In this  cold weather, I wanted to introduce you to ginger root. Fresh ginger root tastes great in most green smoothies; namely kale, collards, spinach and dandelion, and is especially nice with apple. It adds warmth to your smoothie and strengthens the immune system. Feels good on a sore throat too. Cut off anywhere from half an inch to an inch of the fresh root, slice off the dry peel and chop into bits small enough for your blender to handle. Blend with the other ingredients of your smoothie. Enjoy!

Winter Green Smoothie Recipe with  Ginger:
1 bunch dandelion greens
1 ripe mango (with peel if it’s organic, but without pit)
1 ripe banana
½ inch ginger root
2-3 cups water

Blend well and enjoy.

Facts about Ginger
Ginger dates back over 3,000 years to India. Ginger is native to Southern Asia and has long been a staple addition to Asian cuisines. It is quite popular in the Caribbean Islands, where it grows wild in lush tropical settings.

Traditional Ayurvedic Medicine has recommended ginger for many gastrointestinal and blood diseases. It is used for abdominal bloating, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, and for the treatment of inflammatory joint diseases, such as arthritis and rheumatism. A little piece of ginger goes a long way. Look at the multiple benefits:

* Enhances natural resistance for cold and flu.
* Reduces inflammation.
* Supports healthy digestion, offering 180 times the protein digestive power of papaya.
* Soothes digestion.
* Contains at least 12 anti-aging constituents that inactivate free radicals.
* Supports blood platelet health and cardiovascular function.
* Twenty-two known constituents inhibit inflammatory 5-lipoxygenase, supports prostate health.
* May increase absorption and utilization of other nutrients and herbs by 2 to 2.5 times.

Ginger is a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium and Selenium, and a very good source of Manganese.