🌱 Ginger: The Zesty Root That’s Not a Root

🌿 Ginger: The Zesty Super-Rhizome

✨ Chef’s Note

Chef Janine regularly uses ginger in various forms in her ketogenic Asian dishes, drawing on its bold flavor and wellness benefits.

🌿 Ginger: The Zesty Super-Rhizome

🍽️ Culinary Uses

• Essential in Thai, Chinese, and Indian cuisines

• Used in main dishes, desserts, baked goods, and fancy drinks

• Used grated fresh, in powder form, or as oil

• Adds ginger’s distinctive, zesty flavor to dishes

• In Japan, thin pickled slices of ginger are eaten to cleanse the palate

In the Comfort Keto kitchen, Chef Janine uses ginger in various forms—fresh (chopped into fine cubes or strips), powdered, or as an essential oil.

Ginger  is native to southeast Asia. Its medicinal and culinary use dates back to ancient China.

🌱 Ginger 101

• Botanical name: Zingiber officinale

• What we call the "root" is actually a rhizome

• Nubs = leaf buds

• Shoots and leaves are edible — great as seasoning

• Native to South and Southeast Asia

• Grows up to 4 feet tall in warm, humid regions

In Japan, thin slices of ginger "root" (gari) is eaten between food courses in order to clear the palate.

Grown in rather humid and warm regions, the ginger can grow up to four feet tall and has a long, reed-like shoot.

Although the cultivated varieties of ginger grown for culinary purpose are sterile and don’t flower, very few people know that this perennial plant has a beautiful foliage.

🌺 Ornamental vs. Culinary

• Culinary ginger = sterile, doesn’t flower

• Beautiful foliage, not often seen

• 🌿 Culinary ginger (Zingiber officinale) can bloom — but rarely

• Ornamental ginger is non-edible and grown for its blooms

• 🌺 The blooms of certain ornamental ginger plants, particularly Zingiber zerumbet, also known as “shampoo ginger” or ‘Awapuhi’ in Hawaii, are used in natural shampoo and cosmetic production

• While not all ornamental ginger flowers are aromatic, shampoo ginger is an exception — both functional and fragrant

🧴 Shampoo Ginger Highlights:

• Thick, pinecone-shaped red bracts produce a milky, fragrant juice when squeezed — traditionally used as a natural conditioner or shampoo.

• Popularized by Paul Mitchell in his “Awapuhi” product line.

• The liquid is mildly cleansing, moisturizing, and gentle on the scalp.

• Known for a light, earthy, gingery-floral scent — not overpowering, but fresh and clean.

🧪 Nutritional Value & Benefits

🌟 Nutrient/Compound	💪 Benefit
🧬 Gingerol	Anti-inflammatory, pain relief, circulation boost
🛡️ Antioxidants	Fights free radicals, supports immunity
🍽️ Dietary Fiber	Aids digestion, supports gut health
🌡️ Thermogenic Effect	Slight metabolism boost
🤢 Anti-Nausea	Eases morning sickness, motion sickness, and more
💧 Hydration (as tea)	Helps during colds and flu

🍵 Cold Remedy Ginger Tea Blend

Ginger is a powerful medicinal root packed with gingerol, a bioactive compound known to:

• 🌿 Reduce inflammation and pain

• 💓 Stimulate blood circulation

• 🤢 Alleviate nausea and vomiting

• 💪 Soothe sore muscles (topical use)

• 🛡️ Provide antioxidant support

This blend supports your immune system, soothes symptoms, and helps your body recover naturally.

🧪 At the first sign of cold or flu—runny nose, scratchy throat, cough—sip on this potent, soothing tea:

Ingredients:

• Fresh ginger slices

• Turmeric (fresh or ground)

• Local raw honey 🍯

• Fresh lemon juice 🍋

• Grapefruit peels 🍊

Simmer, strain, and sip.

Stores for up to 1 month in the fridge.

🧊 Storage Tips

• Leave skin on to extend freshness

• Wrap in paper towel + ziplock: lasts up to 2 weeks

• Freeze sliced or whole rhizome for long-term use

• Brewed tea can be stored up to 1 month chilled

US Regions Where Ginger Can Grow Year-Round:

• Southern Texas and Louisiana

• Florida

• Southern and coastal California, Central Valley

• Southern Arizona

• Hawaii

In Riverside County, California, which has a hotter and drier inland climate compared to the coast, the ideal time to plant ginger is:

🌿 Late February through April

This gives ginger a warm but not scorching start before peak summer heat. Ginger loves warmth and humidity, but extreme dry heat (like July–August in Riverside) can stress young plants unless carefully shaded and watered.

✅ Tips for Planting in Riverside County:

• Choose partial shade or filtered sunlight, especially during the hot summer months.

• Mulch heavily to retain soil moisture.

• Consider container growing, so you can move the plants to shadier spots or indoors during extreme heat.

🌱 How to Plant Ginger

Ginger can be grown directly in the ground or in pots (more on containers later). Follow these steps for healthy, thriving plants:

🛠️ Before Planting

• Amend your soil with compost or aged manure if it's nutrient-poor.

• Best time to plant: Early spring. In warmer climates, you can plant year-round.

✂️ Prepare the Rhizomes

• Slice off ginger “fingers,” making sure each piece is 1–2 inches long with at least one visible bud.

• Allow pieces to dry for 24–48 hours to help prevent root rot.

🌿 Planting

• Space cut sections 12 inches apart, no deeper than 1 inch.

• For commercial setups: Use double rows, spaced 1 foot apart, with a walking path in between.

• Water thoroughly after planting.

💧 After Planting

• Shoots should emerge in about 1 week.

• Once growth appears, water deeply but sparingly to encourage strong roots without oversaturation.