What Are the Health-Promoting Properties of Ginger?
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been prized for centuries for its benefits to human health and well-being. Ginger originated in Asia, and was used widely as both a culinary and a medicinal herb in not only Asian but Indian and Arabic traditions as well. The Zingiber officinale variety of ginger grows approximately 2 to 3 feet (ginger-root, it is a misnomer, as the ginger rhizome is actually a form of plump underground stem, not a true root. The rhizome may be used fresh, cooked in food or steeped as a tea. Its volatile oils (e.g., gingerol and shogaol) and compounds may be distilled; or it may be dried and ground and used in capsules or other powdered forms. In the Asian medicine tradition, ginger is considered to possess “hot” or “warming” attributes. It is favored as a remedy for digestive ailments ranging from upset stomach to diarrhea to abdominal bloating due to excessive gas; said to palliate nausea; and viewed as an all-around digestive aid It is therefore frequently served as
