The Miracle of Ginger

Zingiber officinale is the common name for ginger; a valuable plant product to many individuals. It usually grows tall and has annual stems with narrow leaves and yellow flowers. It has origin in South China, but can also be found in the Spice Islands, South-east Asia, Africa, India, Australia, the Caribbean, and Latin America Similar to other plant foods, the nutritional content of ginger shows that it contains water, and minimal amounts of the macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein), B vitamins, folate, vitamin C, sodium, iron and zinc; but larger quantities of potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, and calcium (United States Department of Agriculture, National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference). Other non-nutritive substances noted are dietary fibre and phytochemicals. 

Overall, studies indicate that the naturally occurring chemical compounds in plant foods referred to as phytochemicals may minimise or tend to lower one’s potential risk for the chronic non-communicable diseases. Some of the phytochemicals in ginger include monoterpenes and phenolic compounds. Herbalists have used ginger as part of traditional medicine for thousands of years, because of its benefits in treating  upset stomachs, diarrhea, and nausea.

Herbalists also used ginger to treat arthritis, colic, diarrhea, the common cold, flu-like symptoms, headaches, and painful menstrual periods.

The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Chinese cuisine to flavour dishes such as seafood.

For medicinal purposes, ginger is used to decrease joint pain from arthritis. It can also work for blood thinning and contains cholesterol lowering properties that make it useful for treating heart disease. 

Gingers healing properties come from it’s volatile oils, which include gingerols and shogaols.

1. Ginger stimulates the production of saliva, therefore making it easier to swallow.
2. Ginger reduces high blood pressure by acting like blood pressure medications called “calcium channel blockers.”
   Ginger manages the flow of calcium into heart cells and blood vessels, consequently reducing blood pressure.
3. Ginger suppresses the synthesis the pro-inflammatory molecules in the body known as prostaglandins, and as a result reduces chronic inflammation. Recent research showed ginger extract can inhibit or deactivate genes in the body that encodes the molecules involved in chronic inflammation. The shogaol phytonutrients in ginger appear to provide its anti-inflammatory benefit.
4. Ginger reduces pain from osteoarthritis.
5. Ginger reduces motion sickness: nausea, vomiting and an overall queasy feeling. The gingerol phytonutrients in ginger appear to provide this benefit. 
6. Ginger has antibacterial properties. Ginger roots extracts, viz.nhexane, ethyl acetate and soxhlet extracts have antibacterial activities on colliform bacillus, staphylococcus epidermidis and streptococcus viridians.
7. Ginger has antiviral properties.

Ginger Honey Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken wing drummettes
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce if cooking gluten-free)
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/8 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce (or other hot sauce)
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• Method
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1 Preheat oven, prepare roasting pan: Preheat the oven to 425°F with a rack on the upper third of the oven. Line a roasting pan or thick baking sheet with foil. Rub some olive oil or canola oil over the foil to keep the wings from sticking.

2 Prepare marinade sauce: Whisk together the marinade ingredients—soy sauce, honey, grated ginger, garlic, hot sauce—in a bowl. Set aside half of the marinade to be used as a sauce (about 1/4 cup).

3 Toss wings with marinade, place on pan: Place the chicken wings in a bowl and toss with the remaining marinade. Arrange the wings, skin-side down, on the foil lined roasting pan, taking care not to crowd the pan.

4 Roast in oven: Roast for 15 minutes, then remove from oven, use tongs to turn the wings over so that they are now skin-side up, and roast for another 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Check while roasting to make sure they aren't getting too dark. If so, place on a lower rack or cover with foil to finish cooking.

5 Toss with reserved marinade sauce: Place cooked wings in a bowl and toss with the reserved marinade sauce.

6 Garnish: Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions to serve.

Read more: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/ginger_honey_chicken_wings/#ixzz4RGO3BcJc

Cite:  United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference Release 27. The National Agricultural Library 

Natural Life Energy LLC (2016)  Health Benefits Of Ginger. [online] Available at: <http://www.naturallifeenergy.com/health-benefits-of-ginger/> 

Newsday (2010). How to grow your own ginger. [online] Available at: <http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,117137.html> 

Simple Recipes (2016). Honey Garlic Chicken Wings. [online] Available at: <http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/ginger_honey_chicken_wings/>