Satin ribbon reds, deep luscious purples, pops of bright pink—probably not what comes to mind when you think of ginger. The vibrant colors and types of ornamental ginger are varied and mostly grown for their flowers and foliage. But edible ginger, Zingiber officinale and Cardamom Ginger, though not as eye-catching as its ornamental cousins, is highly valued as a spice for cooking, as a medicinal herb, and for tea.
Let’s focus on what is commonly known as ginger root. Native to Asia, ginger root or “ginger” is the rhizome, the underground stem of the ginger plant, which above ground is a leafy green stalk with yellow or light green toned flowers.
Chefs use ginger to add flavor and heat to many dishes, and the root is used prominently in Asian cuisine. It is also known to be pungent and sweet, lending those qualities to beverages and candy, and even pickled. If you think ginger is spicy and has too much of a bite, try the pickled paper-thin slices that accompany your sushi order or enjoy a refreshing ginger ale or ginger beer.
Beehive ginger, Zingiber spectabile. Video Botanic Gardens of Sydney / YouTube.
Not just used for its flavor, ginger has been used for medicinal purposes in China for thousands of years to treat everything from colds to cancer. Modern science has confirmed effectiveness in some areas and more studies are needed for others.
Johns Hopkins Medicine’s publication, Ginger Benefits lists the following information:
Ginger is not just delicious. Gingerol, a natural component of ginger root, benefits gastrointestinal motility ― the rate at which food exits the stomach and continues along the digestive process. Eating ginger encourages efficient digestion, so food doesn’t linger as long in the gut.
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- Nausea relief. Encouraging stomach emptying can relieve the discomforts of nausea due to:
- Chemotherapy. Experts who work with patients receiving chemo for cancer, say ginger may take the edge off post-treatment nausea, and without some of the side effects of anti-nausea medications.
- Pregnancy. For generations, women have praised the power of ginger to ease “morning sickness” and other queasiness associated with pregnancy. Even the American Academy of Obstetrics and Gynecology mentions ginger as an acceptable nonpharmaceutical remedy for nausea and vomiting.
- Bloating and gas. Eating ginger can cut down on fermentation, constipation and other causes of bloating and intestinal gas.
- Wear and tear on cells. Ginger contains antioxidants. These molecules help manage free radicals, which are compounds that can damage cells when their numbers grow too high.
- Is ginger anti-inflammatory? It is possible. Ginger contains over 400 natural compounds, and some of these are anti-inflammatory. More studies will help us determine if eating ginger has any impact on conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or respiratory inflammation.
As many lean to chemically developed aids to weight loss, a meta-analysis of fourteen studies to determine the effects of ginger on weight loss, glycemic control and lipid profiles, published in the National Library of Medicine, is especially thought-provoking. The results were specific to “overweight and obese subjects.” It concluded that ginger supplementation significantly decreased body weight, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance index, and significantly increased HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) levels.
Ginger is generally thought to be safe for humans and animals, but some individuals may experience stomach discomfort, heartburn, diarrhea, and mouth and throat irritation, especially if consumed in copious quantities or taken in large doses. If you are considering ginger supplements, as with any supplement, you should first seek the advice of your doctor.
Ironically, for me, during pregnancy, ginger was one odor and flavor that instantly brought on nausea. Well-meaning individuals continually urged me to consume ginger tea, candy, pickled ginger, ginger ale, and soups and foods with ginger as an ingredient, assuring me that it was good for me and the baby. My retort, when they would not back off, was that if it caused me nausea and brought on vomiting, then it was not helping me or the baby. When I shared my experience with my doctor, she was surprised that ginger caused my body to react negatively, but also confirmed that I should avoid it. My aversion to ginger was consistent during each pregnancy.
What about now? I cook with fresh ginger root, add ground ginger to many recipes, have always enjoyed ginger ale (except when pregnant), and will never pass up an opportunity to use Chinese ginger-scallion sauce to take food to an umami level. SNAP!
Contributing writer Denise Lum is a Health and Fitness Coach raising her family in Alameda. Contact her via [email protected] or FitnessByDsign.com. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Denise-Lum.
