GINGER AND MORE!
Love ginger?? Or maybe not so much?? Either way, you can’t deny this versatile herb/spice/root/rhizome…what IS it? And why do we blend it so much in tea?
Learn more about ginger !
As tea enthusiasts, we often seek not only delightful flavours but also the potential health benefits that our beloved beverages can offer.
Ginger, scientifically is Zingiber officinale and belongs to the Zingiberaceae family and has been used for thousands of years and has a long history of human use. Its first recorded use dates back to ancient China and India around 2000 BCE, making it more than 4,000 years ago!
Just sayin, at Art of Tea we don’t use 4000 year old ginger in our tea blends, we DO have a 2 year Best Before date… not a 4002 Best Before date!!!! Ewwwww
Whilst many part so the plant can be used for culinary and remedial use, the “root” is the most commonly used part, but, hang on, are we really using the root?? Often referred to as the “ginger root” it is technically the rhizome of the ginger plant. Delving into plant biology, it turns out that roots anchor the plant, absorb water, and grow vertically, while rhizomes are horizontal stems that store nutrients, aid in reproduction, and produce shoots and roots from nodes. Roots primarily focus on absorption, while rhizomes serve as storage organs and facilitate vegetative propagation. Hmmm, but does it matter? Well not for us harvesting and consuming the ginger, and for the ease of well, common language, we refer to ginger root through our product descriptions but… if you are a botanist, gardener, Costa ABC Gardening avid watcher… or just know your up and down of plants, we want to have a bit of disclosure that whilst all of ginger in our tea are from a rhizome we still call it ginger root in our product descriptions.
So, just being honest that we are not super accurate in our tea descriptions ie root not ginger RHIZOME (have to say that’s very hard to do from the manager writing this who is a qualified scientist, but let’s not shoot her on a botanical technicality, eh?! (she did major in zoology and Env Science, not botany)
Let’s move on yeah? Or this may become the new become the new “tomarto/tomaaayto” , “scon/sk-oown” argument….”root/rhizome” … yawning yet?
So those who are curious hereis a snapshot of potential ginger health benefits…
Unleashing the Health Benefits of ginger:
Anti-Inflammatory Properties: The rhizome’s active compounds, such as gingerol and gingerdione, may possess anti-inflammatory properties that could provide relief for arthritis symptoms.
Blood Sugar Management: Preliminary studies suggest that ginger may assist in regulating blood sugar levels, potentially benefiting individuals with diabetes or those at risk.
Potential Anti-Cancer Properties: Some research indicates that ginger’s compounds may exhibit anti-cancer effects, although further investigation is needed to fully understand its potential in this area.
Increase blood flow and circulation, ginger is known for helping warm the body, especially the extremities and increase blood flow for those with poor circulation
Immune Boost: Ginger is known for its immune-boosting potential, aiding the body’s defence against infections and promoting respiratory health.
Headache and Migraine Relief: Ginger may offer relief from headaches and migraines due to its potential ability to reduce inflammation and provide calming effects.
As you brew your favourite tea infused with ginger, embrace the array of potential health benefits that this remarkable root, not sorry, rhizome brings. So, relish the soothing, warmth and invigorating properties that ginger imparts, elevating your tea experience to new levels of enjoyment and well-being.
As we know it can have diverse potential benefits, yet we know everyone doesn’t want a big dose of overwhelming ginger so we have a range of teas and tisanes containing ginger, some more subtle.
Shima Wasabi Leaf and Organic Lemongrass and Ginger Tea
Organic Lemongrass & Ginger
Tassie Tiger Tea
Ginger is in all out Chai teas… including our non caffiene brews
For those traditionalists… why not try the upgraded recipe caffeine free Dandelion Chai??
It now has ROASTED and ORGANIC big KIBBLE DANDELION root!!
this is
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better than the unroasted #insipid version we had about 2 years ago
Roasted Dandelion Chai
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