Ginger (in Spanish: Jengibre ) is a flowering plant, and most commonly used is it’s the root or underground stem (rhizome) which can be consumed fresh, powdered, dried as a spice, in oil form or as juice.

Herbalist Stephen Harrod Buhner mentions in his outstanding book, “Herbal Anti-virals”, that powdered ginger is useless against viral disease. You need to use fresh ginger. It can be in tea or food, but it must be fresh ginger. [AR1]

A lesson than could no doubt be applied to many other powders?

Scientific name: Zingiber officinale.

Ginger is part of the Zingiberaceae family, alongside cardamom and turmeric, and is commonly produced in India, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, North America, Europe, Fiji, Indonesia, and Australia.

Ginger is thought to have originated in the Himalayan foothills of Northern India. It is easy to grow, in permacultures and home gardens, even in buckets – making it a Nutritional Diversity top pick.

Most of the herb is grown in mono-cultures so definitely do this grow your own method.

The best ginger is a common ingredient in Asian and Indian cuisine also, ginger has been used for its medicinal properties for centuries among many cultures.

The root has an extensive history of use for relieving digestive problems such as nausea, loss of appetite, motion sickness and also has been used to treat several types of pain.

The best ginger leaf is a great green juice additive.

Technically:

It is an herbaceous perennial which grows annual stems about two feet tall bearing narrow green leaves and yellow flowers (there are many strains of ginger with alternate flowers and stem lengths). Ginger is in the family Zingiberaceae, to which also belong turmeric (Curcuma longa), cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), and galangal. Ginger originated in the tropical rain forest in Southern Asia.

Ginger is loaded with nutrients and bio-active compounds that have powerful benefits for your body and brain.

Ginger is easy to grow, it likes water, it likes to be wet, but not too wet, or waterlogged. It does well in pots and out in the garden or just on the side of the house in the tropical climate!

Ginger is a small plant, topping out around 3 feet tall, it works well lined in front of hot pepper plants in the Nutritional Diversity & Tropical Permaculture Centers.

I grow lots of ginger, several types, turmeric too. It does well almost anywhere I put it. The wild variety here makes a potent joint soak – topical tea, should you pull a muscle, remember also that it is because you did not stretch out / warm up enough before the incident.

This stuff needs a good place where it has some shade, and will not be dug up during times of the year where it goes completely underground and invisible. I have seen it grow well in the sun too and depending on variety, some you can’t stop growing anywhere.

It can be used like patchouli, to ward off certain insects I have noticed.

FUN FACT: Gingering, or gingering the tail, is the term in horse care of making the horse carry its tail high, and to a lesser extent to encourage it to move in a lively fashion, by applying an irritant, such as raw ginger, to its anus or genitalia. Historically the process, the purpose of which was often to make an older horse behave like one that was younger, or to temporarily liven up a sick or weakened animal, was known as feaguing (from which the modern term figging derives), and involved a piece of ginger, onion, pepper, tobacco, or a live eel. This practice was especially used for war horses in old times where horses needed to perform regardless of their immediate condition or even age. The modern practice commonly involves a paste product with concentrated gingerol.

credit Wikipedia

Ginger Nutrition

Ginger is an all-around stomach medicine, that can help direct the digestive symphony, along with with treat the entire digestive, and cardiovascular/respiratory tracks.

You want ginger in your diet, and I would say as an all the time staple but as needed.

I recommend about a quarter teaspoon-sized chunk in a blend daily. This can be upped for healing and medicinal purpose.

I do think that a few weeks off of ginger is a good thing every couple of months, a ginger detox if you will.

Should moodiness, confusion, emotional swings, hypertension, or borderline hysteria be experienced to stop the use of ginger immediately, and know that too much ginger or, manganese specifically can cause these symptoms.

A study found that turmeric, the bright orange root cousin of ginger, said to be a miracle medicine and a staple of middle eastern cuisines and curry’s showed that in combination with black pepper turmeric uptake into the human system goes from 20% to 80%.

This kind of study supports the whole Nutritional Diversity diet idea showing that foods in combination hold more power.

Why wouldn’t this combination technique hold true for ginger and other root foods? Well, that’s the next study that should be done!

Ginger leaves almost never discussed make great addictions to stir-fries, smoothies, and my famous fresh leaf burritos.

Ginger is high in copper an essential trace mineral for all living life, copper is important for the development, and maintenance of bone, connective tissue, brain, heart, and many other body organs.

Copper is involved in the formation of red blood cells, the absorption and utilization of iron, the metabolism of cholesterol and glucose, and the synthesis and release of life-sustaining proteins and enzymes.

These enzymes, in turn, produce cellular energy and regulate nerve transmission, blood clotting, and oxygen transport. High in copper and iron makes ginger great blood food, for the thick blooded strong man, high in vitality.

Let us check out the best ginger options.

