Ginger Root 100 g, 50 g

Ginger Root – 100 g ($12.99), 50 g ($8.99)

Benefits:

For 2,500 years, ginger has played an important role in Asian medicine. It has traditionally been used to promote cleansing of the body through perspiration, to calm nausea, and to stimulate the appetite. It also has been used as an expectorant and an astringent. In Indian ayurvedic medicine, it is used for anorexia, dyspeptic conditions, and sore throats. Also, in Persian unani tibb systems of medicine, ginger is commonly used for the treatment of arthritis. Traditional Chinese medicine uses it for treating colds, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath. In China, ginger also has been put to the novel use of helping to turn breech babies by giving the mother ginger teas before delivery.

Ginger is an inexpensive, effective, and nearly universally available remedy for inflammation and pain. The German Commission E has approved it for loss of appetite, travel sickness, and dyspeptic complaints.

Arthritis and pain. Ginger inhibits the production of immune-system components called cytokines, chemicals that create a long-term tendency toward inflammation. The published human data on using ginger to treat pain in osteoarthritis are equivocal, but there are data to show that it contains compounds that do interfere with the inflammatory cascade of inflammation and pain receptors. One study showed that ginger was not as effective at reducing the pain of osteoarthritis as ibuprofen, which is one of the usual treatment methods. On the other hand, ginger has been shown to be useful in treating a number of disorders marked by swelling and pain, such as arthritis. In a two-and-a-half-year study in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, participants experienced improvement with ginger when used at amounts of 1 to 2 grams daily. More than half of the patients in both groups experienced reduced swelling and some reported less pain. The herbal treatment relieved symptoms without the side effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids, which are helpful but can cause serious side effects, especially if used for long periods.

Atherosclerosis and high cholesterol. In a study using rabbits (which are a good marker of human blood lipids), ginger significantly improved serum lipids and reduced the degree of heart disease after four weeks. In clinical studies conducted in India, the consumption of 5 grams of dried ginger per day for seven days reversed increases in triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol induced by adding 100 grams (nearly 4 ounces) of butter a day to the diet. In another study, powdered ginger inhibited platelets from clumping in twenty patients with heart disease. Patients took 10 grams of the powdered ginger. Using lower doses, such as 1.5 grams and 3 grams, did not have an effect. Interestingly, raw ginger had no effect in healthy people with normal platelet function.

Indigestion, morning sickness, motion sickness, nausea, and vomiting. One of ginger’s best-known uses is quelling queasy stomach and nausea. It is an age-old remedy for morning sickness. In one study, pregnant women using 1 gram of ginger daily for four days had less severe and fewer episodes of nausea and vomiting. However, the German Commission E and the American Herbal Products Association recommend that pregnant women do not use ginger during pregnancy. Pregnant women should consult their obstetrician before using it.

Sometimes ginger is touted for easing motion sickness and for reducing nausea and vomiting after surgery, but these studies have been unconvincing. Ginger root contains compounds called gingerols and shogaols, which work as anti-emetics, drugs that are effective against vomiting and nausea. The added benefit is that the action of these compounds is local on the stomach and does not affect the central nervous system as may other anti-emetics. Ginger stimulates the flow of saliva, bile, and gastric juices. It suppresses gastric contractions while increasing peristalsis, whereby food is pushed down the intestines.

Using 1 gram of ginger root powder reduced symptoms of seasickness such as nausea, vomiting, vertigo, and cold sweating compared to a placebo in a group of naval cadets unaccustomed to sea travel. However, in contrast, another study found that ginger was no better than six other commonly used nonherbal drugs to treat motion sickness. The dose used was 500 milligrams of ginger root.

Controlled clinical studies have not always found ginger to be more effective in relieving nausea than dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), the popular over-the-counter (OTC) remedy for motion sickness.

Ginger may be useful in preventing nausea and vomiting after surgery, especially when combined with the prescription antinausea drug metoclopramide (Octamide, Reglan). Even with metoclopramide, ginger does not completely eliminate postoperative nausea and vomiting, but these disagreeable symptoms could be reduced. However, in a well-controlled study, adding ginger to orally administered metoclopramide in patients who were receiving the chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin, participants experienced less nausea and vomiting. One study found that ginger also eases nausea caused by treatment with methoxsalen (8-MOP, Oxsoralen-Ultra), a drug taken by people undergoing photopheresis, a form of light-activated chemotherapy for treating T-cell lymphoma. A dose of 1,500 milligrams, or three 500-milligram capsules of ginger, was used in the study confirming this use.

