Ginger brings a naturally pungent, spicy note to juice. In Raw Generation's Citrus Carrot, it sits alongside carrot, orange, and lemon juices. If you're curious about that combination, knowing a little about ginger can help you decide whether it's a flavor you'd enjoy.

For us, drinkable beauty starts with recognizable plants and something you look forward to sipping. Here's a closer look at this one ingredient, plus a simple way to get to know it in your glass.

The part we call ginger root is actually a stem

The knobby piece of ginger you see at the grocery store grows underground, but it isn't technically a root. It's a rhizome, an underground stem. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension's guide to culinary ginger describes its aromatic flesh and hot, pungent flavor.

It's the same culinary plant used fresh, dried, ground, and preserved in cooking. Think ginger in a savory dish, a fruit recipe, or a familiar baked treat. The plant isn't new; juice is simply another way to enjoy its flavor.

That distinction matters when you're looking at your bottle. Ginger juice is an ingredient, not a reason to turn your everyday drink into a supplement regimen.

Ginger's spice and citrus tartness aren't the same thing

A juice can have more than one kind of sharpness. Lemon brings tartness. Ginger has a pungent character that people often describe as spicy or warming. Here, “warming” describes the flavor sensation, not the temperature you should serve your juice.

Wisconsin Extension also describes fresh ginger's scent as spicy and almost lemony. So ginger and citrus can have something aromatic in common while still bringing different qualities to a blend.

When you try Citrus Carrot, you don't have to identify every ingredient on the first sip. Notice whether you enjoy the combination as a whole. Then, if you're curious, see whether the citrus or the ginger stands out to you.

Get to know the bottle without making it a taste test

Citrus Carrot is one of the five blends listed in our Radiance Routine. It gives you a carrot-and-citrus option with ginger in the mix. The name alone doesn't tell you the whole recipe, so check the ingredient label on your bottle, too.

Try these three small observations when you're ready to enjoy it:

• Start with what you like. Do orange, carrot, lemon, and ginger sound appealing together? That's a useful starting point, without assigning the bottle a beauty result.
• Notice the kind of flavor. Is the citrus what you notice first, or is it the gingery note? There's no correct tasting answer to match.
• Decide what you'd want again. Maybe you like ginger in a juice. Maybe you prefer it in dinner. Your daily routine has room for that preference.

You don't need to add extra ginger, chase a stronger sensation, or finish a flavor you don't enjoy to prove anything. A more intense taste isn't the goal. Finding something you like is.

The takeaway: let ginger be an ingredient you enjoy

Ginger gives Citrus Carrot another plant to get to know beyond the two in its name. Its pungency is different from citrus tartness, and paying attention to that difference can help you describe what you like.

Enjoy your juice alongside regular meals, whole produce, and the skincare and sunscreen already in your life. Keep it cold and follow the handling instructions supplied with your order. Feeling cared for can include a drink you genuinely enjoy, with nothing else to prove.