GINGER RANKINGS

1. Whole Ginger

Organic ginger has a better and more intense taste, color, juice, and is packed with vitamins and health benefits.

100 happy consumer orders recently.

2. Gaya Ginger Oil

A ready-made topical ginger oil to treat sore muscles and joints is a great way to bring the best ginger uses into life.

Breathe in the soothing comfort carried by a warm, slightly spicy aroma grounded by wooden notes.

Feel the warm wave of energy, rejuvenating the mind as it renews focus for the day ahead.

Invigorate & restore inner balance with ginger essential oil to promote a healthier, happier you.

Gently soothe tired muscles & radiate healing as our lymphatic drainage ginger oil warms the body from within.

Perfect for use within an aromatherapy diffuser, a topical oil blend, or use in ginger oil lymphatic drainage massage.

Over 11k satisfied consumer reviews.

3. Sunbest Ginger Slices

You know I really am a fan of the snack slices and it is easier to get high levels of gingerols up if you are not going snack on the real stuff,

Really well priced with over 700 satisfied consumer reviews.

Consumer tip: Pay attention to sizes if you get the larger one you get the free shipping.

4. YLANG OIL

For those of you who like the oil idea but want the bulk bargain buy.

The pure 100% best ginger oil is perfect for relaxation, stiff joints, sore muscles, deep tissue, back and scalp massage, soothing reflexology foot massage or face massage.

5. UpSpring

Over 900 satisfied consumer reviews behind this ginger-based all-natural remedy.

Micronized best ginger, is what makes UpSpring stomach drops absorb quickly than other stomach relief products which may help stomach settle drops provide fast-acting relief from an upset stomach.

Many chemo nausea sufferers turn to ginger drops.

his one also adds spearmint, lemon, honey, and B6.

5. Pickled Sushi Ginger

A good way to have it hand, for Sushi and sandwiches, sourced from Thailand.

Fat-Free, Sugar-Free, No MSG, Kosher Parve under the supervision of the OK Kosher organization.

200 recent happy consumer reviews.

6. The Ginger People, Ginger Juice

I have to love this one. I can’t say for the ability to combat disease with the drink do I do believe this is a natural product by the ginger people.

The Juice has over 1k happy consumer reviews.

7 .Taylors Tea

Following the ND journey, we don’t up to big tea-ists but if it is your thing this comes highly recommended by over

Ingredients: Ginger (37%), apple pieces, sweet blackberry leaves, citric acid, lemongrass (5%), natural lemon and lime flavoring with other natural flavorings (8%), roasted chicory root, silver lime flowers, lemon peel (1%), galangal.

4500 happy consumer reviews.

8. Ginger Candy

This candy was well-reviewed by consumers 2500 times. It is cool to rank all-natural candy.

9. Ginger Turmeric

Discomfort in your joints? Vimerson Health Turmeric with Ginger may help increase your joints lubrication to assist with a smoother joint functionality* with this perfectly combined daily multivitamin and mineral supplement; Our blend helps stimulate immune response*, support joint and muscle health*, promotes cardiovascular health* and helps immune and digestive systems.

Derived from Black Pepper, Bioperine may help increase and enhance nutrient absorption and bioavailability, especially when taken with other supplements;* Ginger Root Extract works in tandem with Curcumin to help reduce pain and stiffness in joints and may also help promote joint swelling relief associated with strenuous physical activity

3000 happy consumer reviews.

GINGER BENEFITS

Section under review. Please check back soon.

GINGER SIDE EFFECTS

Ginger is through the roof on the mineral manganese, which is helpful to the body and necessary for most biological existence in the appropriate doses.

Chronic exposure to excessive manganese levels which are very high in the best ginger can lead to a variety of psychiatric and motor disturbances, termed manganism. Generally, these symptoms are recognized in exposure to ambient manganese air concentrations (in excess of 5 micrograms(, and not so much by ginger consumption observations.

It could be wise to use alternately with other high manganese herbs such as basil.

In the initial stages of manganism, neurological symptoms consist of reduced response speed, irritability, mood changes, and compulsive behaviors. Upon protracted exposure symptoms are more prominent and resemble those of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease, as which it is often misdiagnosed, although there are particular differences in both the symptoms (nature of tremors, for example), response to pharmaceutical drugs such as levodopa, and affected portion of the basal ganglia. Symptoms are also similar to Lou Gehrig’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

While the risk of experiencing this from ginger consumption is very low, I find it important to talk about these minerals in our foods and in our bodies. I think it is important to start recognizing certain key basic periodic elements, and vitamin levels, how they relate to certain conditions and how they can be used in a regulated manner from day today. Interestingly, I find that with all the advancements of science in all the wonderful human minds out there, this nutritional and most important human science is largely not thought of.

