By Elena Voropay 

The next time you feel a bit nauseous, grate some fresh ginger on your toast -- it's purported to aid digestion and reduce stomach upset. In fact, ginger's anti-nausea powers have been used by seasick soldiers for centuries. Ginger has a long history of both culinary and medicinal use in a Chinese, Japanese and Indian medical care as a digestive stimulant, antiemetic and anti-inflammatory agent.

This magic spice cleanses the colon, reduces spasms and cramps, and stimulates circulation. It is a strong antioxidant and effective antimicrobial agent for sores and wounds, useful for bowel disorders, circulatory problems, fever, hot flashes, indigestion, morning sickness, motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting.

Description and History

Ginger is a 2- to 4-foot perennial herb with grass-like leaves up to a foot long and almost an inch wide. Botanical name for this plant is Zingiber officinale and it is one of 1,400 species of the family of Zingiberaceae. The name comes from the Sanskrit for "singabera" ("shaped like a horn") and was given by the Swedish botanist Linnaeus. Ginger grows from thick underground rhizomes with colour ranging from brown to white with a blue ring seen in the cross section of the corm. The flower of the herb ranges from pale yellow to green colour with soft purple streaks and produces a distinctive aroma
There are many theories about the origin of ginger. Early literature, including Koran and journals of Marco Polo and Vasco da Gamma, describes the use of ginger in Asia, Europe and Middle East. It is believed that the herb was first found in Southeast Asia. Ginger was one of the first Asian spices brought to England in the Middle Ages by camel caravans and was available only to the upper classes of society. The ancient Greeks, Chinese and Romans used ginger as medicine not as food.

Food Nutrient Profile

Being used as a spice, ginger is consumed in small amounts and therefore each serving does not provide a significant amount of energy or macronutrients. However, the most beneficial properties of the plant come from its pungent compounds, specifically the volatile oil gingerol. They not only give ginger its spicy peppery aroma, but have also been found to have pharmacological effect.
As cited by the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (2002), ginger has the following nutrient profile:

Nutrient Units 100 grams
Water g 81.67
Energy kcal 69
Protein g 1.74
Carbohydrate, by difference g 15.09
Fiber, total dietary g 2.0
Total lipid (fat) g 0.73
Fatty acids, total saturated G 0.203
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated G 0.154
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated G 0.154
Cholesterol Mg 0
Phytosterols Mg 15

Ginger contains traces of vitamins, minerals and some amino acids. Most notable of these in the plant are B-vitamins and manganese. Fresh ginger contains acrid resin, bisabolene, borneal, borneol, camphene, choline, cineole, citral, essential oils, folic acid, ginerol, inositol, manganese, pantothenic acid, para-aminobenzoic acid, phellandrene, sequiterpene, silicon, zingerone, zingiberene, vitamin B3

Traditional Uses

Ginger rhizome can be used as a food, spice or medicine. Ginger has a long history of both culinary and medicinal use in a Chinese, Japanese and Indian medical care "as a digestive stimulant, antiemetic and anti-inflammatory agent. Furthermore, the University of Iowa Health Care Partnership (2001) mentions in the article "Nature's Pharmacy: Ancient Knowledge, Modern Medicine" that historically ginger was used to reduce fever, ulcers and nausea. As a carrier herb, ginger was used to enhance absorption of other herbs, to treat colon and stomach spasms, to relieve constipation, to ease gas or flatulence, and even to nourish the skin. In China the rhizomes were used to regulate menstrual cycle and to treat first- and second-degree burns when applied externally.

Traditional Chinese and Ayverdic medicine uses ginger in various forms: an oil, an extract, or dried and ground to a powder. After being dried and powdered, the ginger can be used to make tea, or as a seasoning on food. The Japanese use ginger as an antidote for fish poisoning, especially with sushi. Just chewing on fresh ginger is thought to fight harmful intestinal bacteria without killing beneficial bacteria. Grated ginger, covered with a towel is placed over the abdomen to stop menstrual pain. A cup of cinnamon tea with two teaspoons grated ginger and honey and milk consumed at bedtime each night might help relieve bronchitis. In India, people who are weak and run down are instructed to take a glass of boiled warm ginger milk with honey daily. This herb also has anti-blood-clotting effect useful for impediment of heart attack and stroke.

Specific Benefits and Uses

A large number of recent studies have shown that ginger has medicinal properties beneficial for treatment and prevention of various ailments. Ginger comprises numerous pharmacological properties, exerting effects on the digestive, central nervous and cardiovascular systems. Ginger cleanses the colon, reduces spasms and cramps, and stimulates circulation. It is a strong antioxidant and effective antimicrobial agent for sores and wounds, useful for bowel disorders, circulatory problems, fever, hot flashes, indigestion, morning sickness, motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting.

Gingerols, active compounds in ginger, help the stomach to push food and waste through the digestive system. This effect enables ginger to ease both diarrhoea and constipation and may be effective at easing gas pains. Acting as a stimulant to the gastrointestinal tract, the plant increases peristalsis and tone of the intestinal muscle.

