Ginger

Ginger
1896 color plate from Köhler's Medicinal Plants
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Zingiberales
Family:	Zingiberaceae
Genus:	Zingiber
Species:	Z. officinale
Binomial name
Zingiber officinale Roscoe 1807[1]

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or simply ginger, is widely used as a spice or a folk medicine.^[2]

It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual stems about a meter tall bearing narrow green leaves and yellow flowers. Ginger is in the family Zingiberaceae, to which also belong turmeric (Curcuma longa), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), and galangal. Ginger originated in the tropical rainforest in Southern Asia. Although ginger no longer grows wild, it is thought to have originated on the Indian subcontinent because the ginger plants grown in India show the largest amount of genetic variation. Ginger was exported to Europe via India in the first century AD as a result of the lucrative spice trade and was used extensively by the Romans.

The distantly related dicots in the genus Asarum are commonly called wild ginger because of their similar taste.

Etymology

The origin of "ginger" is from the mid-14th century, from Old English gingifer, from Medieval Latin gingiber, from Latin zingiberi, from Greek zingiberis, from Prakrit (Middle Indic) singabera, from Sanskrit srngaveram, from srngam "horn" and vera- "body", from the shape of its root. But this may be Sanskrit folk etymology, and the word may be from an ancient Dravidian name that also produced the Tamil and Malayalam name for the spice, inchi-ver, from inchi "root." cf. gin (v.). The word probably was readopted in Middle English from Old French gingibre (modern French gingembre).^[3][4]

Horticulture

Ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers. Because of its aesthetic appeal and the adaptation of the plant to warm climates, it is often used as landscaping around subtropical homes. It is a perennial reed-like plant with annual leafy stems, about a meter (3 to 4 feet) tall. Traditionally, the rhizome is gathered when the stalk withers; it is immediately scalded, or washed and scraped, to kill it and prevent sprouting. The fragrant perisperm of the Zingiberaceae is used as sweetmeats by Bantu, and also as a condiment and sialagogue.^[5]

Uses

Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice.^[6] Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. They can be steeped in boiling water to make ginger tisane, to which honey is often added; sliced orange or lemon fruit may be added. Ginger can be made into candy, or ginger wine, which has been made commercially since 1740.

Mature ginger rhizomes are fibrous and nearly dry. The juice from ginger roots is often used as a seasoning in Indian recipes and is a common ingredient of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and many South Asian cuisines for flavoring dishes such as seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes.

Fresh ginger can be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of six to one, although the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are somewhat different. Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers and cakes, ginger ale, and ginger beer.

Candied ginger, or crystallized ginger, is the root cooked in sugar until soft, and is a type of confectionery.

Fresh ginger may be peeled before eating. For longer-term storage, the ginger can be placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated or frozen.

Regional uses

In Indian cuisine, ginger is a key ingredient, especially in thicker gravies, as well as in many other dishes, both vegetarian and meat-based. Ginger also has a role in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. It is an ingredient in traditional Indian drinks, both cold and hot, including spiced masala chai. Fresh ginger is one of the main spices used for making pulse and lentil curries and other vegetable preparations. Fresh ginger together with peeled garlic cloves is crushed or ground to form ginger garlic masala. Fresh, as well as dried, ginger is used to spice tea and coffee, especially in winter. In south India, "sambharam" is a summer yogurt drink made with ginger as a key ingredient, along with green chillies, salt and curry leaves. Ginger powder is used in food preparations intended primarily for pregnant or nursing women, the most popular one being katlu, which is a mixture of gum resin, ghee, nuts, and sugar. Ginger is also consumed in candied and pickled form.

In Japan, ginger is pickled to make beni shoga and gari or grated and used raw on tofu or noodles. It is made into a candy called shoga no sato zuke. In the traditional Korean kimchi, ginger is either finely minced or just juiced to avoid the fibrous texture and added to the ingredients of the spicy paste just before the fermenting process.

