Examining the Historic Role of Ginger

Food as Magic

Ginger is one of the oldest spice in the world, it has been used for the medical purposes over last 5,000 years. "References to ginger as a medicine and a spice appear in ancient Chinese and Sanskrit writings, and in surviving Persian, Arabic, Greek and Roman texts. Medieval writings from many European countries indicate that ginger was a standard ingredient in recipes for the kitchen and the apothecary The chronology of the texts in which references to ginger appear are a rough guide to the travels of this wonderful spice down through the ages. The absolute origins of this appealing and versatile spice are most probably to be found in the moist tropical and sub-tropical regions of India and China. Cultivation spread throughout Southeast Asia and to Korea and Japan. The Arabs who had long established, and held, a near monopoly on trade with Asia, brought Ginger to the Greek and Roman worlds."

I used ginger as a magic food because it uses in many ways. Today, ginger uses as an ingredient in more than 50 percent of traditional herbal remedies. It uses in Nausea and motion sickness, Digestion, Muscles and Joints, Circulation and also some other uses. "The ancient Greeks ate ginger wrapped inside bread after meals to help digestion, and a soothing ginger beer was prepared by the early English in order to aid their stomach.

In 1982, some scientist found that "The powdered rhizome of Zingiber officinale is more effective than dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) in reducing motion sickness in individuals highly susceptible to this malady. More medical reports show that Ginger is effective in easing morning sickness in pregnant women and post-operative nausea in patients recovering from surgery. Ginger root is also use to reduced the tendency to vomiting and cold sweating."

In digestion, Ginger is a great aid. "It 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."

"Ginger has been undergoing trials in Denmark to discover the herb's anti-inflammatory potential in the treatment of arthritis. Over 75% of those involved in the trials said they experienced relief in pain and swelling. In June 1999 a new drug called Zinaxin was launched in the UK to treat arthritis. It was a dietary supplement based on highly concentrated extracts of Ginger. Danish scientists developed the drug after extensive research into the effects of hundreds of natural substances, finding that Ginger was the most effective."2

"Numerous studies have confirmed the fact that Ginger can work as effectively as aspirin to help clear the build up in clogged arteries. As well as this, Ginger has been found to strengthen the cardiac muscle and lower serum cholesterol levels."2

"Ginger's anti-bacterial properties are recognized by the Japanese who use it as an antidote to fish poisoning, especially from sushi. Ginger has been found to kill the anisakis lavae (a parasite that infects fish and marine animals and can be harmful to humans if ingested). Ginger protects against stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori and is effective against the growth of many bacteria including E Coli, and Salmonella. At the same time it actually helps the growth of the beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus. The International Journal of Obesity reported in October 1992 that Ginger burns calories and so aids weight loss."2

In conclusion, Ginger is one of the oldest spice in the world, however scientists are still experimenting on ginger to find more new uses of it. Many people say, things lost its values if we have them for a long time. For example: people would probably have more value for something new than something old. In my point of view, Ginger is one of most impressive herb in the world and I think the more we find about it the more advantage we are going to have from it.