Ginger and turmeric: everything you need to know

Ginger, also known as Zingiber officinale, is a widely used herb and one of the most popular spices in the world. It has been used for thousands of years: in the past mainly in traditional Asian cooking, and nowadays more and more often as a fixed part of a daily routine.

Its fresh, spicy flavour comes from gingerol: the active compound that ginger naturally contains. But what exactly is ginger and what can you do with it?

Ginger is a versatile spice that can be used in lots of dishes and recipes. You can also use it to make countless alcohol-free cocktails and smoothies. Our blog has recipes you can make yourself with pure ginger juice.

It also makes an easy warming cup of ginger tea: let slices of ginger steep in hot water, or add a splash of pure ginger juice to your cup. No cutting, no waiting.

Ginger shots are also growing in popularity. Make them yourself by pressing fresh ginger, or order ready-made ginger shots with no added sugar or water. These shots are made of 80% mandarin juice and 20% ginger juice.

Many people find a ginger shot every morning a 'kickstart' to the day. That's mainly down to the heat: ginger naturally contains gingerol, the compound that gives it its characteristic kick: the fresher the ginger, the more you taste it.

That makes ginger a good fit for a healthy daily routine: neat as a shot, or mixed into tea, orange juice or a smoothie.

Ginger originally comes from Southeast Asia, where China is the world's largest producer. Today ginger is grown in many different countries: besides China, also widely in India, Peru and Nigeria. In Europe it is still difficult to grow ginger in large quantities.

The ginger from those countries differs in flavour. Our ginger comes from the Peruvian highlands, from farmers we know personally, the same supply chain all the way to the Netherlands.

Ginger can be grown in two ways: conventionally or organically. Organic farming doesn't use artificial pesticides or fertilisers. That's better for the soil, and no residues of artificial substances are left behind in the root.

Conventional farming does use those substances. That's cheaper, but residues can remain. Go Now is SKAL certified (number 027851), so you can be sure our juices are 100% organic.

When we produce our pure ginger juice, the ginger is pressed unpeeled. Even though the brown skin doesn't look very appetising, it's perfectly edible. In fact, the skin contains higher concentrations of active compounds than the flesh.

So you can safely use the skin in your dishes. Just make sure it's washed well and free of dirt.

Fresh ginger juice and ginger powder both have their place: they differ mainly in flavour and convenience.

The ginger root comes from the ginger plant, which grows in tropical climates: warm and humid. After pieces of rhizome are planted, the plant grows to about a metre tall. After flowering, new rhizomes form underground, which can be harvested after around five months.

The harvested ginger is cleaned and is then ready to be pressed into juice. We do this slowly and unpeeled.

Turmeric, also known as yellow root or kunyit, is a popular spice just like ginger, and even part of the ginger family. You probably know the bright yellow root from curry or soup, but nowadays it's also widely drunk: as turmeric tea, golden latte or a shot.

Its characteristic colour and flavour come from curcumin, the compound that turmeric naturally contains. The plant originally comes from Southeast Asia and India.

Turmeric is a versatile spice that can be used in lots of recipes and meals. It can be used to make countless juices and sauces: from golden latte to a dressing for your meal with pure turmeric juice.

Turmeric shots are growing in popularity. Make them yourself, or order ready-made turmeric shots with mandarin juice. These are made of 85% mandarin juice and 15% turmeric juice: pure and with no added sugar or water.

Turmeric is widely used to give dishes and drinks an extra flavour sensation: earthy, warm and slightly bitter. The active compound curcumin occurs in it naturally.

Good to know: black pepper supports the absorption of curcumin. That's why many people combine turmeric with a pinch of pepper. The amount people like varies from person to person, so you add it yourself. We deliberately leave it out of the bottle.