In Burma, ginger is called gyin. It is widely used in cooking and as a main ingredient in traditional medicines. It is consumed as a salad dish called gyin-thot, which consists of shredded ginger preserved in oil, with a variety of nuts and seeds.

In Thailand' where it is called ขิง khing, it is used to make a ginger garlic paste in cooking.

In Indonesia, a beverage called wedang jahe is made from ginger and palm sugar. Indonesians also use ground ginger root, called jahe, as a common ingredient in local recipes.

In Malaysia, ginger is called halia and used in many kinds of dishes, especially soups.

Called luya in the Philippines, ginger is a common ingredient in local dishes and is brewed as a tea called salabat.^[7][8]

In Vietnam, the fresh leaves, finely chopped, can be added to shrimp-and-yam soup (canh khoai mỡ) as a top garnish and spice to add a much subtler flavor of ginger than the chopped root.

In China, sliced or whole ginger root is often paired with savory dishes such as fish, and chopped ginger root is commonly paired with meat, when it is cooked. Candied ginger is sometimes a component of Chinese candy boxes, and a herbal tea can be prepared from ginger.

In the Caribbean, ginger is a popular spice for cooking and for making drinks such as sorrel, a drink made during the Christmas season. Jamaicans make ginger beer both as a carbonated beverage and also fresh in their homes. Ginger tea is often made from fresh ginger, as well as the famous regional specialty Jamaican ginger cake.

On the island of Corfu, Greece, a traditional drink called τσιτσιμπύρα (tsitsibira), a type of ginger beer, is made. The people of Corfu and the rest of the Ionian islands adopted the drink from the British, during the period of the United States of the Ionian Islands.

In Arabic, ginger is called zanjabil and in some parts of the Middle East, gin�gayu (生姜湯). The Hebrew name for the spice, zangevil, is a variation on the name.

In Western cuisine, ginger is traditionally used mainly in sweet foods such as ginger ale, gingerbread, ginger snaps, parkin, ginger biscuits, and speculaas. A ginger-flavored liqueur called Canton is produced in Jarnac, France. Ginger wine is a ginger-flavored wine produced in the United Kingdom, traditionally sold in a green glass bottle. Ginger is also used as a spice added to hot coffee and tea.

Ginger production, 2014
Country	Production (tonnes)
India	655,000
China	415,951
Nepal	276,150
Indonesia	266,145
Thailand	161,404
World	2,156,453
Source: Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT)[9]

Similar ingredients

Myoga (Zingiber mioga 'Roscoe') appears in Japanese cuisine; the flower buds are the part eaten.

Another plant in the Zingiberaceae family, galangal, is used for similar purposes as ginger in Thai cuisine. Galangal is also called Thai ginger, fingerroot (Boesenbergia rotunda), Chinese ginger, or the Thai krachai.

A dicotyledonous native species of eastern North America, Asarum canadense, is also known as "wild ginger", and its root has similar aromatic properties, but it is not related to true ginger. The plant contains aristolochic acid, a carcinogenic compound.^[10] The United States Food and Drug Administration warns that consumption of aristolochic acid-containing products is associated with "permanent kidney damage, sometimes resulting in kidney failure that has required kidney dialysis or kidney transplantation. In addition, some patients have developed certain types of cancers, most often occurring in the urinary tract."^[10]

Production

In 2014, with a global production of 2.2 million tonnes of raw ginger, India accounted for 30% of the world total, followed by China (19%), Nepal (13%), Indonesia (12%), and Thailand (7%) (table).^[9]

Nutritional information

Ginger root (raw)

