The acceptance of ginger is growing quite rapidly, thanks to the enormous benefits of this unassuming-looking root with a bright, distinctive taste. It is used in different forms, including ginger in sugar, and retains its exceptional properties after all kinds of processing. Ginger is especially popular in eastern countries, where it is a common delicacy. There it is consumed as a dessert and added to baked goods.
It is successfully used in healing and preventing many diseases. Usually, for its production, underground parts of young plants are used, from which the peel is removed. However, not everyone can consume ginger because of its specific bitter taste. A unique delicacy was invented for them - candied ginger. It has a much more attractive and delicate taste.
Beneficial features
Ginger is a seasoning that is used in most cuisines of many peoples of the planet.
Its taste is unique, giving the dishes sophistication and sophistication. But this root is valued not only for its taste. He has a very solid range of positive qualities, which we have learned to use quite fruitfully.
Ginger root is considered a wonderful remedy that helps cope with a large number of problems:
- normalizes metabolism in the body;
- participates in the treatment of many abdominal organs, which include the gallbladder, liver, kidneys;
- normalizes the functioning of the stomach and intestines, improves digestion, eliminates intestinal disorders and infections, as well as constipation;
- effective against intestinal parasites;
- helps eliminate muscle and joint pain;
- improves immunity during the cold season;
- has a warming effect for colds or hypothermia, treats bronchitis and cough.
And this is only part of the beneficial qualities of ginger, which can be easily grown at home.
Dry ground ginger
The process of drying ginger root has little effect on its composition and beneficial effects for the human body, but it allows you to preserve this product for a long time and use it for preparing a variety of dishes and medicinal products for two years.
There are several ways to dry the root at home:
- in the oven;
- in the dryer;
- in natural conditions.
When choosing the first option, you need to cut the root into thin slices and place them on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Dry at a temperature of +50°C and the door open for 2.5 hours, then raise the temperature to +70°C and dry for another 3–5 hours.
In the second option, thinly sliced ginger is placed in the dryer tray and the temperature is set to +60°C. The duration of the procedure is from 6 to 9 hours. Under natural conditions, ginger will dry for several weeks. It must be placed on a wire rack, covered with gauze and placed under a canopy or in a well-ventilated place where there is no exposure to sunlight.
Ginger slices need to be turned over periodically to achieve uniform drying. After drying, the product should be crushed in a mortar, using a manual or mechanical coffee grinder or spice grinder.
Did you know? One of the first to describe the healing effects of ginger is the famous Persian encyclopedist and physician Avicenna (980-1037 AD). Modern scientists, as a result of many years of research, have proven most of the described properties.
Chemical properties
During drying, the calorie content of ginger increases significantly. 100 g of dried root contains 335 kcal, while the fresh product contains only 80. Proteins in the dried rhizome are 9 g/100 g, fats are 4.2 g, carbohydrates are 57.5 g.
Dry ginger root contains vitamins A, group B (1, 2, 4, 6, 9), C, K, PP. It is rich in potassium (52.8%/100 g of daily value), magnesium (53.5%), phosphorus (21%), iron (110%), manganese (1665%), copper (48%), selenium ( 101.5%), zinc (30.5%). It also contains amino acids, sugars, and phytosterols.
- Thanks to such a rich chemical composition, the dried product has the following beneficial effects on human health:
- improving the functioning of the digestive system;
- laxative and diuretic effects;
- increased energy and heat production;
- helping to strengthen the immune system;
- improving the activity of the heart and blood vessels;
- blood thinning;
- cleansing the body;
- improvement of brain activity;
- acceleration of metabolism;
- improving the condition of hair and skin.
Along with beneficial effects, spice can cause harm - irritate the mucous membranes of the digestive organs and oral cavity.
Read how to cleanse your body with ginger.
Taste and external characteristics
The dried ground root looks like a powdery grey-yellow or milky color. You can see what it looks like in the photo. Its taste is spicy, pungent with bitterness. It is somewhat different from fresh. The aroma is sharp and fresh.
Calorie content of candied root
Ginger dried in sugar is a candied fruit. Sugar, of course, is not a dietary product; it is contraindicated in certain diseases and predisposition to excess weight. However, in candied fruits it is used as a preservative, prolonging the shelf life of the product and preserving its medicinal qualities.
The human body needs sugar in limited quantities, but nutritionists recommend replacing it with other substances. However, the recipe for preparing ginger in sugar does not allow such a substitution, even substitution with honey. If you follow the rules of a healthy diet with a predominance of fruits, vegetables and cereals, eliminating processed foods, fats, alcohol, and sugar in limited quantities from your diet will not harm your health and figure.
You can eat dried ginger in sugar, the calorie content of which is not so high. On the contrary, its use helps control weight.
Candied fruits serve as a catalyst for metabolism. They usually eat no more than a few pieces, so there is no risk of weight gain; on the contrary, you can reduce your appetite and need for sweets. Ginger will bring undoubted benefits to those who regularly use it in small quantities.
Nutritionists who studied ginger in sugar calculated its calorie content a long time ago. It should be taken into account when consuming ginger in sugar: its calorie content per 100 grams is approximately 330 kilocalories. Compared to marmalade, it is much higher in calories.