Parasitic infection. Ginger contains a chemical called zingibain, which dissolves parasites and their eggs. In Japan, ginger’s antiparasitic effect is put to use in the preparation of sushi, which is traditionally eaten with pickled ginger. In the laboratory, ginger extracts have been shown to kill the anisakid worm, a parasite sometimes carried in raw fish, within sixteen hours, about the length of time the parasite would have to establish itself in the digestive tract after consumption of contaminated fish. In addition, ginger tea is useful as a supplement in treating schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease increasingly prevalent among tourists returning to the United States.

 

Recommendations for Use

Ginger is available in capsules, pickles, tablets, and teas, and as hexanol extracts. Ginger teas can be made into compresses. (See COMPRESSES in Part Three.) The daily dosage for pills is 2 to 4 grams of ginger root. Ginger may cause stomach irritation, so no more than 6 grams should be consumed on an empty stomach.

Although there are warnings in Chinese medicine about the use of ginger during pregnancy, used in moderation (the equivalent of 2 teaspoons, or 1 gram, two to three times per day) will likely pose no risk to the health of the mother or developing baby. Recent studies indicate that eating as much as 2 to 3 tablespoons of raw ginger or 5 to 8 tablespoons of cooked ginger (15 or 40 grams, respectively) daily will not stimulate uterine contractions. However, do not use ginger without checking with your obstetrician first.

Ginger should not be taken if you have gallstones or are at risk of hemorrhage. Too much ginger can cause skin irritation, central nervous system depression, and cardiac arrhythmias. Ginger can increase the potency of prescription medications used to prevent blood clots, such as aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), ticlopidine (Ticlid), or warfarin (Coumadin). Combining ginger with these medications could result in unexpected bleeding. Be sure to discuss the use of ginger with your physician before taking the herb to control nausea after surgery. If bleeding is a major risk, ginger should be avoided.

Ginger can prolong the sleeping time induced by barbiturates. Ginger has no detectable effects on the central nervous system itself, but probably increases the absorption of barbiturates in the digestive tract. If you are taking any kind of medication to induce sleep, you should use ginger with caution.

The daily consumption of ginger root may interfere with the absorption of dietary iron and fat-soluble vitamins. Avoid taking ginger for two weeks prior to undergoing elective surgery.

Botanical Name: Zingiber officmale
English: Ginger, Adrakh
French: Racine de gingembre
Also, known as: Sunthi, Nagara, Ardraka, Gan jiang. Shen pang, South, Kanubhadra, Srangavera, Ada, Adu Alla, Hasshunti, Inchi, Ardrak, Ale, Adi, Adrak Injee, Allam, lakottai Inji, Allamu, Allam, Adrak MahauAadha, Nagara, Visva, Visvabhesaja, Adasuth, Andar Shuth, Suntha, Sundh, Suntha, Sonth, Shunthi Shonth, Chukku, Sunth, Sunthi, Sund, Sukku, Chukku, Sonthi, Sunthi, Sonth, Zanjabeel
Habitat: Asia
Origin: Canada
Harvested: Cultivated
Parts Used: Root

General Information:
Ginger is native to Asia. The plant grows to a height of about 2 to3 feet and has white or yellow flowers. It grows in hot, humid, subtropical climates in many parts of the world. The herb has broad leaves, arising from the ground. It rarely flowers. The fresh root is called adrak and the dried root sonth in most parts of India. Before drying, the rhizome is boiled in water and the outer corky layers are scrapped. It is cut longitudinally and dried. Throughout the whole of Asia, from China to Turkey, ginger has a reputation for being a powerful aphrodisiac. In traditional Chinese medicine, the dry ginger rhizome is used to expel interior cold, while fresh ginger disperses exterior cold (Bone 1997)
Ginger is an important spice that is much used in Asian cooking to flavor meat dishes, marinades, fish, curries, soups, sauces, rice dishes, and stir frys.

How to use:
Food Preparation: You can add powdered herbs to any super food, herbal smoothie, sauces, spreads and even cookies Also for children, you can mix powdered herbs with hones or glycerin to make a paste. The thicker the past, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help the medicine go down. This method is also known as “Elechiaries”
Capsules: Encapsulating your own powdered herb at home, give you assurance that the contents of the capsules are pure herb and no filler or any other products. These capsules can be taken with liquid
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied
to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Pandered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Precautions:

You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using an herbal product.