by Jims Vincent Capuno
“Everything good is found in ginger,” so goes a popular Indian proverb. It’s no wonder why India is the world’s top producer of ginger, reports the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Other main producers are China, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines and Thailand.
According to FAO, Japan is the number one importer of ginger, with 104,379 tons in 2000 alone. Other major importing countries are the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany, and France.
Perhaps not too many Filipinos who plant ginger in their farms or gardens are aware that the gnarled, bumpy root is a potent medicine. There’s more to ginger than just the popular and traditional health drink salabat.
Ginger has been used medicinally in Asia for millennia. In China, for instance, a drink made with sliced ginger cooked in sweetened water or a cola is used as a folk medicine for common cold. In India, ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headache.
The ancient Greeks welcomed the arrival of ginger and quickly put it to good use as a digestive aid. To lighten the load of a big meal placed on the digestive system, the Greeks would end an evening of fabulous fasting by eating some ginger wrapped in bread. Eventually, this practice evolved into the world’s first cookie – gingerbread.
In the United States, ginger is “generally recognized safe” by the Food and Drug Administration, though it is not approved for the treatment or cure of any disease and is sold as an unregulated dietary supplement.
Motion sickness can make even the most enthusiastic traveler miserable. A 1982 study revealed that people prone to motion sickness who took ginger lasted 57 percent longer in a computerized rocking chair than people who took over-the-counter remedies. Another study showed that taking two to four capsules of dried ginger before traveling in a car, boat, plane, or train prevented motion sickness in 90 percent of the people who participated in the study.
“To combat travel sickness, take a quarter of a teaspoon of powdered ginger or a one centimeter slice of fresh root ginger at least 20 minutes before you get in the car or board a ferry,” suggests an article which appeared in the Reader’s Digest.
The Minnesota-based Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research recommends ginger for nausea and vomiting. It instructs, “To prevent nausea after surgery, ginger has been given as one gram by mouth one hour before surgery. For chemotherapy-induced nausea, capsules of ginger root powder have been given orally one gram per day for five days, starting on the first day of chemotherapy.”
Ginger does not prevent morning sickness but it may help ease some of the nausea experienced by pregnant women, Australian researchers reported in the April 2004 issue of ‘Obstetrics and Gynecology.’ Researchers from the University of South Australia in Adelaide gave nearly 300 women either 350 milligrams of ginger or 25 milligrams of vitamin B6 three times per day for three weeks. The researchers found that both ginger and vitamin B6, which is sometimes taken to counteract morning sickness, worked equally well at alleviating nausea symptoms.
Some sources warn against higher doses in pregnancy due to concerns about mutations or abortion. “Supervision by a qualified healthcare professional is recommended for pregnant women considering the use of ginger,” the Mayo Clinic reiterates.
Danish researchers report that a third of a teaspoon of fresh or powdered ginger, taken at the first sign of migraine, may reduce symptoms by blocking prostaglandins, chemicals that inflame blood vessels in the brain.
The same prostaglandins that contribute to migraine pain also cause joint swelling in people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. A study of 56 people found that ginger eased symptoms in 55 percent of people with osteoarthritis and 74 percent of those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Mounting evidence suggests that ginger has indeed natural anti-inflammatory properties. “And you don’t have to use a lot,” says Neal Barnard, M.D. author of ‘Foods That Fight Pain.’ “It works like ibuprofen, but without the side effects.” Thing is, you need some ginger every day to feel the results. Slice a half-teaspoon to a teaspoon of fresh ginger and use it to flavor your stir-fry vegetables or sauces, or mix it with some boiling water and let it cool down before drinking.
In recent years, ginger has been investigated as a potential weapon in the battle of the bulge, according to the ‘International Journal of Obesity.’ Preliminary test-tube research shows that ginger boosts thermogenesis, or calorie burning. By measuring a complicated series of reactions in the tissue of rats, researchers found that ginger made the tissues use more energy than they would have normally.
Although it is much too early to tell if this will benefit those with heart disease, a few preliminary studies suggest that ginger may lower cholesterol and prevent the blood from clotting. A 1994 study conducted in India revealed that 5 grams of ginger a day significantly inhibits platelets’ ability to clump, which in turn reduces the risk of clogged arteries in people with heart disease. Less blood clotting means less risk of a heart attack.
Now, here’s a word of warning: Though generally recognized as safe, ginger can cause heartburn, bloating, gas, belching and nausea, particularly if taken in powdered form. Allergic reactions to ginger generally result in a rash. Individuals who have had ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease or blocked intestines may react badly to large quantities of fresh ginger. Ginger should not be used by children under 2 years of age.
The editors of ‘Super Life, Super Health’ likewise caution: “Talk to your doctor before using ginger if you have gallstones, take heart medicine (ginger may intensify the effects of heart drugs, which can be dangerous), and are scheduled for surgery (ginger may interfere with your blood’s ability to clot). Ginger may also worsen problems in women who have high estrogen levels.”
Ginger is not only good for what ails you, it’s also a good source of several vitamins and minerals. About 26 teaspoons, or 100 grams, of fresh finger contains six milligrams of vitamin C, 60 milligrams of phosphorus, and 20 milligrams of calcium. Ginger is also a good source of the mineral manganese.
No wonder, ginger continues to be valued around the world as an important cooking spice. The characteristic odor and flavor of ginger root is caused by a mixture of zingerone, shoagoles and gingerols, volatile oils that compose about one to three percent of the weight of fresh ginger.
In Western cuisine, ginger is traditionally restricted to sweet foods, such as ginger ale, gingerbread, ginger snaps, ginger cake and ginger biscuits. A ginger-flavored liqueur called Canton is produced in Jarnac, France. Green ginger wine is a ginger flavored wine produced in the United Kingdom, traditionally sold in a green glass bottle. Ginger is also used as a spice added to hot coffee and tea.
The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Chinese cuisine to flavor dishes such as seafood or mutton. In Japan, ginger is pickled to make beni shoga and gari or grated and used raw on tofu or noodles.
In Myanmar, ginger is used in a salad dish called gyin-tho, which consists of shredded ginger preserved in oil, and a variety of nuts and seeds. Indonesia has a famous beverage called wedang jahe, which is made from ginger and palm sugar. In traditional Korean kimchi, ginger is finely minced and added to the ingredients of the spicy paste just before the fermenting process.
Ginger’s current name comes from the Middle English gingivere, but ginger dates back over 3,000 years to the Sanskrit srngaveram meaning “horn root” with reference to its appearance. In Greek it was ziggiberis, and in Latin, zinziberi.
Often erroneously referred to as ‘ginger root,’ the edible section is actually the horizontal subterranean stem or rhizome of the plant. The ginger plant has a long history of cultivation known to originate in China and then spread to India, Southeast Asia, West Africa, and the Caribbean.
