Six ways Gingchip, our dried ginger chips, can help your digestion!

What is Gingchip?

Gingchip is an appetiser and a digestive. A unique product from Earthen Living, made with simple ingredients like ginger and salts, it is one to carry in your pocket or bag at all times to address most digestive issues that might occur throughout your day. The taste is initially salty, sour and sweet, turning a bit spicy towards the end.

How is it made?

The roots of freshly harvested ginger are carefully selected, diced by hand, then marinated in citrus juice and salt before being left in the sun to dry naturally until all the moisture has evaporated. The result is a tongue clicking piece of superpower ginger with benefits for everyone above the age of 5yrs.

Why and how does it work?

Ancient Ayurvedic texts suggest the use of ginger along with lime and salts before a meal. Gingchip is a natural, digestive fix to keep in your pocket, especially when you are out and about. Ginger is known to have a multitude of benefits. Ayurveda reveres the spicy rhizome for its carminative and taste promoting activity. It helps to clear the tongue and throat, reduce ama, and is beneficial in stomach issues - the list is endless. Combined with Himalayan rock salts and other salts, the combination of ingredients helps with ‘deepana’/kindling of the digestive fire, ‘pachana’/digestion, oral hygiene, indigestion, hyperacidity and more.

What are the best ways to consume it?

Take one or two pieces of Ginchip, depending upon the size. For best results, we advise not to swallow the piece straight away but to take your time and chew it until it gets fibrous. Alternatively, use it after a heavy meal or any feeling of stomach discomfort.

When to have it?

1. The best time to take it is approximately 20 minutes before a meal. Taken about ½ hour before a meal, GingChip can help with gastric emptying and experiencing a true feeling of hunger before you eat.

2. We have all heard of the old adage of chewing each bite we eat 32 times! In an ideal scenario, this would resolve several issues. But this may not always be possible. Rushed meals are a normality for many of us. Working lunches, meals with babies or little kids, food scoffed up just before leaving someplace- the list is endless. Not chewing your meal properly can lead to improper food breakdown, which in turn can lead to problems like gastritis, acidity and flatulence. Ginger is a known herbal sialogogue and draws out the saliva in your mouth. Saliva is necessary for proper digestion, and a dry mouth can inhibit good digestion. As it is said- digestion begins at the mouth.

3. You over-indulged a bit? Have one or two Ginchips immediately after a heavy meal. It can help to kickstart the digestive process and ensure that you don’t feel drowsy, heavy, lethargic or uncomfortable.

4. Have you heard of the Ayurvedic concept of ama? It’s a kind of gooey gunk that can remain in your digestive tract if you haven’t fully digested your food. It can build up over time and cause many different imbalances. Ayurveda classifies ginger as Āmanāśaka, something that destroys ama or digestive toxins. So even if you have had a few bad food habits, ginger can help clear up the gunk that might be hampering your digestion.

5. If you are undertaking a kitchari or mung bean-based digestive reset, Ginchip can be a great ally in the process. It will ensure your digestion is at the top of its game and you have a sufficient amount of saliva. You can take it one or two 30 minutes before your meal and another one directly after your meal.

6. It can help prevent any kind of nausea, like travel or morning sickness.

So while Ginchip is a tasty way of consuming ginger for its benefits, already combined with healthy salts and citrus, Ginchip is not a snack. Therefore, we do not advise consuming excessive amounts of Ging Chip (more than three pieces at once or more than three times a day) as it may cause symptoms of excessive heat (increased Pitta) or digestive problems. As with everything, the dose makes the poison. Taking a couple of pieces up to three times a day will have tremendous benefits for your overall sense of well being.

Get your Ginchip here, perfect to help your digestion through the season of mince pies and delicious treats!