It's the season for ginger

Ginger is not just spicy, sweet and delicious, it’s also tremendously good for you. And the holiday season is the perfect time to pack a punch with it in everything from the cookie tray to the mocktails.

Here’s why and how to include this efficacious superfood in your holiday festivities.

• Be good to yourself: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and flu season, a nutritious immunity-boosting diet can help you take good care of your health. With its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, ginger boasts a wide range of health benefits, making it a great ingredient to include in your winter culinary repertoire. What’s more, ginger can help counteract some of the effects of an indulgent holiday season, as it promotes digestive health and calms nausea.

• Embrace its versatility: Ginger goes far beyond such holiday classics like gingerbread houses. With a little creativity, it can be incorporated into every course of your holiday meal, adding a rare depth of flavour few other ingredients can match. Whip up a batch of ginger-carrot soup, prepare a ginger-based salad dressing, top your roast with a ginger-gravy or simply garnish your favourite drink.

• Go for the real stuff: To amp up the flavour and health benefits, use only ingredients incorporating real ginger. Just be sure to read the label. If you’re like the one in three ginger ale drinkers who reach for this beverage because you’re looking for a drink with actual ginger, you may be surprised to learn that most mainstream ginger ales contain almost no real ginger.

A satisfying spice known worldwide for its wellness benefits, you can give your family the gift of flavour and health by putting ginger front-and-centre this holiday season.