Is it a plant? Is it a vegetable? Is it a mutant life-form from outer space? No. It's something stranger still: the rhizome, or rootstock, of a hardy Asian perennial that produces beautiful bright yellow blooms. But it's not for its flowers, and certainly not for its beauty, that Zingiber officinale is prized around the world.

We know it better as ginger, the hot-tasting, aromatic spice that lends its pungent tang to everything from ginger beer to gingerbread men to the thin, pink slivers of pickled 'gari' served with your sushi.

Pickled, stewed, crystallised or powdered, ginger is an effective natural preservative, and its warming properties have made it a staple of folk medicine for centuries.

But it is at its zestiest best when fresh and young, so buy a nice plump piece from your grocery store, and store it at room temperature in your kitchen.

Use it moderately, and to taste, in anything from soups to salads to juices to sauces, and even in desserts. Or, you can simply pop a slice straight into your mouth for a seriously invigorating breath of fire.

Courtesy of...

Discovery magazine

If you’d like to grow your own ginger, plant a budding section of the root in moist, well-drained soil, with plenty of indirect sunlight. Water well. And while you're waiting for your own to grow, buy some and try this recipe for a soothing and restorative sweet ginger drink.

Sweet ginger tisane

What you need:

Instructions:

In a large saucepan, combine water, ginger and lemon juice over a high heat. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat, add mint.

Let it seep for five minutes. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, collecting the liquid in a pitcher as you press down lightly on the ginger and mint.

Discard mint and ginger. Stir honey into the tisane. Serve hot or iced and garnish with a wedge of lemon.

For more heart-healthy recipes, visit www.mayoclinic.com