Medicinal Uses Of Ginger Root

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

In my mind, the idea of the ginger plant was closely associated with the distant southern countries. Therefore, at a recent gardening exhibition in Eurasia, I was unspeakably surprised, no, even amazed at the statement of one reader of our magazine, who calmly stated that she herself grew ginger.

I even asked again: "Are you sure that such a plant was grown?" … She confirmed: "Yes, exactly ginger: first in a pot in a room on the windowsill, and then, with the onset of warmth, transferred the emerged plant with a clod of earth from the pot to the dacha in the greenhouse."

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I asked again: "And what did you get the root?" … "I got it, however, small, not the same as they sell in supermarkets."

She explained that she decided to conduct her experiment: will ginger grow or not? I bought a fresh root from the store and planted a fragment of it with buds, like a houseplant. She herself was surprised when a plant began to sprout from the soil, resembling either bamboo, or our reed that grows along the edges of reservoirs.

Later I learned that another owner of suburban real estate conducted the same experiment with ginger.

Of course, there can be no question of industrial cultivation of ginger in our area, but such an experiment once again convinced me that modern gardeners can do a lot: they will want it and they will do it. They grow apricots, walnuts, cherry laurels and other wonders in the Petersburg climate.

Actually, many of us, including myself, learned about ginger quite recently. Somehow they used to do without him. Unless you come across a mention of ginger beer or gingerbread in a foreign detective story, and you think what kind of miracle it is?

According to encyclopedic dictionaries, “… ginger (Zingiber Roscoe) is a perennial herb of the Ginger family, which overwinter through underground, creeping, knotty, fleshy rhizomes. Annual aerial stems sometimes reach up to 2 m in height and by the end of the vegetative period die off, leaving a trace of their attachment on the rhizome."

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The most common is ginger or common ginger (Zingiber officinale). It is he, or rather his rhizome, that is now being sold in our stores.

And the homeland of this plant is the countries of South Asia. Now it is actively cultivated and sold to more northern states: China, India, Indonesia, and Australia. Ginger is also produced in West Africa, on the islands of Jamaica and Barbados.

For the first time in Europe, ginger rhizomes were brought back in the Middle Ages. They were widely used there as a spice, and were also used for medicinal purposes.

We now have ginger most often used in cooking. I myself often throw pieces of rhizome into tea, because it gives the drink an unusual aroma and burning taste. They say that this tea strengthens the immune system, and nutritionists also claim that this plant helps to lose weight. Who doesn't want to lose weight now? Only lazy.

But ginger also has beneficial medicinal properties, which are explained by the chemical composition of this rhizome. Many different substances are found in it, some of them have very useful properties. So, the ginger rhizome contains essential oil (up to 3 percent), which determines its unique aroma, and the burning taste of the rhizome is explained by the presence of gingerol, which belongs to the group of plant resins. Also found in ginger are starch, lipids, vitamins C, B1, B2, A, as well as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium, zinc and sodium. The most important amino acids are present - lysine, methionine, phenylalanine. In addition to essential oils, camphine, borneol, citral and other useful substances were found.

It has been observed that when consumed regularly, ginger root has a positive effect on digestive functions, stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, improves blood formation and blood circulation. The amino acids it contains accelerate metabolic processes, and therefore it is recommended to add ginger to fatty foods - this seasoning promotes better absorption and breakdown of fats.

Thanks to the consumption of ginger in humans, cerebral circulation increases, the activity of the thyroid gland increases during the production of hormones.

In addition to the beneficial effect on digestion, the ginger rhizome strengthens the human immune system, promotes the secretion of bile and the formation of gastric juice, helps with nausea from motion sickness, as well as for women with toxicosis (can be used only in the initial period of pregnancy), relieves spasms. It is also used to relieve pain in arthritis, arthrosis and osteochondrosis. There is evidence that ginger prevents the development of cancer in the rectum.

