Ginger

Birds may eat fresh ginger. © majacvetojevic/Pixabay
Birds may eat fresh ginger. © majacvetojevic/Pixabay

Ginger can be of interest regarding the birds’ diet. The root of this plant species, whose scientific name is Zingiber officinale, is available in supermarkets, sometimes in organic quality. Ginger originates from tropical and subtropical countries. The bulbous roots are soft and juicy when fresh, and their taste is slightly spicy. Many birds like ginger roots very much once they have become accustomed to its taste. The root contains microelements and vitamins from which the birds can benefit. It is best to wash ginger thoroughly or peel the roots before serving them to the birds. You can either chop ginger into small pieces or slice it and then offer it to your birds.

Health benefits of ginger

For medicinal use, ginger is used either fresh or as a dried powder in medicinal quality. © siala/Pixabay
For medicinal use, ginger is used either fresh or as a dried powder in medicinal quality. © siala/Pixabay

Ginger also plays a role in medicine; for example, it is used to treat colds. In addition, this medicinal spice has anti-inflammatory properties, among other things. It is used successfully in people, for example, to treat liver diseases that are not caused by alcohol abuse. This all sounds quite encouraging and one might think that feeding your birds on ginger could be similarly promising. However, it should be borne in mind that in many cases dried ginger of medicinal quality, i.e. not just the spice powder, is used to treat illnesses in humans. Dried ginger contains a much higher concentration of medicinally active ingredients than fresh ginger, which consists largely of water. This is a detail to consider when feeding fresh ginger to birds. It is healthy, but miracle cures should not be expected if your bird has a disease.