What you should know about ginger - When Hippocrates said “Let food be your medicine,” he might have been speaking about ginger!
What is ginger?
Ginger is a knotty root grown in tropical climates such as India, China and Mexico. The rhizome (underground stem) is used as both a spice and for its healing properties. Ginger is closely related to turmeric, cardamom and garlic. It is the Ginger root that is used, either fresh or dried and powdered.
Ginger history
Ginger’s current name comes from the Old English word gingivere, but ginger dates back over 3,000 years to the Sanskrit srngaveram meaning “horn root.” It was used in ancient India, China and by the Romans. It was always widely valued by traditional healers and now modern research into the active ingredients confirms the benefits of our ancestors’ traditional remedies.
For over 2,000 years Chinese physicians have recommended ginger to treat a number of health problems including abdominal bloating, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea and rheumatism. Ginger is also used in the Ayurvedic and Tibetan systems of medicine for the treatment of inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism and a variety of other conditions.
Ginger and health
Medical research has shown that ginger root is an excellent natural remedy for nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness and general stomach upset due to its calming effect which helps break up and expel intestinal gas. Ginger tea has been recommended to alleviate nausea in chemotherapy patients primarily because its natural properties do not interact in a negative way with other medications. We are so used to ginger in biscuits, cakes and spicing up our herb teas, that it is rather strange to think of it as a medicine. This knotty root is, however, full of healthy potential, both as a food and as an herbal remedy.
Ginger tea
To make ginger tea, slice some ginger root; put it in a tea ball and place in a teapot. Pour boiling water over the tea ball and let it steep for ten minutes. Sweeten with honey or drink it straight.
Why ginger
One of Ginger’s most common uses is probably to ward off nausea and is appropriate whether the nausea is morning sickness, travel sickness or post-operative nausea. My son suffers from travel sickness and I find giving him a ginger biscuit during a car or boat journey really helps ward of car sickness.
Another traditional use is to ‘sweeten the voice’. Singers have been known to take it before a performance to help clear the vocal chords, enabling a ‘purer’ tone to be produced, particularly at the upper or lower end of the vocal range. Powdered dry ginger root has been shown to demonstrate anti-inflammatory effects in patients suffering from rheumatoid or osteo arthritis, reducing the pain experienced. Unlike conventional anti-inflammatory medication, ginger doesn’t cause stomach irritation or ulceration, even after three months of use. If you have any of these conditions it is important that any medicinal use of ginger is discussed with a physician. You should always discuss using herbs as part of your treatment with your doctor first.
Many people find that ginger has a calming, soothing effect on their digestive tract, relieving wind and reducing digestive spasm. The Chinese see it as warming the blood and boosting the circulation. This latter application is borne out by the recommendation to use ginger for Raynaud’s disease, which involves poor circulation to the hands and feet and causes excruciating pain when circulation is restored.
Storing ginger
Fresh, unpeeled root should be wrapped in paper towels, placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated for up to three weeks. It can also be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to two months. Dried ginger should be kept in a cool, dark space in an airtight container
Fun fact
What is ginger?
Ginger is a knotty root grown in tropical climates such as India, China and Mexico. The rhizome (underground stem) is used as both a spice and for its healing properties. Ginger is closely related to turmeric, cardamom and garlic. It is the Ginger root that is used, either fresh or dried and powdered.
Ginger history
Ginger’s current name comes from the Old English word gingivere, but ginger dates back over 3,000 years to the Sanskrit srngaveram meaning “horn root.” It was used in ancient India, China and by the Romans. It was always widely valued by traditional healers and now modern research into the active ingredients confirms the benefits of our ancestors’ traditional remedies.
For over 2,000 years Chinese physicians have recommended ginger to treat a number of health problems including abdominal bloating, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea and rheumatism. Ginger is also used in the Ayurvedic and Tibetan systems of medicine for the treatment of inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis, rheumatism and a variety of other conditions.
Ginger and health
Medical research has shown that ginger root is an excellent natural remedy for nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness and general stomach upset due to its calming effect which helps break up and expel intestinal gas. Ginger tea has been recommended to alleviate nausea in chemotherapy patients primarily because its natural properties do not interact in a negative way with other medications. We are so used to ginger in biscuits, cakes and spicing up our herb teas, that it is rather strange to think of it as a medicine. This knotty root is, however, full of healthy potential, both as a food and as an herbal remedy.
Ginger tea
To make ginger tea, slice some ginger root; put it in a tea ball and place in a teapot. Pour boiling water over the tea ball and let it steep for ten minutes. Sweeten with honey or drink it straight.
Why ginger
One of Ginger’s most common uses is probably to ward off nausea and is appropriate whether the nausea is morning sickness, travel sickness or post-operative nausea. My son suffers from travel sickness and I find giving him a ginger biscuit during a car or boat journey really helps ward of car sickness.
Another traditional use is to ‘sweeten the voice’. Singers have been known to take it before a performance to help clear the vocal chords, enabling a ‘purer’ tone to be produced, particularly at the upper or lower end of the vocal range. Powdered dry ginger root has been shown to demonstrate anti-inflammatory effects in patients suffering from rheumatoid or osteo arthritis, reducing the pain experienced. Unlike conventional anti-inflammatory medication, ginger doesn’t cause stomach irritation or ulceration, even after three months of use. If you have any of these conditions it is important that any medicinal use of ginger is discussed with a physician. You should always discuss using herbs as part of your treatment with your doctor first.
Many people find that ginger has a calming, soothing effect on their digestive tract, relieving wind and reducing digestive spasm. The Chinese see it as warming the blood and boosting the circulation. This latter application is borne out by the recommendation to use ginger for Raynaud’s disease, which involves poor circulation to the hands and feet and causes excruciating pain when circulation is restored.
Storing ginger
Fresh, unpeeled root should be wrapped in paper towels, placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated for up to three weeks. It can also be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to two months. Dried ginger should be kept in a cool, dark space in an airtight container
Fun fact
Queen Elizabeth I of England is credited with the creation of the gingerbread man, which became a popular Christmas treat. ( arabnews.com )
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