Ginger also helps us produce more of the friendly bacteria that inhabit our intestines. These bacteria supply several B vitamins, folic acid and vitamin K, as well as keep in check potentially harmful bacteria that also inhabits the gut, such as E. coli and candida.

Particular attention has been paid to support ginger's valuable effects in reducing nausea and vomiting observed in motion sickness and pregnancy, as well as digestive disorders, chemotherapy, post-operative effect of certain drugs.

Circulatory-system research on ginger has discovered that its compounds, called eicosanoids, are responsible for favourable action on healthy circulation and the inflammatory processes common to migraine headaches and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists have demonstrated that ginger possesses a structure and biochemical action similar to aspirin. Research has indicated that daily doses of ginger may decrease the blockage in clogged arteries and strengthen the cardiac muscle .

Ginger lowers cholesterol levels by impairing cholesterol absorption, helping it convert to bile acids and then increasing bile elimination. Ginger also enhances blood circulation and acts as blood thinner. According to the research conducted by the Lipid Research Laboratory in Israel, ginger extract may be proven beneficial in reduction of atherosclerosis development by reducing cholesterol levels and inhibiting LDL oxidation.

Preliminary studies also show ginger may have potential cancer-fighting properties. Research on antioxidant properties of ginger found that the herb contains at least 12 constituents that are each more powerful than vitamin E, which has been shown to prevent heart disease. One major constituent of ginger surpassed vitamin E's antioxidant potential by 40 times.

Choosing and Using

Ginger is available in six forms: fresh, dried, pickled, preserved, crystallised or candied, and powdered or ground. Since ginger juice is the most potent part of the plant, fresh form is a preferred form to use in medicine and in cooking for its aromatic pungent taste. When you buy fresh ginger, select smooth, firm, unblemished roots. Fresh ginger has a distinctive peppery taste and young rhizome has a milder flavour, as do the smaller tubers.

Large pieces are often broken into small knobs and can be kept wrapped in plastic or paper towels in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Ginger's oil is highly volatile, meaning it vaporises when exposed to air. Therefore it is recommended to slice off just the needed amount from the root. With cooking fresh ginger softens, becomes milder and sweeter and turns bitter when burned.

The ground form has a different flavour, which is most commonly used in sweet desserts and is not normally interchangeable with fresh ginger. Dried ginger is usually sold as whole bulbs or in slices and needs to be soaked in recipe liquid before using. Some research suggests that powdered ginger has more potent anti-inflammatory properties than fresh, while fresh is a more powerful liver protector and anti-parasitic.

Pickled ginger, called gari or beni shoga in Japan, is preserved in sweet vinegar and is usually coloured bright red or pink. It is an accompaniment to sushi and is also eaten to refresh the breath. Pickled ginger should be kept refrigerated in its container. Preserved ginger appears in a sugar-salt mixture and used as a confection or added to desserts, and it is especially good with melons. Also used in desserts, crystallised or candied ginger is cooked in sugar syrup until tender and then coated with granulated sugar.

Ginger is used in teas, ginger ale, ginger beer, capsules, broths, and as a spice when cooking Asian, Indian and Jamaican dishes. Ginger tea for coughs, nausea, digestion, and arthritis can be made by adding 2 tsp (10 ml) of freshly grated root or powdered root to 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water and steeping for 10 minutes.

Ginger capsules of 250-500 mg of dried gingerroot can also be purchased from the pharmacy or a health food store. One to 2 grams of dry powered ginger equals about 1/3 oz of fresh ginger (10 g). A cup of ginger tea contains 250 mg; an 8 oz glass of ginger ale contains 1,000 mg, and a spiced dish contains 500 mg.

Cautions and Concerns

Some health care professionals advise that ginger should be avoided by pregnant or breast feeding women, however more research is needed. Although no drug interactions have been reported at doses of about one teaspoon daily, negative interactions with other drugs are always possible. No information on ginger overdose is available.

Side effects

Consumed in large quantities, ginger can cause stomach distress.

References:

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2. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota 2001-2003, Herb Index: Ginger, [Online], Available at
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3. Bradley, P.R. (ed.) 1992, British Herbal Compendium: A handbook of scientific information on widely used plant drugs, British Herbal Compendium.

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10. Stewart J.J, Wood M.J., Wood C.D, et al. 1991, 'Effects of ginger on motion sickness susceptibility and gastric function', Pharmacology, vol.42, pp. 111-120.

11. University of Iowa Health Care Partnership 2001, 'Ginger', Nature's Pharmacy: Ancient Knowledge, Modern Medicine, [Online], Available at:
http://www.uihealthcare.com/depts/medmuseum/galleryexhibits/naturespharmacy/gingerplant/ginger.html
[Accessed 11 April 2003].
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[Accessed 5 April 2003].

13. Visalyaputra S, Petchpaisit N, Somcharoen K, et al. 1998, 'The Efficacy of Ginger Root In The Prevention of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting After Outpatient Gynaecological Laparoscopy', Anaesthesia, no. 53, pp. 506-510.

14. Wilkinson, J.M. 2002, 'Ginger - A Review of its Medicinal Uses', School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, [Online], Available at:
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