Ginger Root

Pungent, spicy ginger root is a popular root herb of culinary as well as medicinal importance. The root, which composes unique phyto-chemical compounds, still finds a special place in many traditional indian and chinese medicines disease preventing and health promoting properties.

The spicy root is actually an underground rhizome of small herb plant belonging to the zingiberaceae family, of the genus: zingiber.

Ginger is thought to have originated in the himalayan foothills of northern india. Today, it is widely grown all over the world as a major commercial spice crop. Ginger plant grows to about a meter in height andafeatures thin grass like dark-green leaves and small yellow flowers.

Its root features knotty finger-like projections that grow downward from the ground surface. Fresh raw root has a silver gray outer surface. Cut sections feature creamy white, yellow, or red-colored crunchy flesh depending upon the variety. The root often contains fibrils running through its center, especially in over-maturede size size roots. Ginger has pungent, spicy and aromatic smell that comes from essential oils and phenolic compounds such as gingerols and shogaols in the root.

Galangal (alpinia galanga), also known as blue ginger, is closely related herb that is used extensively in east asian regions, especially in thailand, malaysia, and indonesian cuisine. Galangal has mild, subtle flavor and less pungent than ginger.

Ginger has been in use since ancient times for its anti-inflammatory, carminative, anti-flatulent, and anti-microbial properties. Total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (orac) of ginger root is 14840 amol te/100 g.

The root contains health benefiting essential oils such as gingerol, zingerone, shogaol, farnesene, and small amounts of i-phelladrene, cineol, and citral. Gingerols help improve the intestinal motility and have been anti-inflammatory, painkiller (analgesic), nerve soothing, anti-pyretic as well as anti-bacterial properties. Studies have shown that it may decrease nausea induced by motion sickness or pregnancy and may help relieve migraine headache.

Zingerone, a chemical compound which gives pungent character to the ginger root, is effective against e.coli induced diarrhea, especially in children.

This herb root only has 80 calories per 100 g and contains no cholesterol. Nonetheless, it composes many essential nutrients and vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin b-6), pantothenic acid (vitamin b-5) that are required for optimum health.

Furthermore, the herb also contains a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Can decrease motion sickness and nausea; may also relieve pain and swelling associated with arthritis. Doses used in clinical trials range from 500 to 2,000 mg of powdered ginger. (a quarter-size piece of fresh root contains about 1,000 mg.) more than 6,000 mg can cause stomach irritation. Ginger can also hinder blood clotting, so if you're about to have surgery or are taking blood thinners or aspirin, be sure to talk to your doctor first.

Many gouty patients have for years been in the habit of taking a tea-spoonful of powdered ginger, mixed in any liquid, an hour before dinner, with considerable advantage. When employed with food, it is called a condiment, and by stimulating the stomach and bowels, it may be considered as one of the most useful. Combined with purgatives, it corrects their griping tendency, and it acts externally, like mustard, as a rubefacient, even raising a blister.

Ginger root slices, boiled in water with lemon or orange juice, and honey, is a popular herbal drink in ayurvedic medicine to relieve common cold, cough, and sore throat.

Its extraction is used as a vehicle to mask bitterness and after-tasteain traditional ayurvedic preparations.

Gingerols increase the motility of the gastrointestinal tract and have analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Studies have shown that it may help reduce nausea caused by motion sickness or pregnancy and may relieve migraine.

Ginger plant can be grown at home garden or as potherb so that its fresh roots and leaves can be readily picked up for instant use. In the store, however, choose organic, fresh root over the dried form, since it is superior in quality and flavor.

Fresh roots should feature heavy in hand, stout, juicy, has grey-yellow peel and free from dark spots or mold. Dried, powdered, or ground root can also be found in these stores; however, they may contain significantly decreased levels of volatile oils like gingerols.

Fresh root can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a month or so. Powdered/ground ginger should be stored in the refrigerator in airtight containers.

For motion sickness, try having one or two pieces of crystallized, or candied, ginger. Make sure ginger is listed as an ingredient; some candied products or ginger ales contain a small amount or a synthetic form. You can also add 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger to vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, as well as fresh fruit (especially peaches).

Wash fresh ginger root in cold running water or rinse for few minutes to remove any sand, soil or pesticide residues. Fresh-root has pungent flavor, and spicy peppery taste that may hit the senses in palate and nostrils. In order to keep its fragrance and flavors intact, it is generally added at the last moment in the cooking recipes, since prolonged cooking results in evaporation of essential oils.