Herb. No. 003 · Zingiberaceae
A tropical Asian rhizome. Outdoor crop only where winters stay warm.
Native · Southeast Asia · South Asia
Native Also grown
OpenGentleplant
Ginger
Zingiber officinale
A tropical rhizome for queasy stomachs, cold hands, and dull inflammatory ache.
Ginger has been in Ayurvedic, Chinese, and Arabic formularies for millennia. The rhizome's gingerols and shogaols are pungent carminatives and mild anti-emetics. Modern trials support it for pregnancy nausea (with obstetric advice), motion sickness, and some postoperative nausea. Fresh and dried ginger are not interchangeable in dose.
Flavor
Hot, citrus-pine pungency; fresh is juicier, dried is sharper and more peppery.
Parts used
Rhizome
In favor
- Kitchen-cupboard medicine
- Good evidence for several kinds of nausea
- Warms without being a stimulant
Against
- Heartburn at high dose
- Can thin blood modestly
- Needs a long warm season to grow outdoors