Good for what ails your tummy

All pronouncements about foods and their relative levels of being good for you or not good for you should be taken with a grain of (figurative) salt. 

Because, really, no one actually knows. Some of the things we say/write/think about whether gluten is bad for you or sugar is good for you are just theoretical. All we can really know for sure is that moderation is important and that just because one banana a day is good for you that doesn’t mean that 10 bananas a day will be 10 times better (they might actually cross a line into being toxic when eaten in excess).

Having said that, let’s talk about ginger, which is believed to help calm your digestion when it’s been upset by any number of factors, including over-indulgence at Thanksgiving.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, ginger is given to patients who are nauseous and who have diarrhea, indigestion and just general upset stomachs. 

Many naturopaths also recommend ginger, sometimes in the form of ginger ale or ginger chews (check the ingredients list; some ginger ales just have ginger flavor while others have actual ginger).

Those two options, of course, have a lot of sugar in them so probably are not great if you have long-term needs — such as if you are undergoing chemotherapy or if you are pregnant. Sometimes ginger is also suggested because it reduces pain from osteoarthritis, which I guess means that it also acts as an anti-inflammatory. 

If you’re someone suffering from one of those more serious conditions, obviously check with your doctor before you start ingesting large quantities of ginger or anything else. 

If, instead, you’re just looking for help in recovering from one of the large meals that mark the winter holiday season, feel free to experiment with some festive ginger additions. I like to cook with ginger, and add it to many things. It makes all the difference to fried rice if you grate in some fresh ginger. 

Poached pears are spectacular if you add some ginger to the poaching liquid; pumpkin pie benefits from bits of candied ginger added to the crust, and mashed sweet potatoes or winter squash are much more lively if you add in, again, some finely chopped candy ginger (and marshmallows, of course). 

I have a bottle of ginger syrup in my refrigerator that I’ve been using on pancakes, bread pudding and poached pears. As I was doing some Internet research for this article, I discovered that ginger syrup is usually used as an addition to cocktails and tea. In theory you can also add some to bubbly water for a chemical-free ginger ale (although it will still have a lot of sugar). 

Ginger syrup is literally simple to make —it’s a simple sugar with ginger added to it. If you’ve ever been tempted to buy simple sugar, don’t. It’s just water and sugar, brought to a boil. 

If you have some pretty bottles and some ribbon, this might make a nice hostess gift if you’re going to a holiday cocktail party. 

This recipe is from the excellent Internet cook and blogger David Lebovitz. 

Ginger syrup

Makes about 2 cups 

From www.davidlebovitz.com

To peel or not to peel? Lebovitz says that if you don’t peel, your syrup will be darker (and, in my opinion, darker will be prettier). 

If you don’t want it too spicy, Lebovitz recommends blanching the chopped ginger first in boiling water and allowing it to simmer for a couple minutes. Drain it and then proceed with the recipe.

8 ounces of fresh ginger, unpeeled, 4 cups of water, 2 cups of sugar, a pinch of  salt

Chop the ginger into small pieces, keeping in mind that it will be fibrous. Lebovitz recommends that you cut it first into thin slices and then chop it up. 

Find a non-reactive saucepan (meaning, basically, something that isn’t metal; the ideal is a small enameled cast iron saucepan) and add in all the ingredients. 

Bring it to a boil, then simmer it for between 45 minutes and an hour, depending on how thick you want it.

Let it cool, on the stovetop or in the refrigerator, and then strain it through a fine-mesh strainer. It will last, covered, in the refrigerator for at least two weeks.