GINGER EXPERIENCE

Ginger is a great medicine that treats a great number of things. It has been documented that it can bad reactions with certain pharmaceuticals. Any heavy student of Nutritional Diversity should not have this worry because that person is educated thoroughly and takes no pharmaceuticals.

A lot of people make a ginger tea, I personally as a nutritionist and fitness trainer do not recommend teas at all. I will add if the choice to use the tea is made it should be for the healing purpose, and the sun-tea making method should be considered. I do recommend a ginger tea, for joint and muscle area compresses, topically.

Nausea

The best ginger has an interestingly long history of use as seasickness and motion sickness remedy, and there is evidence that it may be as effective as prescription medication. Take a slice of ginger on your next long ride. It relieves morning sickness and other pregnancy-related stomach discomforts. Ginger treats the most nauseous symptoms, most of the time.

Anti-inflammatory

Ginger contains potent anti-inflammatory compounds known as gingerols. These substances are thought to explain why people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis experience reductions in their pain levels and improvements in their mobility when they consume ginger on a regular basis. This makes ginger a great regular, for the athletically involved.

Ginger topical compresses are effective joint and muscle pain relief. Simply heat some water with ginger pieces in it, to have a ginger tea, then soak a cloth in that tea, and apply to the affected joint or muscle. We have tested this compress method ourselves on several patients with better success than any other joint pain remedy on the shelf or from the jungle so far. It is recommended to also consume ginger while treating these issues.

Ginger contains chromium, magnesium, and zinc which can help to improve blood flow, as well as help prevent chills, fever, and excessive sweat.

Fights Infections

Gingerol is a bioactive compound with infection-fighting abilities. When consuming ginger, gingerols damper the growth of a number of kinds of bacteria, making it great for those who want to keep their immune system working steadily. In this way, it can help treat those suffering a number of illnesses and infections (including yeast infections, gum inflammation, and even gingivitis).

Colon cancer preventative, and also treatment is indicated by a study at the University of Minnesota which found that ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.

Combats Respiratory Problems & Promotes a Highly Functioning Respiratory System

Those suffering from common respiratory diseases such as a cough can find relief in ginger’s ability to expand to the lungs, loosen Flem, and acts as a natural expectorant that breaks down and removes mucus. Several observations of indigenous communities throughout the world have pointed to the effectiveness of this herb to help with congestion.

Those in my athletic program you better believe ginger is our compliment to breathing exercise, and the oxygenation of the system for performance. Another helpful herb to this cause is patchouli.

GYM EDGE on Ginger

Use ginger heavily when you are leaning down, cutting weight, it’s anti-inflammatory and mucus expel-lent abilities are powerful, go slow, too much ginger is not recommended for optimal health.

Use it while building your run, taking advantage of its respiratory system and blood flow powers. This could be a good medicine during the COVID-19 Flu or other Coronovirus times.

Use ginger with joint and muscle pain internally and topically. Gingerols are believed to stimulate joint tissues to work more cohesively, not just damper inflammation.

I back off of consuming ginger when I slow off my run when it’s time to put muscle on and do strength building. I do completely cycle off of it, in a taper out fashion because I like to train my system to use different things. I will immediately drop it from my diet if I feel like I am not struggling with inflammation, and sometimes even feeling constricted. Of course if one is to drop the ginger and still have this feeling or another feeling, it’s not the ginger. This type of item removal and inclusion can help to identify interesting aspects of the substance. I will add that I am very interested in any other effects from real ginger trials and test with others because you never know it all and these natural wonders are deeper than most give them credit for.

Ginger is a good tool for a fighter‘s cornerman. Ginger can help deal with momentary nausea in a fight or other sporting activity that involves collisions. I don’t think this is a traditional practice or known idea to the fight world, but it should be. Ginger also has a way of stimulating the system quickly and could be used to help bring a fighter up.

On the track or in the game, ginger can prevent discomfort in inflammation problems and promotes a clear respiratory tract and blood flow. Use during a game or training session.

Ginger tea in compresses also has immediate relief effects on joints and on blood flow. Hot ginger compresses to face are believed to help maintain immediate calmness, making the tea a good corner man’s tool as well. If I had it my way I would use the non-edible, wild gingers and maybe a small diversity of them for the teas.

Zinc, Magnesium is high in the herb, another reason to have some in the gym diet other than joint problems + Zinc and Magnesium are key factors in healthy testosterone production. Zinc source for me is oftentimes is pumpkin squash.

GINGER RECAP

Ginger has a way of stimulating the system.

Her positive effects include, supportive to testosterone production, blood flow, respiratory function, immune system, and joint function. It has the ability to suppress illness, to include sudden stomach ache.

Consumption of ginger on its own has a way of energizing the system. Ginger stimulates saliva production also.

Additional Reference

1. Credit quote, John Suavicito Permies.com

Originally Published Nov 23, 2016 @ 03:03 Updated Apr 16, 2019 at 03:26