We wouldn’t exactly call ginger ‘spicy’ but it does have the potential to spice up your life and add a little something special to your smoothies. Ginger adds flavor, as well as a tonne of health benefits.
Ginger may very well be one of the healthiest things you could use as an addition to your smoothies.
Today, we will take you through the world of ginger root, telling you about its benefits, and how you should use it, and give you some top tips on how you can make the most of this awesome food in your smoothies. Let’s get straight to it!
What Is Ginger Exactly?
Ginger is a plant that blooms flowers, coming from Southeast Asia. Understanding this plant is key to knowing how to use it right and what good it can do for you.
The part that we are familiar with is the stem that grows underground, which is otherwise known as the ‘rhizome’. This is the part that is used for medicine and cooking.
This plant has a very long history of being used in traditional medicines, and it is still being studied to this very day for the health benefits that it can bring to us.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Ginger?
Ginger has so many health benefits you would not believe, from being a remedy for nausea and stomach discomfort to being able to relieve inflammation and pains.
It contains an active ingredient in it, known as gingerol, which is a substance that has been shown to have super powerful anti-inflammatory effects, as well as antioxidant properties. Ginger is even capable of battling the common cold and flu to help you get better!
It is also believed to be a great weight loss aid. It is capable of helping with osteoarthritis and helps to lower blood sugars.
Ginger may even be able to help to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Would you believe, it is even rumored that ginger root can help to reduce the pains that come with menstruation?
Research has also looked into the possibility that ginger might also be able to give cognitive functioning a boost while protecting against Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia, and other cognitive diseases related to aging.
How Should You Use Ginger Root For A Smoothie?
So, now we know that ginger is awesome, you need to know how to put it in smoothies, firstly, peel that ginger! Use a vegetable peeler or spoon to peel away the skin and then chop or grate up the ginger root into much smaller parts.
If you are not super in love with the taste of ginger and want a less-potent flavor, then a half teaspoon added to your smoothie should be perfect.
However, if you adore ginger, add a teaspoon or even two!
Fresh ginger has quite a potent taste, so it is always best, to begin with a half teaspoon and keep adding more until it tastes as you wish for it to. You can add more, but you can’t take it out.
But what if you do not have any fresh ginger root, what then?
Well, ginger powder is still good, you can use this in its place. When using ginger powder, you are best off using a 1/4 teaspoon to begin, and then adding more to taste.
Ginger powder can be even more potent than fresh ginger sometimes, so you want to ensure you do not overdo it!
A little can go a very long way when you are using ginger, even when you are using ginger powder. It is always better to start slow and then add more in bit by bit, tasting it as you go along to make sure that you are not adding too much.
Top Tips For Using Ginger In A Smoothie
Not everyone will want to use ginger in their smoothies, but it can be a great way to get some awesome health benefits from having smoothies in your diet. So, if you intend on using ginger in your smoothies, here are some top tips to ensure you make the most of it, and use it correctly.
- If you are not a fan of the taste that fresh ginger has, try seeping some in hot water for around 5 minutes before you add it to the smoothie. Doing this can help to mellow out the flavor, and it won’t affect the health benefits that you get either!
- Mix ginger with fruit and veg that will compliment its taste, such as carrots, apples, oranges, bananas, or pineapple.
- When using fresh ginger, ensure you put it in the fridge after, to prevent it from drying out. If you wanted to freeze it, you can do so.
- You can store ginger powder in a cool and dark location for half a year!
- Only add the ginger powder after you have already blended your other ingredients.
- Add ginger to green smoothies!
Our Best Ginger Smoothie Recipe
Now that you are here, we might as well give you our best ginger smoothie recipe:
Ginger Smoothie [With Lemon For Detox]
Equipment
- 1 Blender We used this one
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of freshly minced ginger root
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 1/2 cup/75g frozen mango or pineapple
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 200 ml coconut water
- 1 tsp manuka honey or regular honey
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender and blitz until smooth. For about 2-3 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Variations Of This Detoxing Smoothie With Lemon And Ginger
There are some alternative ingredients you can use to make this smoothie recipe. Here they are:- Use frozen pineapple instead of mango.
- Lime can be used instead of lemon.
- Instead of chia seeds, you can use other seeds of choice, such as flaxseeds.
- You can use regular water instead of coconut water.
Nutrition
How Do You Cut Ginger For Smoothies?
If using ginger in smoothies, we find it best to grate it, as it provides you with finer, pieces that tend to mix in better with the rest of the ingredients. However, you can mince it up as well.
If you add chunks of ginger in your blender, just make sure you blend for longer than usual, give it a good 4-5 minutes. The last thing you want, is bits of ginger sticking on top of your mouth.
Overall
We hope you are now equipped and knowledgeable enough on how to use ginger root in smoothies.
Ginger is an incredible food that comes with endless health benefits, it can do you so much good, and the taste is so unique that you will be surprised just how much it can offer you in your smoothies!
FAQs:
Can You Add Ginger Root To A Smoothie?
Yes! You can add ginger root to smoothies, it tastes great and offers so many health benefits!
Do You Have To Peel Ginger For Smoothie?
Yes. The skin of ginger doesn’t taste great, so peel away the skin before you grate it or chop it up to get rid of any unpleasant tastes.
What Does Ginger Do In A Smoothie?
Ginger can add flavor. However, it also adds amazing health benefits that will give you and your smoothie a boost!
Can I Put Raw Ginger In My Smoothie?
Yes, you can. Fresh raw ginger goes really well in smoothies, and in fact, may offer better taste and health benefits than dried ginger.
Additionally, she spent a few years working for Smoothie King, where she gained extensive knowledge about making smoothies.
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