supriya

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  3. ginger is staple in the indian food, i use it in everything i make..:)love your recipes may be i will try the rice one soon..

    Thank you for sharing my pic and mentioning me in your blog...keep visiting...:)

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  4. Thank YOU Preety! For being an enthusiastic supporter of Aalayam and for sharing the picture of your special home cooked meal in the beautiful India Circus Tray!!

    Love,
    Supriya

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  5. Supiii amazing article ! Just to share why ginger is the most refilled item in my refrigerator -my son pranaam is a lil sensitive to climate changes and often contracts chest congestion so just to build his immunity he gets his daily shot of ginger , basil (tulsi) honey and doddapatre leaves concoction its like home made chyavanprash . I can see him improving day by day. Definitely light on my pocket by avoiding doc visits

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  6. Chingi (Sneha my love!) Thank you for sharing this awesome tidbit. It's personal, simple and I am sure effective. I do miss the available familiarity of the doddapatre leaves (For kambli hula (caterpillar) bites) and any other rashes!! The Windex of Indians if you will.

    Your chyavanprash sounds yummy. I am sure the honey adds more than just sweetness. Thank you once again for sharing !!

    Love,
    Supriya

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  7. Feedback and comments from my Facebook family! Thank you and Thank you!!

    Sripriya Murthy: Love it!

    Deepti G Rajkumar: I prefer the veggies in the fried rice to have a bit of crunch rather than being soft Will try this recipe tomo after making some extra rice tonight.

    Mridula Rao: Am gona try too... thanks for sharing the recipe

    Kanika Dua: Thanks for the recipe Suppi. Surely going to try this one:)

    Pratibha Koratagere: it tastes yum when eaten steaming hot

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