How to Use

The first, second, salads, desserts, drinks ... sharp, sweet, sour ... It can be used almost anywhere in the kitchen, as well as medicine. But the measure is necessary always and everywhere, because it is necessary to know how to use ginger. Any medicine can become poison, and vice versa. So be sure to know the required amount of ginger and possible contraindications to apply and use.

Features of use

You need to know that the taste of fresh and dried ginger are completely different. Fresh ginger primarily gives a refreshing aftertaste, dried the same - burning and fragrant taste. When the crushed fresh ginger root, you should use a synthetic board (if grinding is carried out with a knife) or a float. This is because the wood permanently retains ginger flavor and can transmit it to other products. Root just need to wash and then clean the skin with a sharp knife with a thin layer necessarily, as it was under it are fragrances and essential oils. Also, when cooking with ginger should remember that a tablespoon of grated ginger (fresh) can be replaced with a teaspoon of ground. Typically, for the preparation of meat and pastries consumed 1 gram of ginger per kilogram of product. It is also the time of making the ginger in a variety of dishes to preserve the flavor and beneficial qualities.

For baking, for example, ginger in the dough when kneading is introduced, and candied ginger placed already finished baking. For meat dishes introduced ginger 20 minutes before end of cooking in sweet dishes - 3 minutes until tender. The sauces ginger added after the heat treatment. At the use of ginger for medicinal purposes, and traditional folk medicine indicate the amount, timing and form of administration.

Contraindications to the use of ginger

Given that ginger is a spice and therefore contains essential oils, bitterness, and has a pungent taste, there is a category of people who use it is not desirable. These include the ulcer, pregnant, breastfeeding, people with sand and stones in the kidneys Kidney stones: identify and treat , Bladder Urinary bladder - structure and function , Inflammatory processes in the body, accompanied by high fever. In any case, the presence of any disease is better to consult with your doctor about the possibility of use. This primarily refers to high blood pressure and heart problems. Sometimes it is enough to change the concentration and form of acceptance: will not prevent the ulcer compress of ginger, as well, when weak ginger tea in the first trimester helps pregnant easier to endure morning sickness.

And, of course, should not be abused ginger: possible diarrhea Diarrhea (diarrhea) - a familiar nuisance , Vomiting, allergic reactions Allergic reactions: how to understand why you tickle in the throat .

To preserve the health, nutritionists advise to replace sugar artificial sweeteners. Fortunately, that number is growing from year to year. Aspartame, saccharin, xylitol, cyclamate - it seems, you just choose something to your liking. But not all synthetic sweeteners Sweeteners: the benefits and harms of artificial sweeteners   useful and safe. Meanwhile, nature is no less sweet foods and much more healthy. For example, stevia, benefits and harms that have been studied thoroughly.

Saving for a sweet tooth

Unusual taste of stevia tasted even Guarani Indians who added to the leaves of this plant as a sweetener in a warming drink mate. Arriving in the XV century on the American continent Spaniards wrote that the locals grow whole plantation of grass, which is called "honey."

However, Europeans are not interested in the properties of stevia until the early twentieth century. While Paraguayan chemist Ovid Rebaudi not decipher its biochemical composition and did not submit data to the world scientific community. It was found that the sweetness of the plant is not any traditional sucrose and unique glycosides - steviosides. It is thanks to them that the purified stevia extract in four times sweeter than products derived from cane and sugar beet.

Sweet substances accumulate only in the above-ground parts of the plant. Especially a lot of them found in the young leaves of the upper tier. Stevioside main advantages are their low calorific value and security. They do not break down in the gut and not enter into any chemical reaction. Organic molecules from the body appears unchanged.

The use of stevia as a sweetener recommended to everyone: healthy and sick adults and children. In contrast to the "white poison", stevioside did not interfere with carbohydrate metabolism, and thus do not contribute to weight gain and the development of related diseases: hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, fatty liver.

Sweeteners "honey herb" are not destroyed by heat treatment. Leaflets or plant extract can be added to hot tea, used for cooking cakes, desserts and home canning. Taste luscious grass with a little bitterness - this is the feature of the natural product.

On sale there are several forms of stevia: dried leaves, pelleted and liquid esktrakt powder plant. From the viewpoint of efficiency difference between them. Choose something that is more convenient. Since the leaves and pills are more suitable to sweeten drinks and extract powder and can be used for cooking. Phyto added to food is literally at the tip of the knife.

Not a single sugar

But not only the sweet taste of stevia boasts useful properties of this plant are used in the treatment of many ailments.

Leaves of Grass contains over fifty minerals and vitamins. These include: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, manganese, selenium, β-carotene, B vitamins, ascorbic acid, vitamin E. Therefore, regular intake of stevia enhances immunity Strengthening the immune system - help the immune system   and improvement of metabolic processes.

For patients with diabetes is of particular value in the presence of a large amount of zinc plant. This mineral is essential for the normal functioning of the pancreas - it is involved in the synthesis of insulin and its binding to liver cells. The use of drugs stevia helps diabetics to lower blood sugar and "bad" cholesterol in the blood, improve overall health.

Pectin, a part of the stevia, a beneficial effect on the digestive tract. They increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestines, improve the absorption of nutrients, normalize metabolism Improves metabolism and losing weight without dieting . Application of plant extract gives a good effect at dysbacteriosis, flatulence, digestive disorders.

The presence of roughage can be used stevia as a cleaning agent. Absorbing toxic compounds, it accelerates their excretion from the body. As a natural adsorbent plant can be recommended for long-term constipation, chronic poisoning, allergies.

Hazard Communication

Data on the safety of stevia differ. Absolutely harmless Japanese scientists consider it. Of their study demonstrate the lack of sweet grass any toxic effects.

The results confirm the long-standing practice and the use of plants in Japan. Since the middle of last century, Japan buys about ninety percent of the world's cultivated stevia and adds it as a sweetener in fifty percent of its produced food. During all this time, no adverse reactions from consumers has been noted.

A different view from the experts from the United States. In experiments with mice, American physicians have shown that the preparations of Stevia inhibit the production of sex hormones, show contraceptive effect. However, scientists do not deny that could provoke a negative effect excessively high concentrations of stevioside, which gave test animals. In the meantime, they are advised not to abuse stevia and observe the dosage indicated on the package.