Dried Galangal Root

What is a galangal root?

If you've ever gone shopping for ginger root, you may have almost picked up galangal root by mistake because it looks a lot like ginger root.  Galangal root comes from Southeast Asia. It looks so much like ginger that it is sometimes called "Thai ginger" or "Siamese ginger." Ginger is used more often than galangal, which is mostly used in Southeast Asian dishes like those from Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Even though galangal and ginger look similar, their tastes are very different, so they aren't often used in the same way. But don't just dismiss this spice yet. When used in certain dishes, galangal adds a unique flavor and has a number of health benefits. You can find galangal in almost any Asian market. Asian markets typically store fresh ginger root in the refrigerator. Both the dried galangal ginger root and galangal powder can be found in bags near the spices.

How do I use the galangal root?

The utilization of raw galangal root is comparable to that of ginger. Typically, recipes for authentic Thai curries and Indonesian soups call for the peeling and grating of galangal root into the bouillon or sauce.

Galangal root benefits:

Related to ginger and turmeric, galangal root is a spice. It is often used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine as a treatment. It can give your food flavor, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds. It may also provide various health benefits.

◉ Galangal is high in antioxidants.  Galangal contains a significant amount of polyphenols, which are classified as a type of antioxidant. Studies have indicated that polyphenols help with cognition by improving memory, lowering your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), which helps prevent heart disease, and lowering blood sugar, which helps prevent diabetes from starting.

◉ Contains anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties: "Galangal has also been shown to have antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. This means that it helps reduce inflammation, which can cause joint pain and protect the body from harmful microorganisms and bacteria. This keeps diseases and parasites from spreading," Zeitlin explains.

◉ Helps improve male fertility: Some studies show that eating galangal root may also make men more fertile. But most of the research that has been done so far has been done on animals or in test tubes, and there aren't many published studies that link galangal root directly to these benefits in people. Because of this, we need more solid scientific research before we can come to any firm conclusions. Furthermore, more research needs to be done to figure out how much galangal root a person can safely eat to get these health benefits and avoid any possible side effects.

◉ It has active compounds that fight cancer: Test tube studies have shown that galangin, a flavonoid found in galangal root, and other parts of the spice may help fight several different types of cancer, such as leukemia, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, hepatoma, colon cancer, and more. Again, more research on humans is needed to find out if these active compounds really do help stop the growth and spread of some cancer cells.

Where can I buy galangal root?

Buy galangal root from the health food store in the USA, Alive Herbals.

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