Zingiber officinale

Zingiber officinale, commonly known as ginger, is a flowering plant whose rhizome, or ginger root, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems about one meter tall bearing narrow leaf blades. The inflorescences bear flowers having pale yellow petals with purple edges, and arise directly from the rhizome on separate shoots.

Botanical Description

The plant is gathered annually for its rhizome, and propagated from some of those rhizomes in the following season. When the stalk withers, it is immediately harvested and washed, after which it is left in the sun to dry, then powdered for medicinal use.

Culinary Uses

Zingiber officinale is used extensively in the culinary world. It is often used in sweet foods in Western cuisine. It is an ingredient in traditional Indian drinks, both cold and hot. The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Indian recipes, and is a quintessential ingredient of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and many South Asian cuisines for flavoring dishes.

Medicinal Uses

In traditional medicine, Zingiber officinale is considered a healing gift from God. It is used for ailments such as nausea and vomiting, and has been used for this purpose since ancient times. It is also used for its anti-inflammatory properties in treating arthritis and rheumatism, as well as for abdominal discomfort, such as dyspepsia and constipation.

Cultivation

Zingiber officinale is cultivated all over the world, but the most highly prized ginger comes from Jamaica, where the climate and soil conditions seem to produce a product with superior flavor and aroma characteristics.

See Also

• List of culinary herbs and spices
• List of plants used in herbalism