Indian spices open a world of mysticism for all. They are varied, aromatic, flavourful and enriched with different health benefitting nutrients. Besides being a part of the country's culinary journey, herbs and spices have also been widely used in traditional medical practice. One such ingredient in use is ginger. Power-packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties and a potent compound named gingerol, the ingredient defines goodness in every possible way. You will find some people having it fresh, while some enjoy ginger in its dried, powdered form. This brings up the question, whether you should have it fresh or dry to enjoy the benefits to the fullest.
We contacted health practitioner, nutritionist and certified macrobiotic health coach Shilpa Arora to understand the difference between dry and fresh ginger and which one is better for health. Let's take you through.
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Fresh Ginger Vs Dry Ginger: What Is The Difference?
What Are The Benefits Of Fresh Ginger?
Fresh ginger is basically the ginger roots easily available in the market. You use it as ginger paste in curries, grate it while brewing tea and more. It has a rich aroma and pungent taste that adds a unique texture to the food and drink you add it to.
According to Shilpa Arora, "Fresh ginger contains an active compound gingerol and has more water content that helps the body detox and function well. Fresh ginger helps promote digestion, prevent nausea and boost immunity against common cold and flu".
What Are The Benefits Of Dry Ginger?
Dry ginger, also called saunth, is made by drying the fresh roots of ginger, which is then blended into fine powder, for our use. You will find dry ginger being widely used as garnishing element, in chutney and achar recipes and traditional medicines like churan and kadha.
Shilpa Arora states, "Dry ginger contains concentrated version of the nutrients and help prevent oxidative stress in the body. Saunth contains anti-inflammatory properties that help easy any kind of inflammatory conditions including joint pain and arthritis. Alongside, dry ginger also helps boost digestion and alleviate various respiratory issues."
Also Read: How Ginger Tea Helps With Indigestion, Plus Easy Recipe To Make It
Fresh Ginger Vs Dry Ginger: Which One Is Better?
Dry ginger contains concentrated form of the nutrients available in ginger, making it a better option for various health problems. Shilpa Arora weighs in, "While dry ginger is potent in terms of nutrients, fresh ginger roots help add some water content in your food or drink. In fact, fresh ginger has better antioxidant properties. And the essential oil of gingerol makes it a better option when it comes to cold and sore throat."
To put it simply, both dry and fresh ginger have their unique benefitting properties, which make them equally important for our health and fitness, concludes Shilpa Arora.
So we recommend, use the ingredient wisely to enjoy all the benefits. In fact, the best practice is to consult an expert and understand which of the two ingredients would work better for a particular health problem