Ginger is a perennial plant, as well as representatives of the Ginger family. He is known for his beneficial substances that boost the immune system. This herbaceous plant is widely used in the modern world in various fields. So, the roots of the plant are most often used in cooking or medicine. But the question often arises, what is it like: a fruit or a vegetable, a berry, a root crop or grass?
Ginger in cooking is a vegetable or fruit
Since in botany instead of the concepts of “fruit” and “vegetable” the term “fruit” is used, there was no need to define this plant to one or another group. However, ginger is used on the farm for cooking. Because of this, one should nevertheless consider this issue from a household point of view.
Did you know? In India, locals used ginger as a currency. Only with time, the idea arose to taste it.
Everyone knows that apples, bananas, peaches are fruits. Cucumbers, tomatoes - vegetables. And strawberries are berries. In everyday life, we rarely have to analyze the fruits in order to figure out which group they belong to. Most often this happens on a subconscious level. However, there are a number of characteristics that can relate to only one of the groups.
How to distinguish a vegetable from a fruit:
- Fruits have seeds, unlike vegetables.
- Fruit fruit comes from dusty color, vegetables are an edible part of the plant.
- In the culinary sphere, it is customary to distinguish fruits and vegetables in accordance with their taste. The former have a sweet taste, the latter do not.
Based on the above classification, ginger definitely can not be considered a fruit. Edible stems and plant roots in botany are considered to be vegetables. Therefore, from this point of view, ginger, like carrots, beets, radishes, refers to this.
Did you know? Alcohol is also made from ginger, including ginger beer, as well as ginger ale.
Plants on the farm are divided into vegetables and fruits, berries, herbs, and also in a separate group determine the spices. According to this principle, it would be more accurate to attribute the product to spices, since it is often used as a spice.
In cooking, most often the root is used in ground form. So, it is used as a seasoning, adding to drinks, sauces and pastries. You can also often find sushi as a snack. Despite the fact that it is not a fruit, jam and candied fruit are made from it.
Ginger in botany is a root crop, grass, or berry.
In appearance, the product resembles a brown root crop, similar to the root of an ordinary tree. It has a pungent taste, pungent odor. One has only to look at it, and immediately it becomes clear that this is the rhizome of a herbaceous plant.
Rhizome in botany is called a modified, underground shoot. Many consider ginger grass, paying attention to its sharp, elongated leaves. Outwardly, it may resemble reeds, however, if you look at the photo of the root, you can notice the palmate branches that are located along the entire plane of the root base.
Since the root is used in everyday life, and it is not an ordinary fruit, it can be considered a root crop. Pharmaceutical ginger is also widely used in medicine. The plant is filled with vitamins of groups A, B1, B2, C, E. It also contains a significant amount of calcium and potassium, zinc and magnesium, iron and sodium.
- It has a number of useful properties:
- boosts the immune system;
- normalizes the intestinal tract;
- improves metabolism;
- helps with coughing;
- eliminates viruses and infections;
- eliminates a headache;
- has an anti-inflammatory effect;
- It has bactericidal and antibacterial properties.
Important! The more massive the root crop, the more essential oils and useful elements it contains.
The product is used in the form of tincture or decoction. It is also often used in the form of tea, which will help cope with colds or viral diseases.
Ginger also improves appetite, memory, helps with radiculitis, bruises, cleanses the body of toxic substances. It is considered a “burning spice” that improves food digestion and blood flow.
In addition, it is effectively used for weight loss. The root can help with infertility, reduce pain during menstruation, and also helps to normalize hormones. The plant is also used in cosmetology.
Based on everything Ginger itself is a herbaceous plant, its root is what is eaten as a spice. You can consider ginger as a root crop, vegetable, or a modified shoot, relying on general characteristics.
Important! The use of ginger is contraindicated in people who suffer from diabetes, have gastritis or a stomach ulcer, as well as heart problems.
However, such definitions are not quite correct, since this is a plant, not a vegetable, fruit or herb, although relying on the fact that the roots of the plant are consumed both as a spice and in its original form, it can be safely attributed to vegetables. And the roots used in the medical field are root crops.
