Reasons to eat ginger in winter
With its spicy flavor and numerous health benefits, ginger is both delicious and nutritious, and is versatile enough to be added to many dishes. The health benefits of ginger are largely due to its antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and the compounds it contains. The unique aroma of ginger comes from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol.
Studies show that ginger has excellent anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial properties. It stimulates the immune system to better protect itself against viruses such as flu or bronchitis during the cold season.
In Oriental medicine, fresh ginger is also called Sinh Khuong, has a spicy taste and warm properties. It has the effect of dispelling cold, clearing phlegm, and is often used to treat colds and stimulate digestion. Physician Vu Quoc Trung (Hanoi Oriental Medicine Association) said that ginger root has medicinal effects thanks to its essential oils, starch, and spicy ingredients. Ginger has the effect of warming, restoring vitality, and preventing cold... thanks to its wonderful uses, up to 70% of Oriental medicine prescriptions contain ginger.
In addition, fresh ginger is also used as a valuable ingredient in medicine processing, reducing side effects, increasing warmth, and increasing the cough-relieving effect of some oriental medicines.
The compounds in ginger help thin phlegm, reduce coughs and soothe the throat. It also reduces muscle aches and pains, which is very useful during changing weather days.
Thanks to its strong anti-inflammatory effects, ginger can help relieve pain in people with osteoarthritis or rheumatism in humid weather. Eating ginger is also a solution to reduce nausea, stimulate digestion, reduce bloating and indigestion.
According to research by the US National Institutes of Health, ginger contains a number of bioactive phenolic compounds such as gingerols, gingerenone A, zingerone, shogaols, paradols, quercetin... In addition, ginger also contains a number of terpene compounds such as β-bisabolene, α-curcumene, zingiberene, α-farnesene and β-sesquiphellandrene. It also contains polysaccharides, lipids, organic acids and crude fiber. All of these active compounds make ginger a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
Many studies have shown that gingerol reduces the risk of bacterial and viral infections. Specifically, it has been found to be highly effective against oral bacteria associated with gingivitis and periodontitis, and is effective against respiratory syncytial virus infections. For these reasons, ginger is often used to improve digestion, reduce nausea, and help fight the flu and the common cold.
How to choose fresh, fragrant ginger to ensure food safety
Normally, the surface of ginger is relatively rough, not smooth and not shiny. When using your finger to scrape off a little of the outer skin, if you see a clear difference in color between the skin and the ginger flesh, then it is a fragrant, spicy ginger. On the contrary, if the color of the flesh and the ginger are similar, then this ginger will be less spicy and less fragrant.
With fresh, delicious ginger, when you gently scrape the skin, you will smell a very characteristic strong, warm aroma. If you scrape it off and only smell a light spicy aroma, then the ginger is less spicy and less delicious. In addition, you should also avoid buying ginger with a strange smell because it may have gone bad.
To choose fresh and delicious ginger, you should avoid buying large ginger roots with shiny, clean and smooth skin. On the contrary, you should buy small ginger roots with rough skin but firm to the touch because those are the fresh, fragrant and spicy roots.
Just like garlic, when ginger sprouts, it is usually wilted, dehydrated and will have a much poorer taste and quality. Therefore, to avoid eating bad ginger, you should not buy ginger that is bruised or sprouted, but choose ginger that looks plump, has an unshriveled skin and when broken, is still fresh and has little water.
How to use ginger most effectively in winter
Ginger is commonly available in fresh, dried, ground, and juice forms. Eating raw ginger is the best way to maximize its health benefits. Raw ginger has a stronger flavor and contains more antioxidants.
To choose fresh and delicious ginger, when buying ginger, choose old, small ginger with rough skin but firm to the touch. Use your fingers to lightly scrape off the outer skin. If you see a clear difference in color between the skin and the ginger flesh and smell a spicy smell, then it is fresh and delicious ginger with a high essential oil content.
Ginger should be washed to remove dirt and sand, wrapped tightly and stored in the refrigerator. In addition, fresh ginger can be preserved for a long time by placing it in a pot of sand, then burying the ginger in the sand and leaving it in a cool place.
The simplest way is to use fresh ginger as a spice in everyday dishes. Ginger can be added to soups, stir-fries, stews... to enhance the flavor of the dish, while also warming the stomach and aiding digestion.
Another popular way to use it is to make ginger tea. Drinking ginger tea stimulates digestion, reduces nausea and is an effective way to reduce stress and fatigue caused by uncomfortable symptoms of flu, cold or body aches.
You can easily make ginger tea at home by grinding ginger and pouring boiling water for 10 minutes. You can add a little sugar to make it easier to drink. You can also buy packaged ginger tea in stores.
Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/cach-chon-su-dung-hieu-qua-bao-dam-an-toan-thuc-pham-trong-mua-dong.html
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