“Let food be your medicine.” Hippocrates
Galangal or Siamese ginger or blue ginger belongs to ginger family and it is vastly used in South East Asia as both spice and medicine. It looks like ginger, but harder to cut and the taste is similar but also very different and sweeter. you can dry them and make galangal powder. It is used in tea, in Thai soups (Tom yum), and in many other Asian cuisines. It is also used for its health benefits such as; indigestion, gastric inflammation and ulcer. It helps joint pain, but ironically if you have allergy to galangal, it can give you rash and joint pain or it helps your digestion and bloating, but consuming too much of it can cause heart burn and indigestion. So as always, moderation is the key to getting the most health benefit out of any food and galangal is not an exception. In Thailand they use galangal oil for Thai massage to reduce body ache and create a soothing effect in muscles. Galangal with lemon juice is used for soothing cough and helping regular breathing. Galangal is known to improve blood circulation in hands and feet, which facilitates the circulation of nutrients and oxygen to these parts of body. When I was in Thailand, I learned that galangal oil and soap is used for breast enlargement and they used it in perfume and deodorants as well. Since galangal is good for bloating and regulates gastrointestinal system, you can use it fresh or dry and add it to some chopped pear and a little bit honey and water and cook it. This pear compote with yogurt is a fantastic snack and it is balanced in temperament.
“Let’s always eat and drink healthful food and beverages and do it in moderation.” Dr. Sii
Si'Mama Cafe 