This aromatic burning rhizome is very actively used for colds. Ginger is effective in the treatment and prevention of sore throat, as well as for coughs and runny nose.

The fresh root itself can now be purchased in stores. In addition, in pharmacies you can find powdered dry root, ginger essential oil (10 mg per bottle), there is ginger tea in bags, ginger marmalade with lemon, mandarin-ginger candy, body cream with shark fat and ginger, candle massage with ginger.

Unlike some other medicinal plants - bitter, with a pungent unpleasant odor, it is pleasant to be treated with ginger root. It is usually brewed and drunk like a tea, with honey and lemon added to the tea for its benefit.

Also used for medicinal purposes, infusions, decoctions and tinctures with ginger root.

Decoction of ginger root to strengthen immunity

To obtain it, you need to take fresh ginger root (100 g), peel it, then cut into thin slices, place in an enamel bowl and pour a glass of boiling water (200 ml). Put in a water bath for 15 minutes. Take warm. Daily use of half a glass of this broth will strengthen the immune system and improve overall well-being.

Infusion of ginger root

To obtain it, 100 g of peeled and crushed ginger root is poured with a glass of boiling water (200 ml), the dishes are closed with a lid and insisted for half an hour. After the ginger infusion has cooled (not earlier), honey and lemon are added to it. This infusion is drunk in one day. It is very useful in the treatment of colds, because honey and ginger soften a sore throat, relieve inflammation, have an antimicrobial effect, and lemon will give the sick body vitamin C. This infusion is recommended for chills, coughs, dizziness and sore throat.

Ginger tincture on vodka

To prepare it, 400 g of peeled and chopped ginger is placed in a dark glass dish and poured with half a liter of vodka. The dishes are closed and placed in a warm and dark place for half a month. After that, filter the tincture and take one teaspoon twice a day half an hour before meals with weak immunity, to improve digestion, to prevent colds, as well as with high fatigue.

This tincture can also be used for rubbing painful joints to relieve pain.

You can further increase its effectiveness if, after filtering the finished tincture, add honey and lemon juice to it to taste. Take twice a teaspoon on an empty stomach before breakfast and lunch - this tincture will give vigor, increase the overall tone of the body.

The same tincture can be used to gargle with a sore throat, as well as an oral cavity with a toothache.

Ginger tincture helps to strengthen the immune system, as does the aromatic tea made from this root. It also improves metabolism and promotes weight loss when used regularly.

Ginger tea helps to relieve chills, warms with colds, and helps to eliminate toxins through the skin with sweat.

Ginger tea for colds

To prepare it, you need to take a fresh ginger root, about 5 cm long, peel it and grate it on a coarse grater. Pour this ginger into boiling water (0.5 liters) and keep on the lowest heat for ten minutes. Let the tea cool slightly and settle, then strain it and add honey and lemon juice to taste.

Another tea recipe: for its preparation, take three tablespoons of peeled ginger root chopped on a coarse grater and pour 1.5 liters of boiling water. Close the dishes with a lid and leave the tea for ten minutes. Then add a few tablespoons of honey (to taste) and leave for another five minutes. Such tea is taken both for the treatment of colds and for its prevention.

Contraindications

They are also found at the root of ginger. As noted above, ginger tea helps pregnant women fight toxicosis, nausea, but this is only in the initial stage of pregnancy. At a later date, as well as when feeding a child, ginger is contraindicated for them, since it has a tonic property. For the same reason, you should not take ginger preparations at night to avoid insomnia.

Ginger is not recommended for certain diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: for gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, for ulcerative colitis, as well as for stones in the bile ducts.

Since ginger root is a blood thinner, it should be used very carefully for hemorrhoids, frequent nosebleeds, and if you are advised to take aspirin. If you have problems with your blood pressure, you need to control it when using ginger root because it can increase blood pressure.

As with taking drugs from other medicinal plants, it is advisable to consult with your doctor.

E. Valentinov