Add some spice to your life. Let’s talk about Ginger.

‘Zingiber officinale’ commonly known as Ginger, is one of the most commonly consumed spices world wide.

In addition to being a great flavour enhancer of any dish, ginger has been used for it’s potential health benefits for greater than 500 years.

Traditionally it has been used to treat cold and flu symptoms, nausea, asthma, arthritis and gastrointestinal upset.

So what is it about ginger that makes it so special?

The unique taste!

There is much research that suggests potential health benefits of consuming ginger. However the reliability and validity of these studies is uncertain at this stage and further research is required to be able to confirm ginger’s health properties. The current literature acknowledges the anti-emetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidative and anti-tumour properties of this spice.  The message from the literature available suggests that daily ginger consumption may help with the following:

• Lower incidence of hyperlipidemia
• Stabilising blood glucose levels
• Reducing oxidative stress damage to our cells
• Reducing inflammation within the body
• Component of a cancer prevention diet
• Nausea during pregnancy or post-operatively

These properties may help with prevention of:

• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
• Atherosclerosis
• High Cholesterol
• Hypertension
• Certain cancers

However, the daily recommended consumption of this spice is still under contention. Most studies allude to a consumption of >1g/day.

So if the results are inconclusive, why should I include this in my diet?

Great question.

• It tastes great
• As long as ginger is consumed as part of a well-balanced diet, there are no known adverse effects of adding this spice to your life.
• Ginger contains negligible kilojoule, fat and carbohydrate content. The addition of this spice can add a wonderful depth of flavour to any meal without the addition of fat, sugar or salt.
• So whilst the clear cut health benefits of consuming ginger have not yet been identified. A diet which is inadvertently lower in kilojoules, fat, sodium and sugar has been shown to have greater health outcomes

Menu ideas:

Ginger is such a versatile ingredient that it can be utilised for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks. Add this to savoury or sweet dishes for an instant flavour hit.

• Warm up on those cold mornings with this pear and ginger porridge. Try using fresh ginger instead of ground ginger.
• Add freshly grated ginger to your morning juice or smoothie recipe for a little zing.
• What about a cafe experience at home? Try a ginger or tumeric latte. These will pair perfectly with the Raw Ginger Snap Bliss Balls featured below.
• Use as a marinade to give your usual protein a new look.
• For those cold nights why not try a ginger, chicken and vegetable soup?
• What about a pork (or any protein – tofu or tempeh would be delicious too) ginger and asian greens stir fry?
• Spice up your usual side of greens with this coconut curried greens recipe.
• Salmon soba bowls with a miso ginger broth for a complete, nutritious meal.
• Why not substitute ground ginger for fresh ginger in this gluten free gingerbread cake?

Ideas to avoid food waste:

The Australian Ginger Industry Association has some great tips to avoid food waste:

• The peel of ginger is edible.
• Add this to your broth/stock or pop it in a cup of tea for a refreshing kick.
• Ginger stores very well in the freezer and is easy to grate.
• It’s best stored in a fresh and crisp bag at the bottom of your fridge.

Recipes for the week:

This week I’ve focused on two simple recipes which will help you feel energised for the week ahead.

This Honey, Almond & Ginger Granola is a divine way to use up your FarmGate Online produce. Serve this with a bowl of yoghurt or your favourite plant based milk for a simple breakfast, afternoon tea or an easy dessert. While you’re at it, chop up some of your seasonal fruit and you have yourself a complete and nourishing meal.

The chia seeds add a great addition of omega-3 fatty acids. The almonds provide a source of Vitamin E and are rich in monounsaturated fats. Oats (not quick oats!) have a low glycemic index (GI) which means they will help you to feel fuller for longer.

Running low on your pantry staples? Head over to FarmGate Online to stock up on your honey, oats and ginger.

This recipe says it serves 8 however this is a very generous serve. I’ve adapted this nutrition composition to a more realistic serve size of 50g per portion (i.e. 10 serves).

Nutrition Composition Per 50g Serve:

For interests sake, I’ve compiled a nutrition composition using this recipe as a complete meal:

Nutrition Composition Per 50g Serve with 200g reduced fat greek yoghurt + 1 piece of fruit (unpeeled):

I’m a regular snacker, so I’m always on the look out for easy, wholesome snacks which I can eat when I’m on the go. I found this recipe for Raw Ginger Snap Bliss Balls which is so easy, nourishing and the best part? They last for 2 weeks or so in the fridge. Trust me though, they won’t last this long.

Nutrition Composition Per 1 Bliss Ball:

What does this nutrition composition mean for me?

The following information is according to the Food Standards Code Australia and New Zealand.

A serve of the Honey, Almond & Ginger Granola is:

• A source of fibre (>2g/serve)
• Low in sodium (<120mg/100g)

A serve of the Honey, Almond & Ginger Granola with greek yoghurt + fruit is:

• An excellent source of fibre (>7g/serve)
• A good source of protein (>10g/serve)
• An excellent source of calcium (>25% of RDI of calcium, which is 1000mg/day)

The Raw Ginger Snap bliss balls are:

• A source of fibre (>2g/serve)
• Low in sodium (<120mg/100g)

As always, feel free to comment below with recipe inspiration or head over to the FarmGate Online Facebook Group and show me what you’ve created.

Happy Baking.

Tess Handrinos

Tess has a Diploma in Health Science and is currently completing her final year of a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Monash University. She is a new mum who has a passion for food, evolving skills in the kitchen and is a huge advocate for eating wholesome foods to nourish her growing family.