There is one edible variety of ginger, Zingiber officinale, which originated in China over 5000 years ago. The history of ginger’s migration around the globe is as exotic as the beliefs in the spice itself. The prized ginger rhizome has been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions since ancient times. During the Roman Empire, ginger was a coveted and expensive spice reserved for nobility and commanded a price fifteen times that of black pepper. It is believed that ginger originally arrived in Rome from India. After the fall of the Roman Empire, ginger nearly disappeared in Europe.

Many attribute its return to the continent to Marco Polo following his travels to China and India. The Arabs first preserved the spice and introduced it to Europe as crystallized ginger, or gingembrat. Ginger’s popularity spread to Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Germany, and was consumed in large quantities in England. Queen Elizabeth is even credited with having invented gingerbread men. Today, ginger is one of the most worldly of spices, used in cuisines around the globe. Its popularity continues to grow as more people are exposed to this versatile and venerable spice.

Ginger and Motion Sickness: Why is ginger ale served on airplanes? Of all ginger’s effects, its anti-nausea property is probably the best known. A 1982 Study from Brigham University and Mount Union College in Ohio found ginger more effective than the common anti-nausea drug Dramamine in blocking motion sickness. Ginger most likely works by “interrupting the feedback between the stomach and the nausea center of the brain.” It’s no coincidence that ginger ale, as a soothing beverage, has been served on the airlines nearly since the beginning of commercial aviation. Source: Daniel Mowrey, co-author of the study

Ginger and Indigestion: Ginger increases digestive movement through the stomach and duodenum, and has also been shown to stimulate several valuable digestive enzymes in the pancreas. In India and China it has long been the custom to drink a tea  brewed from fresh Ginger, as an aid to digestion after a meal. The enzymes in Ginger break down protein efficiently and rapidly, leaving the digestive system free of any discomfort. Source: Alternative Healthzine Ginger and Morning Sickness: Ginger could relieve the nausea and vomiting experienced by pregnant women, say Australian researchers. Ginger does not prevent morning sickness but it may help ease some of the nausea experienced by pregnant women, researchers reported in the April 2004 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Researchers from the University of South Australia in Adelaide gave nearly 300 women either 350mg of ginger or 25mg of vitamin B6 three times per day for 3 weeks. The researchers found that both ginger and vitamin B6, which is sometimes taken to counteract morning sickness, worked equally well at alleviating nausea symptoms. Due to the small sample size, the researchers concluded that more research was needed to determine ginger’s risks and benefits.

Ginger and Arthritis: The consumption of ginger is a safe and effective remedy for the pain and swelling caused by arthritis. In one trial, 74% of rheumatoid arthritis suffers reported marked pain relief while 55% of patients enjoyed relief. In the same trail, 59% and 50% of patients respectively reported a reduction in swelling. Source: Odesne University. (Although our ginger juice is meant to be consumed, some of our customers pour it in their bath water as a rubefacient, thus eases their aches and pains).

Ginger and Pain Fighting: Mounting evidence suggests that ginger has natural anti-inflammatory properties. ‘And you don’t have to use a lot,’ says Neal Barnard, M.D. author of Foods That Fight Pain and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington D.C. ‘It works like ibuprofen, but without the side effects.’ Thing is, you need some ginger every day to feel the results.

Antioxidant: Ginger is a good antioxidant. It contains two phenolic compounds, shogaol and zingerone, that protect fats from being damaged by highly destructive forms of oxygen (free radicals). Source: American Health *1988, James Dulce Ph.D. Ginger is a powerful antioxidant with more than twelve constituents superior to vitamin E. Ginger helps neutralized free radicals which are widely recognized as participating or being responsible for the inflammatory process. Source: Ginger East to West *1984, Bruce Cost

Circulation: Ginger is known to be a rubefacient, reddening the skin by stimulating the flow of blood to a given area. This property alone accounts for much of its ability to ease soreness. It is also a carminative (ridding the stomach and intestines of gas) and an aid in the digestion of fatty foods. Source: Readers Digest: Magic and Medicine of Plants.

Ginger and Fat Burning: Ginger is being investigated as a potential weapon in the battle of the bulge. Preliminary test-tube research shows that ginger boosts thermogenesis, or calorie burning. By measuring a complicated series of reactions in the tissue of rats, researchers found that ginger made the tissues use more energy than they would have normally. The researchers think the spice affects the nerves in some way. But we are still a long way from knowing for sure if eating ginger does the same thing in the whole body of a rat, let along in people. So for now, just enjoy ginger for the zing; if it burns off a few calories, call it a bonus. Source: International Journal of Obesity 

Ginger and a Healthy Heart: Ginger helps heart and circulatory problems. This was proved by a group in Cornell Medicinal School when researchers found ginger to be as effective as aspirin to remedy clogged arteries. It helps dissolve blood clots in the arteries and diminish the levels of cholesterol in the blood. Working similar to aspirin, ginger reduces inflammatory eicosanoids without the side effects of other anti-inflammatory drugs.
 
Ginger and Cold Fighting: Because of its remarkable thermoregulatory properties, ginger can assist in lowering a fever. It is also helpful in alleviating chills caused by colds as it warms the body. Its antibacterial/antiviral effects help reduce the incidence of colds altogether.

Ginger and Cough Relief: Ginger also can treat a cough. For example, if someone is experiencing a dry scratchy cough, ginger tea will stimulate the secretion of mucus to help alleviate the cough, and the hot liquid will soothe the scratchiness.

Ginger and Cancer Research: In addition to its ability to curb the nausea associated with chemotherapy, ginger is now proving itself more and more a direct actor in the treatment of cancer. In 2006, the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center reported on its study of ginger as a treatment and preventative for both ovarian and colon cancers. Two types of cancer cell death, both apoptosis (the suicide of cancer cells) and autophagy (cancer cells digesting or attacking themselves) were reported. Ginger, when administered responsibly triggers virtually no side effects, which could make it a better therapy than harder to administer treatments like chemotherapy.

Ginger and Virility: In the Latin work, Regimen Sanitatis Salerno, is it suggested that ginger was not only believed to have a powerful effect on the promotion of health, but was also heralded as an aphrodisiac and inducer of virility. Of ginger, the authors wrote: "Within the stomach, loins and in the lung/Praise of hot ginger rightly may be sung./It quenches thirst, revives, excites the brain/And in old age awakes young love again." Source: Toussaint-Samat. A History of Food 496 Ginger and Taming Large Animals: Horse traders are said to give horses a piece of ginger in the form of a suppository, so that they will raise their tails: an act reflective their physical strength and prowess. It is believed that ginger has a magical quality, said to give unique powers even over tigers, making them as gentle to ride as a horse. Source: Root. Food {Attributed to Dr. Fallet}

Ginger - A Natural Preservative and Meat Tenderizer: Ginger is a great natural preservative, bactericide and meat tenderizer. Nigerian test tube studies show that ginger extract is effective in killing salmonella. Indian studies report that ginger extracts inhibit the fungi that produce aflatoxin, a potent carcinogen.* One study at the University of California at Davis tested the Nigerian results. Researchers there cooked and then refrigerated pork patties. Some were unspiced, some mildly spiced with ginger, some more strongly spiced. Patties made with ginger stayed fresh as much as a third longer than the unspiced pork. The enzymes in ginger are similar to papain found in papaya, which gently break down proteins and tenderize meats. Source: American Health Magazine

Ginger To Promote Fortitude and Stamina: In early America, ginger was distributed to Revolutionary soldiers as part of their standard rations in order to promote their fortitude and stamina. Source: Food {Attributed to Dr. Fallet}

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