Ginger water: the magic of the healthy root

Ginger – origin and effect

Many famous celebrities swear by it and the exotic root has long been revered in traditional Chinese, Ayurvedic and Japanese medicinal practices. Ginger is one of the oldest herbal and medicinal plants and has become indispensable not only in medicine, but in the kitchen too. But what is it that makes ginger so magical? The pungent compounds gingerols and the essential oils contained in the root have anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, expectorant and pain-relieving properties.

Certainly not all of these effects have been scientifically proven, but a regular intake of ginger helps our immune system to fight off sicknesses, stimulates our metabolism and has a preventive effect. Originally from the tropics and subtropics, ginger is now mainly cultivated in India, China, Japan, Australia, France and South America.

Ginger water / ginger tea

Ginger water is widely seen as the slimming water of choice and is championed for its detoxifying qualities. It tastes excellent whether cold or warm, stimulates the metabolism and boosts the immune system – and all this without extra calories! Ginger can be eaten grated or cut into fine slices.

Method

1. Cut a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger into thin slices.
   
2. Cover with 1 litre of hot water.
   
3. Let the ginger water draw for around 10 minutes.
   
4. Drink a glass of the warm ginger water on an empty stomach. Drink the rest over the course of the day.
5. It’s even easier if you place the ginger directly into cold water and leave it to draw overnight.
   

Our tip: mix the ginger tea with freshly pressed oranges or lemon, another miracle food, and benefit from an extra portion of vitamin C. As a special treat, you can also add ginger to other teas or sweeten with honey.

Cooking with ginger

Especially common in Asian cooking, ginger gives a kick to many foods and dishes and has now become highly popular in our kitchens too.

Whether freshly cut or ground, ginger adds a pleasant tang and goes with almost anything, whether sweet or spicy – and with fish, meat or vegetarian dishes.

Carrot and ginger soup

Serves 4

500 g carrots
1 onion
approx. 2 cm fresh ginger
olive oil
800 ml vegetable stock
1 orange (freshly pressed)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper

1. Peel the carrots and cut them into small pieces. Chop the onion. Finely peel the ginger and grate or chop into small pieces.
   
2. Sauté the onion in a little oil in a pan, add the carrots and ginger and continue to sauté. 
3. Deglaze with the stock.
   
4. Add the lemon juice, orange juice and sugar. Cook covered until the carrots are soft.
   
5. Finely purée the soup.
   
6. Bring to the boil again, add a little water if required and season.
   
7. Serve and enjoy!
   

Tip: garnish the soup with a little whipped cream and a few roasted sunflower seeds.

Apple and ginger smoothie

Serves 4

1 apple
1 banana
approx. 1 cm fresh ginger
a cup of spinach, lettuce or kale
juice of ½ lemon
water according to taste or a few ice cubes

Method

Wash the apple and remove the core. Wash the spinach. Place all the ingredients in a mixer and blend into a creamy smoothie.

For extra freshness: replace the spinach with ½ cucumber. Add less water if preferred.