Ginger is one spice without which my day doesn't start. A cup of hot ginger tea is what helps me wake up every day. Its pleasant aroma, soothing effect, and refreshing taste are what keep me going the entire day. Ginger root is being used for millennia across the world owing to its dynamic culinary uses and medicinal properties. It has a long and interesting history that dates back to around 5000 years ago to ancient India and China.
It is said to be originated in the southern part of ancient China and gradually spread to India and rest of the Asia and Africa. Chinese were using ginger roots to fend off scurvy at a time when the western world did not even know that the disease is associated with nutritional deficiency.
Trade between Roman Empire and India is what helped Europeans know about ginger in the 1st century. However, after the downfall of Rome, this spice was forgotten in Europe until Macro Polo bought this exotic spice again from his visit to the East. That led to a surge in the international spice trade during the 1200s. Do you know that half a kg of ginger cost same as a sheep during the Middle Ages? Yes, you read that right.
Ginger came to the Caribbean after the rediscovery of the New World. To this day, garlic is one of the main ingredients in those regions’ cuisines. Currently, India, China, Thailand, and Nepal are the major producers of ginger in the world.
Ginger has an array of culinary and medicinal uses. From soothing stomach ailments to reducing morning sickness in pregnant ladies and reducing the growth of cancerous tumours in animals, ginger serves various purposes. Even this root spice can help lower blood sugar levels and help manage osteoarthritis. There are various ways of including ginger in your daily diet. Below, we have mentioned some of the specially curated ginger recipes for you in case you wish to try them and lead a healthy life.