Autumn is a great season for warming foods and ginger is a delicious one. Flavorful and therapeutic, ginger with over 400 known chemical components, has long been known for soothing digestive issues and improving overall health. If you buy fresh salmony-pink ginger (locally grown by Frith Farm) you’ll experience a very mild flavor generated by ‘Gingerols’ . Older ginger or dried ginger products like powdered ginger are dominated by more pungent ‘Shagaols’. Ginger has been studied and documented both historically and currently for it’s health benefits. It has been identified as a modulator in blood clotting, blocks carcinogenic activity, as well as benefiting the inflammatory system via it’s inhibitory effect oneicosanoids (inflammation-response molecules). Bonus: ginger protects the stomach lining while having it’s anti-inflammatory effects, unlike NSAIDS.
There are some wonderful recipes out there: ginger chai tea, pumpkin gingerbread, (I tried this one, but futzed with the recipe a bit. I omitted the sugar, added a tad of stevia and drizzled a small amount on honey when serving), and here are some savory ones. One of my favorites is Golden Milk, which you can make with any type of milk (cow, rice, coconut, soy…) heated in a pan, plus a knob of freshly grated ginger, a teaspoon of turmeric, a smidge of black pepper, and honey. I have put this recipe on my http://emmaholder.com/happiness-sweet/ page.