Ginger

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Veins of Food brings you a piece of my research on another vein of food, which is a part of our everyday consumption of food, Ginger. Ginger silently brings that so needed life in our food to satisfy our taste buds, but it does much more than just satisfying the needed taste we are used to. Read the article below to discover…

We know ginger commonly as the rhizome (horizontal stem growing underground) of the ginger plant, which is a perennial reed like plant and it stems annually. It grows up to 3 to 4 meters and has white and pink buds which bloom to be yellow flowers, it is harvested as the stalk withers and is scalded to restrict sprouting.

(*Perennial- A plant that lives more than two years or a short term annual or biennial plant, it has less or zero woody growth)

Ginger is ultimately is said to have originated from Maritime Asia (Brunei, Burma, Myanmar, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand) a.k.a. South China. Its existence was first recorded to be 5,000 years ago. It was first domesticated by Austronesians, who transported ginger throughout the Indo-Pacific expansion, reaching as far as Hawaii. It reached India through trades between India and China, it reached Europe through Romans who traded with India. The popularity of ginger increased during this reign. After the fall of Rome from the globe, the trades landed in the hands of Arabs, is when ginger became expensive for countries importing it and the popularity dropped. Marco Polo brought it back to popularity from his travel to East. It was brought to the Caribbeans after the rediscovery of the new world in the 15th century, where it adapted well and grew with ease.

(*Austronesia- Taiwan, Maritime South East Asia, Madagascar, Coastal New Guinea, Island Melanasia)

Ginger travelled a long route from South and East Asia to Rome to Europe to Arabs. While this course, it got names according to different local languages:

• Zingiber Officinale- Latin

• Ginger- English

• Adrakh(fresh ginger)- Hindi

• Hasi Shunti-Kannada

• Alla, Allamu- Telugu

• Ada- Bengali

• Aale- Marathi

• Adu- Gujarati

• Shukka, Inji-Tamil

• Inchi- Malayalam

• Anjeebeele,Tara- Farsi(Persian)

• Amu, Inguru- Sinhala(Sri Lankan)

• Janjabeele Ratab- Arabian

• Halia- Malaysian

• Gyin- Burmese

Ginger rhizome was first used in cooking and medicine by China and India. The typical types of ginger used in cooking:

• Yellow ginger: Also known as ‘Cream Garland Lilly’, is a perennial flowering plant with a short stem and tufted leaves growing on them. It has short and thick rhizomes which have a strong and bitter taste with a musky odour. This plant is native to Himalayas, Northern Vietnam, Sichuan and some regions of Hawaii. It is used medicinally as an analgesic for muscle pain, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and for stomach aches.

• White ginger: This rhizome is also called ‘Coronarium/Butterfly Flower/Ginger Lilly’ is commonly seen in Hawaii and grows up to 8 ft tall and can spread across naturally. Its rhizomes can be used in smoothies and salad garnishes. It is medicinally used by gargling on its juice to cure sore throat, tonsilitis, rheumatism.

• Spring ginger: A younger version of matured yellow ginger with a blush pink skin and a strong odour. It is plumply juicier, more tender and mild, more fibrous and has an appearance like a hand. Due to its mildness it can be eaten raw in salads without peeling as it has a very thin peel. It is used to aid digestion, comfort nausea and fight cold.

• Blue Hawaiian ginger: As per the name, it is bluish in colour throughout the rhizome. It resembles yellow ginger when not mature. It is a rich source of iron, sodium, vitamin A & C, also used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and to maintain skin health.

• Peacock ginger: A.K.A ‘Kaempferia Genus’-a native to Asia is used for ornamental purposes as it has pretty pink or pale purple flowers with round oval leaves which come in green, purple or silver. It grows up to 4-10 inches tall. It is grown thickly to decoratively cover grounds and patches.

• Shampoo ginger: It is also called as ‘Zingiber Zerumbet/Wild ginger/Pinecone ginger. It is found in Malayasia and Indonesia. The plant bears pinecone shaped yellow and pink flowers. These flower cones are logged with a creamy liquid which is used as a shampoo and conditioner. It has edible rhizomes but they are bitter in taste and hence not suitable for every recipe.

• Shell ginger: It is also named as bright ginger. It is a native to East Asia (Southern Japan, Taiwan), Southern China, Northern Peninsula and Malaysia, where it grows best in wet environment. Its growth extends up to 8 ft. It is versatilely used in decoration, cooking and medicine.

• Ginger lily: A.K.A. ‘Garland Lily/Garland Flower’ grows with a yellow or bluish rhizome, long green leaves with a red or blue tint underneath those. It is a tropical and subtropical plant growing in Asia and Africa. Parts of the ginger lily pant is used in making garlands, decorations perfume scents and in Ayurveda.

• Japanese ginger: Japanese ginger or ‘Zingiber Mioga/Myoga’ is a native to Japan and Korea. It grows up to 4 ft in height. Japanese and Korean cuisine use only flower buds and flavourful shoots of this plant in their dishes, eg. shredded flower buds are used as a garnish for Miso soup, in Korean cuisine- flower buds are inserted on a skewer with meat and roasted or used in stir fries.

