4 minute read
Minerals: Ginger
By Cheryl Harewood
It has been said that no other plant in the world has the distinctive taste and aroma of ginger. You can also call it a popular plant, which many people use as tea, spice, herb, medicine, flavour and so much more.
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The rhizome of the ginger plant is the part commonly used as a spice. A rhizome is a horizontal underground root that creates shoots and other roots from its nodes.
Origin
Ginger is said to have originated in China and is found throughout tropical Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Scientific Classification
Zingiber officinale
Age of Maturity
10-12 months
USES
In Food
• In the Caribbean, ginger is a spice used for cooking and for making drinks such as sorrel. West Indians also make ginger beer as a carbonated beverage or as a fresh, natural, cold drink.
• Ginger tea is often made from fresh ginger.
• Ginger is found in the famous regional specialties of hot cross buns and Jamaican ginger cake.
• Wine made from ginger is common in some countries of the world.
As Medicine
• Ginger is a well-known home remedy for nausea and stomach pain.
• It relieves nausea following cancer treatment, according to a 2010 study to examine the effects of ginger root powder supplements on nausea in 60 children and young adults who underwent chemotherapy.
• Helps alleviate morning sickness.
• Aids in reducing gas.
• Improves digestion.
• Prevents constipation.
• Helps prevent and treat arthritis and inflammation.
• Reduces the risk of diabetes, cancer, stress and cardiovascular disease.
• Treats various types of infection.
• Has antibacterial and antiviral properties.
• Assists in recovery from colds and influenza.
• Protects the respiratory system.
• Reduces dysmenorrhea - pain before or during menstruation.
• It was found that ginger, ingested or applied, can aid in recovery from muscle injury.
How Ginger Grows
Chinese, or common ginger, is the kind you will find in the grocery store. It is one of the easiest crops to grow. The hot and humid Caribbean weather is perfect for ginger to grow.
Planting
Find a spot in your yard that is warm and in partial shade.
Plant each ginger rhizome in welldrained soil that has been fed with fertiliser.
Maintaining
Water well. Keep the soil moist.
Do not let the soil become waterlogged. If the ground is too wet, the ginger plant will rot from the root.
Harvesting
Reap in 10-12 months. By this time, the plant should be four to five feet in height.
Use a garden fork to ease the plant out from the soil. Try not to damage the rhizome.
With your fingers, remove the soil from the ginger rhizomes. Wash off excess debris and leave in the sun to dry.
Clip off the additional roots from the rhizome.
Storing
Do not keep the ginger in bags if you are storing it at room temperature. At room temperature, it should last about two to three weeks before starting to get wrinkly. The ginger can still be used after this point but it will have less moisture.
Ginger can be stored in the refrigerator for even longer. Place it, unpeeled, in a zip bag in the crisper drawer when storing in the refrigerator.
When you grow ginger in your backyard, you will have all of its nutritional and medicinal benefits at hand. It is a valuable addition to your garden.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS
According to the article, Food Value of Two Varieties of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Commonly Consumed in Nigeria, published by Hindawi International Scholarly Research Notices, the mineral analysis of ginger [white and yellow varieties] indicated their richness in minerals such as:
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Sodium
• Phosphorous
• Iron
• Zinc
• Copper
Potassium was found to be the most prevalent mineral.
The article explained that when we consume potassium, it increases our iron utilization. Potassium also benefits people taking diuretics to control hypertension.
Both sodium and potassium are required to maintain the balance of the body’s fluids and the pH of the body. They also regulate muscle and nerve irritability, control glucose absorption, and enhance normal retention of protein during growth.
