Do you need to peel ginger? Not really, but you may want to for aesthetic reasons. I like peeling ginger with the edge of a spoon. Young ginger has such thin skin, you don't need to peel it at all.
"Ginger peel is completely safe to consume," Dana said. "I often slice off coins of unpeeled ginger and steep in hot water for the tastiest ginger tea. The peel may contain more fiber [than the rest of the ginger root]."
It saves you precious cooking time (and your fingers from getting sliced accidentally). Leaving the peel on reduces food waste because you're using the entire ginger root. You'll inevitably lose perfectly good bits of ginger flesh while peeling.
Not only is the skin edible, but it is perhaps the healthiest part of the spice. "[Ginger peel] contains two times the beneficial polyphenols as the flesh and, importantly, unique and distinct compounds," chef and Harvard PhD Kanchan Koya shared on Instagram.
Step One: Peel Ginger
Ginger does not need to be peeled if the skin is soft and pliable. If it is very rough, discolored, and woody, you'll want to peel it, especially if you shred the rhizome. But you can also use a spoon to scrape off the skin.
Ginger is safe to eat daily, but experts recommend limiting yourself to 3 to 4 grams a day — stick to 1 gram daily if you're pregnant. Taking more than 6 grams of ginger a day has been proven to cause gastrointestinal issues such as reflux, heartburn and diarrhea.
You can eat it whole, ground, cooked or raw. Ginger is a spicy root that has proven to be an effective natural remedy for some common diseases.
Fridge: Place the ginger in a resealable plastic bag or an airtight container, and put the bag in the crisper drawer. When properly stored, fresh ginger can last more than a month in the refrigerator.
Do you have to Peel Ginger? Usually, I don't peel the skin if I am using organic ginger. I just clean it well and use it directly for cooking. If it is not organic, I make sure to peel the ginger before using it.
Ginger can have side effects such as abdominal discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth and throat irritation, especially if taken in large doses. Some studies of the use of ginger during pregnancy suggest it is safe, but the evidence is not conclusive.
Grate it, mince it, juice it or press it
Even if your ginger has thicker skin, you can still use it without peeling. Try freezing the root before you grate or mince. It's actually easier to grate ginger that's frozen, and creates less of a stringy mess — and the peel grates into the mix seamlessly.
So how do you properly peel with a spoon? Instead of trying to shove a peeler in and around the nooks and crannies of a knob of ginger, gently press the edge of a spoon against the skin and pull down. The skin will come right off, without bringing along too much of the rhizome itself. It's as easy — and safe — as that.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with heart conditions, and people with diabetes should not take ginger without talking to their doctors. DO NOT take ginger if you have a bleeding disorder or if you are taking blood-thinning medications, including aspirin.
Some people take ginger tea as a remedy for insomnia as it helps them to relax before bedtime. Lemongrass has a relaxing effect on the brain, which helps relieve stress. It is also known for improving sleep patterns.
For that reason, it is best to consume ginger in its raw form. Besides its content of gingerols, raw ginger is rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are essential for maintaining normal body function.
Yes, ginger tea can be consumed if you have high blood pressure. Ginger is known to be beneficial in lowering your blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart diseases. Ginger helps dilate your blood vessels and improves blood circulation, thereby controlling your blood pressure.
Nutrition. Ginger water is full of antioxidants, which play an important role in helping your body handle free radicals, lowering your risk of health conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Ginger water is also rich in the mineral potassium.
Thinly slice your fresh ginger. You don't need to peel it first, but do rinse it and scrub off any visible dirt. Plan on about using about a one-inch piece of ginger per cup of tea. In a saucepan, combine the ginger with fresh water (use one cup of water per serving).
Freezing ginger is a great option for extending its freshness, because ginger frozen whole can last for up to five months. Just make sure to wash and dry the ginger root before you freeze it, and store it in a plastic bag or freezer-friendly container.
Just wrap the peeled root in plastic and refrigerate up to a week. Some people swear by keeping peeled ginger root in a jar of vodka in the refrigerator. If you do this, it'll last up to 8 weeks. Leftover minced ginger can be refrigerated in a tightly covered jar for up to a week.
A ratio of 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger per 1 cup of water. Chopping the ginger into small pieces (or grating it) maximizes the potency of the tea. Boil for 7-12 minutes.