How to Prepare Ginger for Hypertension

Ginger Root has health benefits

For thousands of years, ginger has been used for its medicinal qualities and as a cooking spice. Ginger, the root or stem of the plant Zingiber officinale, has a strong flavor described as pungent, smoky and sweet. Studies published by the National Institutes of Health show that ginger may lower blood pressure by acting as an anti-platelet agent and by affecting calcium channels. The health benefits of ginger are dependent on the dose--too little does not affect blood pressure and too much may cause other risks. Proper selection and preparation of ginger for cooking is important, especially for ginger root.

Things You'll Need

• Ginger root
• Recipe
• Pots and pans
• Cooking utensils

Instructions

Cooking with Ginger Root to Lower Blood Pressure

1. 

   Find recipes

   Find a recipe for ginger root. Many Asian dishes use ginger root. Recipes may be soups, breads, deserts, a hot tea or dishes such as a stir fry. Some people prefer to peal and eat ginger root raw. Powdered ginger, which has a spicier taste, is used for breads, cakes and cookies.

2. 

   Select by texture and fragrance

   Select fresh ginger root for the best flavor and for the most health benefit. The skin of fresh ginger root is firm, smooth and free of cracks or mold. Perform the sniff test -- fresh ginger root has a spicy fragrance. Mature ginger root is more common and is available year round in grocery stores. The mature ginger root is much tougher than the young ginger root, which has a milder taste and does not require removal of the skin.

3. 

   Store ginger root unpeeled

   Keep ginger root ready to use by storing it unpeeled in the refrigerator for no more than three weeks and no more than six months in the freezer.

4. 

   Prepare after peeling

   Peel ginger root with a paring knife. After removing all skin, ginger root can be sliced, diced, julienned or minced to add to recipes. The recipe will provide instructions for further preparation of the ginger root.

5. 

   Add ginger root early for more taste

   Add ginger root to your dish at the start of cooking to lesson the flavor. If you prefer a stronger, more pungent flavor, add ginger root at the end of cooking.

Tips & Warnings

• Specialty stores are good places to purchase ginger in a variety of forms, including young ginger root. Ginger can be added to the diet in a number of ways--supplements, extracts, powder, and common food items such as ginger ale, or even ginger candy and ginger beer.

• Check with your doctor to make sure that ginger is safe for you to use. Ginger can interact with some medications and supplements, especially blood-thinners and beta-blockers, and can have adverse effects on some conditions.

References

• World's Healthiest Foods: Ginger
• Centers for Disease Control: Fruits ad Veggies Matter, Selecting and Peeling
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Ginger
• National Institutes of Health: Interactions, Medlineplus, NIH
• Medline Plus: Ginger

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University: Ginger, A Potent Root
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Herbs at a Glance, Ginger