One of the most widely used ingredients in both cooking and medicinal purposes, is the sweet and zesty ginger. Originating in Asia, this super plant is now available all year round and across the globe—including the Mediterranean—so it’s no surprise that it has crept into many modern Mediterranean foods.

The health benefits of ginger are centred on it’s anti-inflammatory properties. It’s used to help with nausea, , flu symptoms, fungal infections, stomach ulcers, eases menstrual pains, regulating blood sugar, joint and muscle pains, eases inflammation and promotes digestion. These are just some of the most common uses for ginger. The benefits of ginger are so impressive, I myself have used it to boost the nutritional content of my own recipes, such as in my Avgolemono soup and homemade chicken stock.

Sometimes, when we get sick, we forget about all the bounty of fresh produce we are surrounded with that can help with many symptoms—let’s not forget about ginger and all the other amazing herbs that have been used for generations to help us get through dis-ease.

GINGER TEA

approx. 500g whole fresh ginger

raw honey or maple syrup, to taste

1. Wash the unpeeled ginger. Read this post about washing fruits vegetables, if unsure.

2. Break up the ginger into large pieces and pass it through your juicer. I used the Kuvings slow juicer.

3. Pour the ginger juice through a fine sieve to remove extra pieces. Press the pulp with a spoon to squeeze out most of the juice, then discard the pulp and skin.

4. Use the juice to make the tea using 1 tablespoon of ginger juice. Top with freshly boiled water and sweeten as desired.

5. Freeze the extra juice in ice cube trays and store in a freezer bag or container.