Fresh ginger and a trio of bell peppers in this Pepper Steak Stir-Fry result in loads of flavor and a colorful entrée for your dinner table. Ground ginger may not have as nuanced a flavor as fresh ginger, but it has the benefit of a much longer shelf life and greater potency.

Fresh ginger is generally minced or smashed before being added to a recipe, such as fried rice or in meats.

Fresh ginger has a powerful aroma similar to camphor or cloves.

It can also be added whole or in small pieces to soups. Frozen ginger is available in packets that usually have the ginger portioned in one teaspoon nuggets. This thermogram indicates that her body temperature went up one hour after eating dried ginger. In addition, a study published in the German journal "Nahrung" in 2000 found ground ginger that was irradiated -- a technique to destroy microbes in foods -- lost as much as 70 percent of its gingerol. Pickled Ginger. Compared to other forms, fresh ginger has a more complex flavor. Pickled ginger is usually found as a side to sushi.

Thermogram of a woman one hour after eating dried ginger. However, ground ginger can be used in place of fresh if no fresh is on hand. This shows that dried ginger is good in increasing body temperature.

However, because cooking can remove essential oils, its taste may change in the oven. It’s kept in a jar of sweet vinegar for added flavor. Ground Ginger. It is pale yellow in color and should have a pungent, spicy smell to indicate freshness. It also shows that fresh ginger is really recommended for reducing high fever.

Some cooks recommend a substitution ratio of 1/4-teaspoon ground ginger for every tablespoon of fresh ginger called for, while others call for more. Look for ground ginger that has not undergone irradiation. It’s a combination of sweet and sour, like most pickled spices.

Ground ginger has a warm, spicy bite, is a little bit sweet, and is not as strongly flavored as fresh ginger. Just recently, we discovered the phenomenal difference using fresh ginger root instead of ground ginger makes in our favorite salad dressing and stir fry recipes. It is a little less intense than fresh ginger, so I often use extra in recipes that require serious ginger punch. Ground ginger is more widely available and convenient to use than the fresh root, but has lower levels of gingerol. Ground vs. Fresh. Fresh is always best when it's called for in recipes, but if you ever come across a recipe that calls for just a small amount fresh ginger and all you have is ground ginger from your spice rack, a good rule of thumb to follow is to use anywhere from 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh ginger. This is a matter of personal taste, so start low, taste your dish as you mix, and if you need to add more, add it a little at a time. It is a really useful thing to keep on hand in case you either cannot source fresh ginger, or if you only need a small amount. Ground ginger, sometimes labeled powdered ginger, is made by simply drying out peeled fresh ginger root, then grinding it to a fine powder.