Glorious ginger

ITS botanical name is Zingiber officinale but it’s better known as ginger. It’s a spice with a distinctive flavour used in cooking, drinks and medicine. It is believed to be a super food that has powerful benefits for both your body and brain.

GINGER is a flowering plant thought to have originated in the tropical areas of southern Asia. Above ground, ginger is a reed-like plant with lush green leaves growing to about a metre tall. Its rhizome, the underground portion of the plant, is what is commonly used.

From paddock to plate

The Australian ginger industry is mainly in coastal areas of southeast Queensland. There are also small areas of production in northern New South Wales and the far north Queensland coast and tablelands.

Ginger is harvested mechanically or manually. The rhizomes are hand cleaned of excess soil, roots and stems and placed in bins to be returned to the packing shed or delivered to the processor. The ginger is washed and air dried then cut and graded according to size, shape and colour then packed into boxes by grade.

The majority of Australian ginger is sold to the fresh domestic market with the remainder sold to processors to make ingredients for food products such as confectionery, cordials and preserves.

Ginger is available in a variety of forms including dried, pickled, preserved, crystallised (or candied) and powdered or ground.

Health benefits

Ginger is loaded with incredible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients and may help with:

● Preventing upset stomach, nausea and motion sickness;

● Protecting the stomach against toxins;

● Stimulating metabolism;

● Aiding healthy digestion;

● Regulating blood sugar;

● Fighting infections such as the common cold; and

● Reducing pain and inflammation.