The difference between galangal and ginger

Galangal and ginger are different ingredients. Ginger is more common in our cooking. Ginger can not only enhance the flavor but also remove the fishy smell. Galangal is a traditional Chinese medicine. Their eating methods and medicinal effects are also different. The traditional Chinese medicine flavor of galangal is stronger and it is not suitable as a seasoning. It can be used to cook porridge or make tea, which has the effect of warming the stomach and dispelling cold.

The difference between galangal and ginger

1. First of all, their properties are different.

Galangal is an important Chinese medicinal material. It needs to be repeatedly steamed and dried during the production process. The final product is dried ginger or ginger slices. Ginger mostly appears in the form of young ginger and is often used as a seasoning for dishes that require ginger to be raw and fresh. It mostly appears fresh in the market. The effects of the two are also different. Alpinia galanga is pungent and hot in nature, and belongs to the spleen and stomach meridians. It has the effects of warming the stomach and dispersing cold, digesting food and relieving pain. It is often used for symptoms such as cold and painful stomach, cold lower abdomen, etc. Ginger is pungent and slightly warm in nature, and has the effects of inducing sweat and relieving exterior symptoms, warming the middle and stopping vomiting, warming the lungs and stopping coughing, detoxifying fish and crabs, and detoxifying drugs. It is mainly used clinically to treat colds, vomiting, coughs, food poisoning and other diseases caused by wind and cold.

2. Secondly, their eating methods and medicinal properties are also different.

Although galangal is a type of ginger, it has a strong medicinal flavor and is not suitable for consumption as a condiment. It is often used to cook porridge or make tea. It is a traditional Chinese medicine that warms the stomach and drives away the cold. It often needs to be used in combination with fresh ginger, roasted ginger, etc. to effectively treat stomach cold and vomiting. Ginger tastes spicy, has a fresh fragrance, and has the effect of removing fishy smell. Therefore, ginger is often used as a seasoning for dishes. Ginger has a quick effect in relieving exterior symptoms, which means it moves rather than stays, warms the middle and relieves exterior symptoms. Its efficacy is mostly in relieving exterior symptoms.

3. Ginger and galangal are both spicy, hot and warming.

Both have the effects of warming the middle and dispersing cold, relieving pain and stopping vomiting, and can be used to treat cold pain in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting. Therefore, the two are often used together, such as Erjiang Pills (Ju Fang). However, dried ginger warms the middle and can stop diarrhea, and it has the function of restoring yang, warming the lungs and resolving phlegm. However, galangal is more effective in dispelling cold and relieving pain than dried ginger, but it does not have the function of restoring yang or warming the lungs and resolving phlegm.