Everything about Zingiber Officinale totally explained
Ginger (
Zingiber officinale) is a
perennial plant in the family
Zingiberaceae - its
rhizome is commonly used as a cooking spice throughout the world. The ginger plant has a long history of cultivation known to originate in
China and then spread to
India,
Southeast Asia,
West Africa, and the
Caribbean.
Etymology
Latin gingiber via Sanskrit from Tamil இஞ்ஜி வேர் (inji), a word for ginger plant's root or Malayalam (inchi).
Chemistry
Ginger contains up to 3% of an
essential oil that causes the fragrance of the spice. The main constituents are
sesquiterpenoids with
(-)-zingiberene as the main component. Lesser amounts of other sesquiterpenoids (
β-sesquiphellandrene,
bisabolene and
farnesene) and a small monoterpenoid fraction (
β-phelladrene,
cineol, and
citral) have also been identified.
The pungent taste of ginger is due to nonvolatile
phenylpropanoid-derived compounds, particularly
gingerols and
shogaols. The latter are formed from the former when ginger is dried or cooked. Zingerone is also produced from gingerols during this process, and it's less pungent and has a spicy-sweet aroma. Ginger is also a minor chemical irritant, and because of this was used as a horse
suppository by pre-
World War I mounted regiments for
figging.
Ginger has a
sialagogue action, stimulating the production of
saliva.
Culinary uses
Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. They are often pickled in
vinegar or
sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. They can also be stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea, to which
honey is often added as a sweetener; sliced orange or lemon fruit may also be added. Mature ginger roots are fibrous and nearly dry. The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a
spice in
Chinese cuisine to
flavor dishes such as
seafood or
mutton. Powdered dry ginger root (ginger powder) is typically used to add spiciness to
gingerbread and other recipes. Ground and fresh ginger taste quite different and ground ginger is a poor substitute for fresh ginger. Fresh ginger can be successfully substituted for ground ginger and should be done at a ratio of 6 parts fresh for 1 part ground.
Ginger is also made into candy and used as a
flavoring for
cookies,
crackers and
cake, and is the main flavor in
ginger ale-- a
sweet,
carbonated, non-
alcoholic beverage, as well as the similar, but somewhat spicier beverage
ginger beer.
Regional uses
In
Western cuisine, ginger is traditionally restricted to sweet foods, such as ginger ale,
gingerbread,
ginger snaps,
ginger cake and
ginger biscuits. A ginger-flavored
liqueur called
Canton is produced in
Jarnac,
France. Green
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.
In
Arabic, ginger is called
Zanjabil and in some parts of the
Middle East ginger powder is used as a spice for coffee.
In
India, ginger is called "Aadu" in
Gujarati, "Shunti" in Kannada language[Karnataka],
Allam in
Telugu,
Inji in
Tamil and
Malayalam,
Alay in
Marathi and
Adrak in
Hindi and
Urdu. Fresh ginger is one of the main spices used for making pulse and lentil curries and other vegetable preparations. It is used fresh to spice tea especially in winter. Also, ginger powder is used in certain food preparations that are made particularly for expecting women and feeding mothers, the most popular one being
Katlu which is a mixture of gum resin,
ghee, nuts and sugar.
In south India, ginger is used in the production of a candy called Inji-murappa ("ginger candy" from Tamil). This candy is mostly sold by vendors to bus passengers in bus stops and in small tea shops as a locally produced item. Candied ginger is also very famous around these parts. Additionally, in
Tamil Nadu, especially in the Tanjore belt, a variety of ginger which is less spicy is used when tender to make fresh pickle with the combination of lemon juice or vinegar, salt and tender green chillies. This kind of pickle was generally made before the invention of refrigeration and stored for a maximum of 4-5 days. The pickle gains a mature flavor when the juices cook the ginger over the first 24 hours. Ginger is also added as a flavoring in
tea.
In
Japan, ginger is pickled to make
beni shoga and
gari or grated and used raw on
tofu or
noodles. It is also made into a candy called shoga no
satozuke.
In
Burma, ginger is used in a salad dish called
gyin-tho, which consists of shredded ginger preserved in oil, and a variety of nuts and seeds.
Indonesia has a famous beverage that called Wedang Jahe, which is made from ginger and palm sugar; Indonesians also use ground ginger root, called
jahe or
djahe, as a frequent ingredient in local recipes.
In traditional
Korean kimchi, ginger is finely minced and added to the ingredients of the spicy paste just before the fermenting process.
In
South East Asia, the flower of a the
Torch ginger (Etlingera eliator) is used in cooking. The unopened flower is known in the
Malay language as Bunga Kantan, and is used in salads and also as garnish for sour-savoury soups, like
Assam Laksa.
In the
Ivory Coast, ginger is ground and mixed with orange, pineapple and lemon to produce a juice called
Nyamanku.
In
China, sliced or whole ginger root is often paired with savory dishes, such as fish. However, candied ginger is sometimes a component of
Chinese candy boxes, and an herbal tea can also be prepared from ginger.
