Do you love the flavor of ginger? Sprinkle it in as many dishes as you can? Did you know that it’s actually really good for you? Like REALLY good for you? Read below to learn how to use ginger to boost your health and make a ginger tincture at home!
We love ginger around here and use the dried and ground variety in tons of recipes from Olivia’s Honey Sriracha Meatballs to my Pumpkin Pie. And if you love it as much as we do, then I’m sure you have your own favorite recipes, too!
But, did you know that ginger is packed full of potential medicinal benefits?
From relieving a stomachache to fighting viruses, there’s not much that this little root can’t do! And people around the world have been using it medicinally for thousands of years.
In fact, according to Mount Sinai School of Medicine, “ginger has been used to help digestion and treat stomach upset, diarrhea, and nausea for more than 2,000 years” in China.
More than 2,000 years!
But, that doesn’t even being to cover the potential health benefits from ginger!
Keep reading to find out more…
Benefits of Ginger
While traditional medicines around the world have been using ginger for thousands of years, modern medicine has only recently begun to study its effects.
And many studies have shown the following potential benefits from ginger consumption…
- Nausea from chemotherapy and/or pregnancy morning sickness
- Bloating
- Gas
- Menstrual cramps
- Osteoarthritis pain
- Motion sickness
Some preliminary studies have also shown that ginger may potentially…
- Reduce cholesterol
- Treat heart disease from blocked blood vessels
- Prevent blood from clotting
- Improve blood sugar levels in some diabetic people
Traditionally, ginger was used for a wide variety of additional ailments, too, such as…
- Anti-inflammatory
- Migraine
- Colds and Flu
- Obesity
- Cough
- Sore Throat
- Toothache
Ways to Include Ginger in Your Diet
I hope after reading through the potential health benefits, you’re running recipes around in your brain, trying to figure out how to incorporate more ginger in your diet!
You are thinking about it, right?
I figured you would be, so, I put together this little list of recipes and different ways to use ginger for you…
- Slow Cooker Lemon Ginger Chicken
- Homemade Healing Soup for Colds and Flu
- Honey Sriracha Meatballs
- Pumpkin Pie
- General Tso Chicken
- 20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein
Now, if you’re not a fan of the flavor of ginger or you don’t know how to use it, here’s a list of different ways to purchase/consume it…
- Raw
- Cooked
- Dried
- Infusion (tea)
- Capsules
- Tablets
- Powder
- Poultice (Learn more!)
- Tincture (see below!)
How to Make a Ginger Tincture
How to Make a Ginger Tincture
Ingredients
- Ginger
- Vodka or Whiskey (80 proof or higher alcohol)
Instructions
- Wash the ginger root well.
- Cut up root into small pieces and place into a 4 ounce jar. Use enough root to fill 2/3 of the jar.
- Fill with vodka or whiskey and cover the jar with an air-tight lid.
- Store in a warm, sunny location for 4 to 6 weeks. Be sure to give it a shake every day or two throughout the brew time.
- When the time is up, strain the ginger root, reserving the liquid.
- Pour liquid into tincture bottles or store in a clean mason jar.
I am not a doctor and I am not claiming to treat, cure or otherwise heal anything using this Ginger Tincture. I’m simply sharing my recipe, along with the research I have found pertaining to the health benefits of ginger root. The use of any herbal remedy could cause allergies and/or interactions with your medications. Please check with a medical professional before trying any herbal remedy.
How to Store Ginger Tincture
Store your new tincture in a clean, mason jar or an amber tincture bottle with dosing dropper.
I hope you’ve enjoyed learning how to make this Ginger Tincture! Knowing how to make your own remedies is an important skill we should all learn and remember.
You never know when you’ll need to know!
You might also like:
- Lemon Balm Tincture
- How to Make Dandelion Root Tincture
- 7 Best Medicinal Herbs to Grow in Your Garden
Have an Awesome Day!
~Vanessa
Vanessa Hamlin is the owner and founder of Food Life Design and VLHamlinDesign. With her passion for frugal living and homesteading, Vanessa loves to write about easy recipes, making money, gardening, home remedies and everything else that a good life entails! When she’s not writing for Food Life Design or creating products for VLHamlinDesign, you’ll find Vanessa reading, drawing, gardening, cooking or spending time with her family.