Ginger (Zingerber Officinale), in the family Zingiberaceae, is a flowering
plant whose rhizome; a fancy name for root - has been widely used for
thousands of years as both a hot, fragrant, 'zingy' culinary spice (see
what I did there?) and as a wonderful herbal medicine. Ginger is thought to
have originated from the tropical rainforests of the Indian subcontinent
and is used widely in a variety of cultural cusines. Interestingly,
turmeric and cardamom are in the same family of plants.
What are its qualities?
Both fresh and dry ginger root are used regularly in Ayurveda but they have
slightly different qualities and effects on the body...
Rasa: Pungent, Sweet
Virya: Warming (Fresh is warming, dry is hot)
Vipaka: Sweet
Qualities: Fresh is unctous and heavy; dry is sry, light and penetrating
Actions on the doshas: Decreases Vata and Kapha, can increase Pitta in
excess, especially dry ginger.
Action on the mind: Sattvic
What are its medicinal qualities?
>From an Ayurvedic perspective, ginger is a superfood, particularly for
digestion, respiration and the joints. It is believed to destroy ama or
toxins, enkindle the digestive fire, improve the secretion of digestive
enzymes, prevents nausea and stop hiccups. It also improves peripheral
circulation and warms up the body, reducing feelings of cold and pain -
perfect for Vata or Kapha folk in cold climates. It can even be helpful in
congestive-type cardiac disorders when used at a high dosage. Ginger clears
phlegm in the lungs, alleviating coughs, colds and breathing difficulties.
Despite its warming quality, it also reduces inflammation by inhibiting the
activity of prostaglandins so is used in many traditional formulations to
treat arthritis. For the same reason, hot, fresh ginger tea is also great
medicine for menstrual cramps. Ginger also has a rejuvenating effect on the
body/mind and is considered Sattvic, helping to promote a calm, peaceful
mind (1). In Ayurveda, ginger is used in a wide variety or formulations, in
home remedies as a pulp or juice and even in herbal boluses for treatments
like Pinda Swed.
The Western viewpoint/The Science so far...
>From a vitamin and mineral perspective, ginger is high in Manganese, an
important mineral critical to bone formation, metabolic activity, blood
sugar control and known to help reduce inflammation, alleviate PMS and help
protect the body against free-radical damage.
The phenolic compounds that give ginger its unique flavour and fragrance
are collectively know as 6-gingerol which is known to have anti-cancer,
anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects (2). Ginger has been shown to
reduce nausea post-surgery and in cancer patients on chemo (3 & 4), to
reduce the day-to-day progression of muscle pain (5) and to reduce the
symptoms of osteoarthritis (6). In a relatively small study it was also
shown to reduce fasting blood sugar and improve major risk factors for
heart disease (7). It has also been shown to reduce cholesterol or blood
lipid levels (8), to ease chronic indigestion, also referred to as
dyspepsia (9) and to reduce period pain as effectively as ibuprofen! (10).
How do you eat it?
An easy way to take ginger is as a tea - 1/4 tsp of ginger in a cup of hot
water with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of honey in the mornings before
breakfast is a lovely way to enjoy the compounded benefits of ginger. Like
turmeric, we have ginger with almost every meal, apart from sweet
porridges. It is the key ingredient in our kicharees, daals, vegetable
subjis, mung daal pancakes, soups, casseroles and chais. If you avoid
eating chilli (as most followers of Ayurveda do), then ginger is your
substitute... your main source of ZING. Yep, I couldn't resist saying it
again.
Why do I love it?
Ginger is a game-changer. It makes everything a little tastier and easier
to digest and fills your belly with warmth... it is like a warm hug from
the inside out. If, like me, you've ever suffered from bloating, gas or
vata-type indigestion then you should welcome ginger into your life with
open arms! Say good-bye to tummy aches and embarrassing belching and hello
to easeful digestion every day, every meal. Thank you ginger, thank you for
all you give us!!
Should anyone avoid eating it?
Nearly everyone will benefit from eating ginger every single day. {AS
SOMEONE SAID LIKE QUORAS THAT THERE IS NO OVER EATING OR UNDER EATING AS
QUESTIONED KR} However, if you are pregnant, keep your dose relatively
low, below 2g (even though it will help enormously with morning sickness).
People with high blood pressure, peptic ulcers, reflux and skin diseases
with inflammation should also keep their dose relatively low and those with
gallstones may wish to avoid it due to its cholagogue or bile-purging
effect. [ayurveda research blog authentic} K Rajaram IRS 11225
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