Differences in chemical composition from pickled and fresh root
Dried | Marinated | Fresh | |
Calorie content (Kcal) | 335 | 51 | 80 |
Vitamins (mg) | |||
K | 0,8 | – | 0,1 |
C | 0,7 | 12 | 5 |
B6 | 0,626 | – | 0,16 |
B5 | 0,477 | – | 0,203 |
Kholin | 41,2 | – | 28,8 |
B2 | 0,17 | 0,19 | 0,034 |
B1 | 0,046 | 0,046 | 0,025 |
Beta carotene | 18 | – | – |
A | 30 | 0,015 | – |
Minerals (mg) | |||
Zinc | 3,64 | 4,73 | 0,34 |
Selenium | 55,8 | – | 0,7 |
Copper | 0,48 | – | 0,226 |
Manganese | 33,3 | – | 0,229 |
Iron | 19,8 | 10,5 | 0,6 |
Phosphorus | 168 | 74 | 34 |
Sodium | 27 | 32 | 13 |
Magnesium | 214 | 92 | 43 |
Calcium | 114 | 58 | 16 |
Potassium | 1320 | 1,34 | 415 |
Could there be harm?
It is undesirable to use candied ginger, the benefits and harms of which are comparable, for those who have health restrictions, and then the root can only cause harm instead of benefit.
First of all, you should avoid excess - you can eat only 4 g of candied fruit in one day. Otherwise:
- may cause stomach problems or diarrhea;
- in some cases, the plant causes a burning sensation in the throat;
- consuming it in excess of the norm threatens to dry out the skin, sometimes causing rashes.
Therefore, people with hypersensitive skin should not use this root.
People with cholelithiasis in the acute phase are prohibited from taking candied ginger, because it increases the amount of bile produced, after which the patient’s well-being may worsen. Dried ginger in sugar, the benefits and harms of which have been proven, is not recommended for use by patients with gastric ulcers or in preparation for surgery.
Experts say that dried ginger in sugar, the benefits and harms of which have been studied, will not harm those who do not abuse it and limit their use to the acceptable limit.
Where to buy ginger?
Despite the fact that this root vegetable grows in Asia, it can be found on the shelves in our supermarkets.
Moreover, you can purchase this valuable product in several forms: ordinary unpeeled root, which still needs to be processed before further use. There is also a finished product that is sold in glass jars. It can be pickled root, candied ginger. In addition, manufacturers make ground root vegetables, so in this form they can also be found in any grocery store. It is also on supermarket shelves as an essential oil.
How to use dried ginger in sugar?
In the winter and spring seasons, in cloudy weather, dried ginger in sugar, the beneficial properties of which are beyond doubt, will help maintain health and strength if you eat it correctly - in limited quantities. Just a couple of pieces is enough. You can use it as a snack to curb your hunger or suppress your cravings for sweets.
Some people put slices directly into their tea and enjoy the unusual aroma. It is very tasty to drink tea with a slice of candied fruit. In addition to pleasure, this ceremony will warm you up, increase your resistance and enhance your energy. Sugar cannot overpower the taste of spice; you need to get used to this delicacy.
Fans know how to cook ginger in sugar and how to use it for its benefit. It contains a lot of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Ginger in sugar helps maintain weight due to its warming properties. Eating the root, which normalizes metabolism, allows you to burn more calories. Therefore, the plant is so valuable for maintaining a beautiful figure. Most often, ginger teas are used for this purpose. Although candied fruits are no less valuable, they can replace sweets and other treats for those with a sweet tooth.
Storage Types
Dried ginger (pieces or powder) is stored in a dry place, hidden from direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It is necessary to provide it with maximum ventilation and darkness. The following containers are suitable:
- Cardboard boxes or bast boxes.
- Paper bags.
- Glass or ceramic containers, with dense metal or nylon lids.
- Wooden boxes.
- Containers made of food-grade plastic.
- Enameled containers.
Ginger is not stored in uncoated metal boxes, as oxidation of the material can spoil the entire product. Maximum shelf life is 18-24 months.
Contraindications
Nutrition experts categorically do not recommend that parents include this treat in their children’s menu, although older children really like it.
That is why it should not be used by pregnant women and nursing mothers. It is forbidden to use it for burns and high temperatures, so that they are not complicated by the warming effect of the ginger itself. Ginger in sugar, the beneficial properties and contraindications of which are of interest to many lovers, in some cases combines harm with medicinal qualities.
Before you start consuming ginger in sugar, you should definitely consult your doctor about contraindications, the list of which is quite long:
- the content of essential oils in the root can bring harm, rather than benefit, to people with chronic diseases;
- Ginger is also incompatible with certain medications, the effect of which it can enhance, thereby increasing side effects;
- it works well for flu or colds with low fever, but it cannot be used if the temperature is high;
- You should not use it if you have skin diseases, so as not to complicate them by excessive skin irritation.
You should observe moderation in everything; excessive consumption will only bring trouble - from allergic reactions to digestive problems and even excess weight, which, in principle, it should help get rid of. In such cases, you should stop taking this product immediately. Candied ginger is also contraindicated for diabetes.
Before consuming ginger in sugar, the beneficial properties and contraindications of which have been described more than once, you should compare your health capabilities and whether there is a risk of complications as a result of its use.
Basic recipe
- 450 g ginger root,
- 450 g granulated sugar for syrup,
- 300 g sugar for sprinkling,
- 4.5 Art. water.
Cut the peeled root into thin slices. Fill with cold water and turn off the heat. As soon as it boils, immediately reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the root vegetable becomes soft.
It is boiled to remove the special bitterness and pungent taste of ginger root.
Boil water and add sugar, cook until it is completely dissolved. Drain the ginger and pat dry.
Dip the slices into syrup and cook until the ginger is transparent. It should take up a significant portion of the sugar syrup. Stir regularly. Place candied fruits on a plate and sprinkle with sugar. Stir and place on a paper towel.
Store in a cool place in a glass container with a tight-fitting lid.