Medical uses
The medical form of ginger historically was called "Jamaica ginger"; it was classified as a
stimulant and
carminative, and used frequently for
dyspepsia and
colic. It was also frequently employed to disguise the taste of medicines. Ginger is on the
FDA's '
generally recognized as safe' list, though it does
interact with some
medications, including
warfarin. Ginger is
contraindicated in people suffering from
gallstones as the herb promotes the release of
bile from the
gallbladder. Ginger may also decrease joint pain from
arthritis, though studies on this have been inconsistent, and may have
blood thinning and
cholesterol lowering properties that may make it useful for treating
heart disease.
The characteristic odor and flavor of ginger root is caused by a mixture of
zingerone,
shoagoles and
gingerols, volatile oils that compose about one to three percent of the weight of fresh ginger. In laboratory animals, the gingerols increase the
motility of the
gastrointestinal tract and have
analgesic,
sedative,
antipyretic and
antibacterial properties
Diarrhea
Ginger compounds are active against a form of diarrhea which is the leading cause of infant death in developing countries.
Zingerone is likely to be the active constituent against enterotoxigenic
Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin-induced diarrhea.
Nausea
Ginger has been found effective by multiple studies for treating
nausea caused by
seasickness,
morning sickness and
chemotherapy, though ginger wasn't found superior over a
placebo for post-operative nausea.
Folk medicinal uses
There are a variety of uses suggested for ginger. Tea brewed from ginger is a folk remedy for colds.
Ginger ale and
ginger beer have been recommended as "stomach settlers" for generations in countries where the beverages are made and ginger water was commonly used to avoid heat
cramps in the
US. Ginger has also been historically used to treat inflammation which several scientific studies support, though one arthritis trial showed ginger to be no better than a placebo or
ibuprofen.
Local uses
In the
West, powdered dried ginger root is made into capsules and sold in pharmacies for medicinal use.
- In the United States, ginger is generally recognized as safe by the Food and Drug Administration, though it isn't approved for the treatment or cure of any disease and is sold as an unregulated dietary supplement
- In India, ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headache and consumed when suffering from a cold,people use ginger for making tea, in food etc.
- In Burma, ginger and a local sweetener made from palm tree juice (Htan nyat) are boiled together and taken to prevent the flu
- In China, a drink made with sliced ginger cooked in sweetened water or a cola is used as a folk medicine for common cold
- In Indonesia, a type of ginger known as Jahe is used as a herbal preparation to reduce fatigue, reducing "winds" in the blood, prevent and cure rheumatism and controlling poor dietary habits
- In Democratic Republic of the Congo, ginger is crushed and mixed with mango-tree sap to make Tangawisi juice, which is considered as a universal panacea
- In the Philippines a traditional health drink called "salabat" is made for consumption with breakfast by boiling chopped ginger and adding sugar
Reactions
Allergic reactions to ginger generally result in a rash and though generally recognized as safe, ginger can cause heartburn, bloating, gas, belching and nausea, particularly if taken in powdered form. 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. Ginger can also adversely affect individuals with gallstones.
[ There are also suggestions that ginger may affect blood pressure, clotting, and heart rhythms.][
]Horticulture
Ginger produces clusters of white and pink flower buds that bloom into yellow flowers. Because of the aesthetic appeal and the adaptivity of the plant to warm climates, ginger is often used as landscaping around subtropical homes. It is a perennial reed-like plant with annual leafy stems, three to four feet high.
Historical methods of gathering the root describes, when the stalk withers, it's immediately scalded, or washed and scraped, in order to kill it and prevent sprouting. The former method, applied generally to the older and poorer roots, produces Black Ginger; the latter, gives White Ginger. The natural color of the "white" scraped ginger is a pale buff--it is often whitened by bleaching or liming, but generally at the expense of some of its real value.
Production trends
In 2005, China continued to lead the world in ginger production with a global share of almost 25% followed by India, Nepal and Indonesia.
| Top Ten Ginger Producers — 2005 |
| Country |
Production (Int $1000) |
Footnote |
Production (MT) |
Footnote |
| |
133,811 |
C |
275,000 |
F |
| |
130,964 |
C |
230,000 |
F |
| |
85,981 |
C |
151,000 |
F |
| |
62,635 |
C |
110,000 |
F |
| |
53,525 |
C |
94,000 |
F |
| |
27,332 |
C |
48,000 |
F |
| |
19,360 |
C |
34,000 |
F |
| |
12,911 |
C |
22,675 |
F |
| |
4,271 |
C |
7,500 |
F |
| |
3,399 |
C |
5,970 |
F |
No symbol = official figure,F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial figure, C = Calculated figure;
Production in Int $1000 have been calculated based on 1999-2001 international prices
Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Devision
|
Similar species
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. Also referred to as galangal, fingerroot (Boesenbergia rotunda), or Chinese ginger or the Thai krachai, is used in cooking and medicine.
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 isn't related to true ginger. The plant also contains aristolochic acid, a carcinogenic compound.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Zingiber Officinale'.
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