Anti-Inflammatory Diet: Ginger Gummies
Making gummies at home is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Of course, it’s also rewarding when you get to eat them too. These anti-inflammatory ginger gummies are tasty and healthy so make a great guilt-free snack and sweet treat.
Health Benefits Of These Ginger Gummies
There are a number of anti-inflammatory ingredients in this recipe, so let’s take a look at the benefits this brings first. The ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties are ginger, blueberries, strawberries, orange, and apple.
Ginger is one of the top anti-inflammatory spices around. It has long been used for its medicinal purposes, possibly as far back as 2,000 years. It can help decrease inflammation, swelling, and pain, making it useful for people with ailments such as arthritis. 6-Gingerol is the main active component in ginger which can inhibit inflammatory reactions. Ginger is also known to help with diabetes and auto-immune conditions.
On top of arthritis, there are a number of other health conditions that the anti-inflammatory ingredients in this recipe can help treat or prevent including:
● Psoriasis
● Asthma
● Crohn’s disease
● Inflammatory bowel disease
● Cancer
● Diabetes
● Heart disease
● Alzheimer’s
By eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, you are also protecting your immune system in general. In contrast, some of the foods that can cause inflammation include sugar, saturated fats, artificial trans fats, processed meat, and refined carbohydrates. By finding ways to replace pro-inflammatory foods with anti-inflammatory foods it can improve our overall health and longevity.
The strawberries and blueberries in this recipe contain antioxidants called anthocyanins whose anti-inflammatory effects can reduce the risk of disease.
Berries are also a potent source of nutrients. Strawberries have high concentrations of Vitamin C and manganese, folate, fiber, and potassium. Blueberries are also a good source of manganese and Vitamin C, as well as Vitamin K1. On top of this, the Quercetin in Blueberries can lower blood pressure, helping to ward off heart disease.
Oranges have inflammation-fighting antioxidants and are a good source of Vitamin B, Vitamin A, calcium, and potassium. Oranges are also associated with keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy.
Apples are also a great fruit for fighting inflammation. Studies have proven that eating apples on a daily basis reduces C-Reactive Protein, which is a key marker of inflammation in the blood. Apples also have many other health benefits including the ability to fight free radicals which play a role in the development of cancer and other health issues.
How To Make These Anti-Inflammatory Ginger Gummies
This recipe takes approximately 30 minutes to make and then you need 30 minutes to 1 hour to let them set.
Ingredients
● ½ cup blueberries
● 1 cup strawberries
● 1 orange
● 1 apple
● ½ inch x 1-inch ginger (1 tsp grated)
● 2 tsp agar agar
● Few drops of stevia (optional)
Equipment
● Blender or juicer
● Fine mesh strainer (if not using a juicer)
● Medium bowl (if not using a juicer)
● Silicone molds and droppers
● Small saucepan
● Whisk
● Small bowl (for transferring the mixture to cool)
Method
Step 1
Put your silicone molds into the freezer to chill them.
Step 2
Wash all of your fruit, except for the orange.
Step 3
Cut up 1 apple into small chunks and put this in the blender or juicer but don’t blend yet (wait until step 8).
Step 4
Cut the tops off your strawberries and then the strawberries in half. Add these to the blender.
Step 5
Add ½ cup of blueberries to the blender.
Step 6
Shave the skin off your piece of ginger (½ inch x 1 inch) and finely grate it using a Microplane or the finest side of a grater. You should have around 1 tsp of ginger once you’ve finished. Add this to the blender too.
Step 7
Cut 1 orange in half and squeeze this. You can use an orange squeezer or just squeeze it into a bowl first by hand and make sure you remove the seeds. Then add the orange juice to the blender.
Step 8
Blend everything together on high for at least 30 seconds or until all the fruit has been blended and the mixture is liquidy.
Step 9
If you are using a juicer you can jump to step 10. If you have used a blender, place your fine-mesh strainer over a bowl or container that’s wide enough to catch the juice. Pour your mixture from the blender over the strainer and push the pulp down until you cannot extract any more juice (you should get approximately 1 cup of juice). You can keep the pulp from the fruit in a container in the fridge and use it in another recipe (e.g. it’s lovely for breakfast on natural yogurt).
Step 10
Pour your juice into the saucepan and add 2 teaspoons of agar-agar powder. I added three drops of Stevia but you can leave this out or add more to taste. Set the heat to high.
Step 11
Mix it all well with the whisk then keep whisking slowly until you see your first bubble/s appear (approximately 5 minutes). You want to keep the mixture smooth. If you’re using gas or you have a powerful electric hob 3 minutes should be enough.
Step 12
Take it off the heat immediately and transfer the mixture into another bowl so it can cool faster. Leave it for 5 minutes to cool down, stirring occasionally.
Step 13
Now, you’re ready to put it in the molds. Don’t worry if it’s not fully cooled down. It sets quite quickly so you want it to still be warm when you put it in the molds. Take the molds out of the freezer and with your dropper add the mixture to the molds.
Step 14
Put the molds in the fridge and leave the gummies for 1 hour or you can put them in the freezer for 30 minutes if you’re in a rush. Take the molds out and you can put your gummies on a plate to eat now and/or save some in a sealed container.
For those that you keep in the fridge, make sure they are in an airtight container or covered and they will keep for up to five days. This will depend on what stage your fruit was at before making them. If they were definitely on the riper side I would suggest eating your gummies within three days or less. You can also keep them in the freezer for up to one month.
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Please make the recipe printable.
Sorry for previous. I now see the printing option.
What is agar and where to buy
It’s basically a thickening agent described as follows: “Agar Agar Powder 2oz : Vegan Gelatin Substitute, Unflavored, Pudding, Panna Cotta, Vegan Cheese, Yogurt, Mushroom Cultivation, 100% Natural Red Algae, Gluten-free, Non-GMO, 100%, Sugar-free Kosher, Halal, Desserts, Thickener |LIVING JIN”. You can buy 2 ounces of it on Amazon for $7.99.
I bought the lost herbs book, Is the same info in the foragers guide book?
No I have both. Lost book has more detail for “everyday”, however Forgers has quick info and where you might find it in the states, almost as if it’s quick info in a pinch lost in the wild.
How many should you eat on a daily basis? Could you just pour the mixture into a 13×9 pan and cut them into small bites?
I have a Stevia plant. How can I incorporate it instead of stevia sweetener?
My 12-year old who has chronic asthma loved them!!
I bought The Forager’s Guide. How/when do I get the digital freebies? Wilderness Survival, Household Remedies and 104 Long Lasting Food Items?
Hi Pat,
I have sent you an email regarding your order.
God bless!
When do I recieve the book I paid for ???
Hi Stanley,
Thank you so much for your interest in our work.
Please check your personal email. I just sent you an email regarding your book order.
Many blessings and good health!
Can I use chia for thickener and eliminate the heating?