Ginger
GINGER
Zingiber officinale
Common Name
Family
Zingiberaceae
Actions
Analgesic, anodyne, antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, carminative, circulatory stimulant, choleretic, diaphoretic, expectorant, orexigenic, radio-protective
Energetics
Warming & drying
Edible Uses
Ginger is as edible as it is medicinal. Often used in drinks, candies, exotic, and Asian cuisine.
Native To
Assam, China South-Central, East Himalaya, India
Geographic Distribution
Europe, South Asia, the Caribbean, East Africa, India,
Botanical Description & Identification
Ginger plant shoots up in the spring to about 2 feet in height and includes a cone shaped flower which grows like little spikes right from the root ranging in colors from white to yellow to pink, although the flowers are rarely, if ever, produced in ginger plants that are regularly harvested. Ginger leaves are formed from a series of leaf bases are wrapped tightly around one another with 7cm, narrow, mid-green leaf blades arranged alternately (Royal Botanical Gardens, 2024). The ginger root is thick with a brown cork-type outer layer. Its scent is immediately spicy, even described as lemony. The plant prefers hot and humid conditions, lots of shade, and soil with plentiful minerals.
Key Constituents
Zingerone, shogaols, gingerols, sesquiterpenoids, volatile oil, oleoresin, lipids
Sustainability Issues
None known.
Harvesting Guidelines
After about 10 months of growth the rhizome is ready for harvest. A good indicator that the roots are ready for harvest is when the leaves have died. To replant ginger save pieces of the root, soak in water, and plant in rich soil when it begins to sprout.
Uses
**BENEFITS OF GINGER:
Ginger is known to:
*Stimulate circulation
*Promote sweating
*Boost overall immune system functions
*Support the reproductive system
*Relieve overall inflammation
*Repel unwanted microbes
*Support the digestive system
*Alleviate symptoms of depression
*Thin mucous in the lungs and the head
*Repel unwanted bacteria
*Relieve symptoms of skin infections
*Stimulate macrophage (white blood cells)
*Reduce lung and muscle spasms
*Reduce the side effects of radiation including radiation used for cancer
*Prevent regurgitation (vomit)
*Help with the symptoms of sea sickness
*Increase bile production
*Promote better fat digestion
*Reduce colic
*Reduce cramping
*Move stagnant gas
*Act as an aphrodisiac
*Reduce blood pressure by thinning the blood
Ginger is useful in the following more common disorders and diseases:
Nausea, morning sickness, sea sickness, vomiting, chemotherapy side-effects, warts, parasites, bacterial overgrowth, candida, long-term infections, gingivitis, stomach ulcers, indigestion, IBS, fatigue, heartburn, symptoms related to PMS, cancer, blood sugar regulation and diabetes, obesity, rheumatism, radiation sickness, disorders of cognition, osteoarthritis, arthritis, blood clots, dyspepsia, vertigo
Most common uses:
Ginger today is most well known as a spice for cooking Asian dishes, as well as an herbal medicine to ease digestive symptoms such as gas, heartburn, nausea, and burping, especially in regards to symptoms of early pregnancy. It is also well known as one the quickest ways to soothe a sore throat.Fun Facts:
Ginger is:
* Known to be one of the first oriental spices to arrive in Europe (through Arab trade)
* A spice that can be used as or in a tea to heat the body up so well it will
immediately stimulate a sweat and even relieve a fever.
* Not a root, but a rhizome, a material which can create new roots and
shoot systems.
* From the same family of plants as Tumeric.
* A plant which contains many minerals.
* The spice used to make the original 'ginger ale' which was created purely for
medicinal purposes and later imitated as a soft drink/soda.
References
Apelian, N., & Davis, C. (2019). The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies: The Healing Power of Plant Medicine.
Culpeper, N., & Foster, S. (2019). Culpeper's complete herbal. Illustrated & annotated edition. New York, Sterling Publishing Company.
Hoffman, D. (1987). The Herbal Handbook: A User's Guide to Medical Herbalism.
Hoffmann, David. (2003). Medical Herbalism. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.
Holmes P. Aromatica: a clinical guide to essential oil therapeutics – Vol. I. Singing Dragon, London, 2016.
Holmes P. Clary sage. The International Journal of Aromatherapy, 1993; 5(1): 15-17.
The Herbal Academy Herbarium and Materia Medica. Copyright: The Herbal Academy.
Tisserand R, Balacs T. Essential oil safety. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1995.
McIntyre, Anne. (1996). Flower Power. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, Inc.
McIntyre, A. (2019). The Complete Herbal Tutor: The Definitive Guide to the Principles and Practices of Herbal Medicine.
Wood, M. (2008). The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants.
Safety
Ginger may interact with certain medications used for high blood pressure and thinning of the blood as ginger performs many of the same tasks. Traditional Some Chinese Medicine practitioners caution pregnant women not to use more than 2 grams of dried ginger a day.
Dose