Adrak, Ginger (Zingiber Officinale) - Benefits, Uses & Dosage

Ginger or Zingiber officinale is a flowering plant whose rhizome or root widely used as a fresh, powdered spice and a folk medicine. Ginger is thought to have originated from the tropical rainforests of the Indian subcontinent and is used widely in a variety of cultural cusines. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of leaves) about one meter tall bearing narrow leaf blades. The inflorescences bear pale yellow with purple flowers and arise directly from the rhizome on separate shoots.

According to ayurveda, everyone should eat fresh ginger just before lunch and dinner to enhance digestion. Not only does ginger stoke the digestive fire, but it also whets the appetite, improves assimilation and transportation of nutrients to targeted body tissues, and clears the microcirculatory channels of the body. Ginger can also used for various types of "stomach problems," including motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea, nausea caused by cancer treatment, nausea caused by HIV/AIDS treatment, nausea and vomiting after surgery, as well as loss of appetite.

Active Ingredients of Ginger

The active Ingredients of Ginger are

•   Camphene
•   Phellandrene
•   Zingiberine
•   Zingiberol
•   Eucalyptol
•   Citral
•   Borneol
•   Linalol
•   Gingerol
•   Zingerone
•   Shogaols
•   Resins

Common Names Of Ginger

•   English Name : Common ginger, Garden ginger, True ginger
•   Sanskrit Name : Nagara
•   Hindi Name : Adrak
•   Spanish Name : Gengibre, Jengibre, Jenjibre dulce,Kion
•   French Name : Gingembre, Gingembre chinos
•   Chinese Name : Jiang
•   Portuguese Name : Gengibre-comum

Classification of Ginger

•   Kingdom Plantae : Plants
•   Subkingdom Tracheobionta : Vascular plants
•   Superdivision Spermatophyta : Seed plants
•   Division Magnoliophyta : Flowering plants
•   Class Liliopsida : Monocotyledons
•   Subclass : Zingiberidae
•   Order : Zingiberales
•   Family Zingiberaceae : Ginger family
•   Genus Zingiber Mill. : ginger P
•   Species Zingiber officinale Roscoe : garden ginger P

Habitat of Ginger

The Zingiber officinale is native to Asia, but because of its high production rate it's now grown in tropical regions around the world! It's grown in Africa and South America for commercial use, however 50% of ginger production is in India.

Uses & Effectiveness

•   Nausea and vomiting caused by drugs used to treat HIV/AIDS (antiretroviral- induced nausea and vomiting).
•   Cold and flu relief
•   Pain reduction
•   Osteoarthritis
•   Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea)
•   Morning sickness
•   Dizziness (vertigo).
•   Cardiovascular health
•   Hiccups
•   Asthma
•   Swellings
•   Hypothermia
•   Abdominal pains

Nutrition of Ginger

Ginger provides a variety of vitamins and minerals:

In 100 grams (g) of fresh ginger root, there are:

•   79 calories
•   17.86 g of carbohydrate
•   3.6 g of dietary fiber
•   3.57 g of protein
•   0 g of sugar
•   14 mg of sodium
•   1.15 g of iron
•   7.7 mg of vitamin C
•   33 mg of potassium

Other nutrients found in ginger in ginger are:

•   Vitamin B6
•   Magnesium
•   Phosphorus
•   Zinc
•   Folate
•   Riboflavin
•   Niacin

Effect on Doshas

Decreases Vata and Kapha, can increase Pitta in excess, especially dry ginger.

Bio Energetics of Ginger

Side Effects of Ginger

Side effects of ginger include:

•   Increased bleeding tendency
•   Abdominal discomfort
•   Cardiac arrhythmias (if overdosed)
•   Central nervous system depression (if overdosed)
•   Dermatitis (with topical use)
•   Diarrhea
•   Heartburn
•   Mouth or throat irritation.