Ginger section
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	333 kJ (80 kcal)
Carbohydrates	17.77 g
Sugars	1.7 g
Dietary fiber	2 g
Fat	0.75 g
Protein	1.82 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1)	(2%) 0.025 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	(3%) 0.034 mg
Niacin (B3)	(5%) 0.75 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	(4%) 0.203 mg
Vitamin B6	(12%) 0.16 mg
Folate (B9)	(3%) 11 μg
Vitamin C	(6%) 5 mg
Vitamin E	(2%) 0.26 mg
Minerals
Calcium	(2%) 16 mg
Iron	(5%) 0.6 mg
Magnesium	(12%) 43 mg
Manganese	(11%) 0.229 mg
Phosphorus	(5%) 34 mg
Potassium	(9%) 415 mg
Sodium	(1%) 13 mg
Zinc	(4%) 0.34 mg
Other constituents
Water	79 g
Full Link to USDA Database entry
Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Raw ginger is composed of 79% water, 18% carbohydrates, 2% protein, and 1% fat (table). In 100 grams (a standard amount used to compare with other foods), raw ginger supplies 80 Calories and contains moderate amounts of vitamin B6 (12% of the Daily Value, DV) and the dietary minerals, magnesium (12% DV) and manganese (11% DV), but otherwise is low in nutrient content (table).

When used as a spice powder in a common serving amount of one US tablespoon (5 grams), ground dried ginger (9% water) provides negligible content of essential nutrients, with the exception of manganese (70% DV).^[11]

Composition and safety

If consumed in reasonable quantities, ginger has few negative side effects.^[12] It is on the FDA's "generally recognized as safe" list,^[13] though it does interact with some medications, including the anticoagulant drug warfarin^[14] and the cardiovascular drug, nifedipine.^[15]

Chemistry

The characteristic fragrance and flavor of ginger result from volatile oils that compose 1-3% of the weight of fresh ginger, primarily consisting of zingerone, shogaols and gingerols with [6]-gingerol (1-[4'-hydroxy-3'-methoxyphenyl]-5-hydroxy-3-decanone) as the major pungent compound.^[2][16][17] Zingerone is produced from gingerols during drying, having lower pungency and a spicy-sweet aroma.^[17]

Biological effects

Ginger has a sialagogue action, stimulating the production of saliva, which makes swallowing easier.^[18]

Ginger is a minor chemical irritant and, because of this, was used as a horse suppository by pre-World War I mounted regiments for gingering.

Medicinal use and research

The evidence that ginger helps alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is inconclusive and it is not recommended for clinical use for this, or for any other type of nausea.^[19][20] Studies have found no clear evidence of harm from taking ginger during pregnancy, though its safety has not been established and it is a suspected risk for mutagenicity.^[20]

Allergic reactions to ginger generally result in a rash.^[15] Although generally recognized as safe, ginger can cause heartburn and other side effects, particularly if taken in powdered form.^[15] Unchewed fresh ginger may result in intestinal blockage, and individuals who have had ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, or blocked intestines may react badly to large quantities of fresh ginger.^[15] It can also adversely affect individuals with gallstones^[2] and may interfere with the effects of anticoagulants, such as warfarin or aspirin.^[2][15]

Ginger, like other dietary supplements, is not effective for treating dysmenorrhea.^[21]

Cultivars, preparation, and folk medicine

Ginger properties depend on a number of factors, such as cultivar, plant segment, and preparation method (dried or cooked). Examples:

• One traditional medical form of ginger historically called "Jamaica ginger" was classified as a stimulant and carminative, and used frequently for dyspepsia, gastroparesis, slow gut motility symptoms, constipation, or colic.^[15][22]
• Kampo Shokyo, Z. officinale, var. rubens, dried^[23]
• Kampo Kankyo, Z. officinale, var. rubens, steamed and dried^[23]
• Jamu Red ginger, Z. officinale, var. rubra^[23]
• Shoga, Z. officinale, var. rubens^[23]
• White ginger, Z. officinale, var. amarum^[23]

See also

• Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan – contains ginger material
• Xiao Yao Wan – contains ginger material

References

External links

• The dictionary definition of ginger at Wiktionary
• Media related to Ginger at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Zingiber officinale at Wikispecies
• Zingiber officinale List of Chemicals (Dr. Duke's)