30 October 2011

Ginger .... the spice of life!

When it comes to drinks, I would have to say that my standard would have to be none other than: water; at varying temperatures of course. I also regularly drink milk, and at times, grape juice. I tend to dilute my grape juice with water rather than drinking it full strength. Given that water is my staple drink and can be rather bland and boring, I am always researching ways to improve its flavor, by adding healthful components. There are the obvious choices which include: lemon, honey, or tea.

However, I tend to stay away from acidic drinks like coffee and tea, aside from an occasional vanilla rooibos tea. This is because of my fear that such liquids will end up eroding the enamel on my teeth. As a precautionary measure, I generally rinse my mouth with water after eating or drinking, to remove as much acidic residue as possible, so as to keep my teeth clean and naturally white; not stark white, just white enough, if you know what I mean.

Given the limited options for improving the flavor of water, I was more than pleased to have discovered ginger as an alternative. Not only is it a flavorful addition, but its health properties are extensive. It is good for detoxifying your body and aiding in digestion, and apparently there are studies out there to show that it's anti-inflammatory, eases arthritic pain, and combats ovarian cancer cells. These are merely a few of the myriad health benefits that ginger provides.

Today, I cut off a fragment of ginger from the root and placed it in a glass cup of water, before heating it. It tastes a bit stronger than lemon, but it made the water taste pleasant; not too potent or bitter. Definitely a keeper. Healthy and delicious, just how I like it.

Source: http://www.whfoods.org/

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