Such above mentioned varieties of ginger are used across The Caribbeans, India and South Asia. Also these are the cuisines which use ginger most comparative to other cuisines, in hot dishes, salads, smoothies and medicinal uses.

Ginger is also popular in medicine in countries like Rome, Greece, China, India and The Arabs. The Chinese took these plants with themselves on a sea voyage, in the 5th century, to fend off scurvy; while the western world had no clue about its connectivity to nutritional deficiency. Even after being popular as a food ingredient, ginger has always played the role of a medicinal herb.

Ginger covers a large range of medicinal purposes in allopathy from treating stomach issues, nausea, vomiting after surgeries and even during the treatment of HIV/AIDS, dizziness, menstrual pain, arthritis, morning sickness, motion sickness, sea sickness, weight loss, migraines headaches, common cold and flu to maintaining diabetes. Ginger contains chemicals which fight nausea and swelling. These chemicals work in the intestines and help the nervous system to control nausea.

Ginger has many advantages but it should be used in limited amounts for consumption or application as excess of a cure can turn to be the cause of another disease. Some of its side effects and restrictions are:

Heartburn, gastric problems, general stomach discomfort, increased risk of bleeding, preventing of blood clot on wounds and can cause irritability if left applied on skin for a long time.

Ginger should be consumed only up to 5 gm on a daily basis, more than that can cause the above mentioned side effects.it should be avoided 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery as it can prevent necessary clotting post surgery. It is advised to avoid consuming ginger directly by mouth during pregnancy, rather it is safer to be consumed in food items. Ginger is only suggested to pregnant women for curing morning sickness and not to be consuming regularly. It leads to risk of bleeding if consumed close to the delivery date.

Ginger is combined with medicines like ibuprofen, melenamic acid or novafen to reduce menstrual cramps and arthritis pain. But some combinations like ginger and warfarin, nitedipine, etc. which decrease blood clotting, have to be taken in very limited doses or even avoided.

Ginger is an old crop in India and has been cultivated in the Malnad region, Karnatak, since time immemorial. Ginger is known as ‘Shunti’ in ayurveda and has many uses in ayurveda as well as many names in a range of languages of India.

Ayurveda pronounces it as a ‘Universal medicine- Vishwabheshaja’. Ginger’s rasa(taste) is pungent and sweet- katu, guna(physical property) heavy, dry and sharp- guru, rooksha and teekshna, virya(potency) is hot and vipaka(post- digestive effector metabolic property) is sweet- madhura. As it has warm virya it subdues vata and kapha, but increases pitta even though it is a counter balance to pitta. It is agni in nature which makes it useful in increasing digestive fire, increasing appetite, digestion, detoxification, reduces bloating. It works as an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, blood purifier. Due to its tikta(bitterness) and snigdha(oiliness) nature, it relieves asthama and other respiratory problems, also used as an aphrodisiac. It is also used as a medicine for curing diseases caused by vata dosh. It affects all dhatus(tissues) which helps to stimulates heart, respiratory, circulatory and nervous channels(srotas) which helps in relieving pain.

It is used in two basic forms in ayurveda: dry ginger (shunthi or nagara), fresh ginger (adrak). Dry ginger is drier and more bitter compared to adrak, with a cold and moist nature. It heats up the body which constitutes kapha. Adrak in contrast of nagara is more suitable to treat vata and pitta due to its warming nature; which is why it is advised to avoid adrak during having ulcers, high fever or inflammatory diseases.

Vishwabheshaja is described in many ways based on its uses, in Charak Samhita and Sushrut Samhita. Charak Samhita describes it as Truptighna(herbs which relieve pseudo-satiation), Arshogna(good for piles), Deepana(good for digestive health), Shoolprashmana(useful in relieving abdominal pain), Trishna nigrahana(group of herbs useful in thirst). In Sushrut Samhita, it is described as Pipalyadi gana(good appetiser), Trikatu-an ayurvedic combination of ginger, black pepper and Indian long pepper in equal proportions; useful for cleansing the digestive system.

Ayurveda presents all the properties above shortly through different names for ginger in Sanskrit:

• Ushana- Hot nature.

• Katugranthi, Katubhadra- Has pungent taste.

• Shunthi- Which is used in kapha vaathaja vikaras.

• Adhraka- Which is used to cause more salvation.

• Nagara- Its habitat is in Nagar Pradesh, also it is best among katurasa.

• Visha- Its assimilation is very fast like visha.

• Shrungavera- It has an irritant property.

• Avaakchhatri- Leaves are appear to be bent like chhatri(umberella).

• Ahichhatra- It looks like serpenthood

• Katuviddi- Has katu rasa.

• Katuthkat, Katubhed, Katukandh, Katuthoya- Due to its katu rasa.

• Kaphari and Shoshana- It dries up.

• Anupaj- Its habitat is in Anupa Pradesh.

Some other names like Mahaushadha, Vishwabheshaja, Vishwaushadha, Rahuchatra.

"Thank you for reading through the article. hope it has enlightened you with some not so known facts and uses about ginger, a very interesting ingredient not just in the culinary world but also in pharma and glam. Stay tuned for further reading more articles about various Various Of Food."