Ginger

Ginger

Latin Name: Zingiber officinalis
Family: Zingiberaceae

Part used: Root / rhizome.
Energetics: Pungent, Slightly sweet,
Iris: All types
Interactions: Please check with your Healthcare Provider.

Safe alongside Herb
  • Acetylsalicylic acid
  • Amoxicillin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Doxycycline
  • Ibuprofen
  • Meloxicam
  • Metoclopramide
  • Minocycline
  • Warfarin

CONTRA-INDICATIONS

  • Patients with bile duct obstruction and gallstones.
  • Small doses in pregnancy advised (2g)
  • Avoid large doses in peptic ulcers.

ACTIONS

  • Arterial vaso-stimulant especially to the capillary function
  • Analgesic
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antiemetic
  • Antispasmodic
  • Carminative
  • Digestive
  • Rubefacient
  • Vasodilator
  • Anti-bacterial
  • Anti-fungal
  • Anti-oxidant
  • Anti-neoplastic
  • Anti-platelet
  • Anti-parasitic
  • Anti-viral
  • Astringent
  • Diaphoretic
  • Prostatic tonic

Main Constituents

  • Volatile oil
  • Gingerol
  • Amino acids
  • Carbohydrate (60%)
  • Protein 10%
  • Fatty acids
  • Vitamins: A, B’s, C
  • Minerals: Ca, Fe, Mg, Na, P

Main Uses

Digestion and Capillary stimulant
Digestive System: IBS, Intestinal colic, Loss of appetite, Promotes secretion of gastric juices
Bacterial, Viral and Fungal Infections: Traditionally eaten with raw fish to destroy anisakis larvae and other parasites
Nervous system: Travel sickness, Jet lag
Musculo-Skeletal System: Rheumatism, Osteoarthritis
Endocrine: Promotes perspiration to reduce body temp
Reproductive System: Morning sickness in pregnancy

Infections:
Bacteria: Bacillus cereus / subtilis, Campylobacter, E. coli, Haemophilus, H. pylori, Listeria, Proteus species, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia / pyrogens/ viridians, Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Fungi: Aspergillus, Candida, Cryptococcus, Trichophyton.
Nematode: Ascaris.
Trematode: Shistosoma mansoni
Viruses: Hepatitis B, Herpes simplex 1 and 2, Influenza A, Rhinovirus.

More About Ginger

Ginger has been used with a pungent spice and medicine for thousands of years. Its use is recorded in early Sanskrit, Chinese texts and Greek medical literature.
Ginger contains many natural enzymes that improve digestion and the absorption of nutrients, so is frequently used as an aperitif to stimulate the appetite whilst preparing the digestive system for the oncoming meal.
It reduces inflammation in the GI tract, and can help with any discomfort in this area as it is a natural analgesic. It accelerates gastric emptying into the small intestines and stimulates the migrating-motor complex of the large intestine.
Ginger also contains pre-biotic fibres which feed the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract.
In Western herbal medicine, ginger has been used for dyspepsia, flatulent colic, gastrointestinal cramping, gastritis and diarrhoea.
As a circulatory stimulant, a hot infusion of ginger is beneficial for amenorrhoea due to 'cold'. It is rubefacient and can help cold extremities, and the essential oil can be mixed with cream or oil and rubbed over the parts where the circulation is poor.
Ginger can be beneficial in weight loss, specifically around reducing abdominal fat. It stimulates thermogenesis, the process by which the body transforms food into energy, which can lead to an increased metabolic rate and a heightened sense of fullness. Foods which induce a thermogenic effect can boost energy use, fat burning, and help offset the reduced metabolic rate often seen during weight loss practices.
Consuming a ginger-infused hot drink at breakfast can lower appetite, increase the sensation of fullness, and reduce hunger. A hot infusion can also break up colds and 'flu' by inducing perspiration and moving stuck mucus.
Ginger has an amazing ability to enhance the activity of other herbs, as it is a diffusive stimulant, so it works well alongside 'expectorant', 'digestive' and 'diaphoretic' actions.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dried ginger is said to be more effective in expelling interior cold, which is related more to the Constitution of the patient. The client may have a grey or white pallor, poor appetite, cold limbs, vomiting, diarrhoea, pale tongue, thin watery white sputum.
Fresh ginger promotes sweating and disperses exterior cold, characterised by intolerance to cold, slight fever, headaches, general aches, nasal congestion and running nose.

Recipes:


Ginger and Beetroot Juice:

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium orange, peeled and quartered
  • 3 kale leaves
  • 1 medium apple, cut into wedges
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled
  • 1 large beet, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 1 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger
  • Ice cubes (optional)

Directions:
Working in this order, process orange, kale, apple, carrot, beet and ginger through a juicer
Fill a glass with ice, if desired, and pour the juice into the glass. Serve immediately.

Stir-fried beef with ginger

Ingredients:

  • 350g lean beef, cut across the grain into thin slices (you need a quick-cooking cut, such as minute steak)
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 4 tsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • 2 bunches of spring onions, green and white parts separated and finely sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • small bunch of basil, or purple basil, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • cooked rice (about 250g uncooked weight), or cooked rice noodles
  • 50g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method:
STEP 1
Toss the strips of steak, the lemongrass, soy sauce, half the fish sauce, half the sugar and half the chilli flakes together in a bowl. Set aside in the fridge to marinate for at least 20 mins or up to 6 hrs.
STEP 2
Mix the remaining fish sauce with the lime juice, remaining chilli flakes, the rest of the sugar and 3 tbsp water, then set aside.
STEP 3
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large non-stick or cast iron wok or frying pan over a high heat. Once hot, tip in half the marinated steak strips and stir-fry for 2 mins until just cooked through, then remove to a large plate using tongs or a slotted spoon and repeat using another 1 tbsp of oil and the remaining beef. Remove to the plate, then wipe the wok or pan clean using kitchen paper.
STEP 4
Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the green pepper and the white parts of the spring onion. Stir-fry over a high heat for 2-3 mins, then add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another 45 seconds-1 min. Return the steak to the pan, stir well, then add the lime dressing and most of the basil leaves, mixing well to coat.
STEP 5
Divide the stir-fry between bowls alongside rice or noodles, then scatter with the chopped peanuts, the remaining basil leaves and the green parts of the spring onions

References


Increased testosterone

Ginger and Testosterone
In conclusion, the mainstream of research that links ginger to testosterone demonstrated that ginger supplementation, particularly in oxidative stress conditions, enhances testosterone production in males. The mechanisms by which this occurs mainly by enhancing luteinizing hormone (LH) production, increasing the level of cholesterol in the testes, reducing oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in the testes, enhancing the activity of the antioxidant enzymes, normalizing blood glucose, increasing blood flow in the testes, increasing testicular weight, and recycling testosterone receptors.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30360442/

Gastroprotective

A review of the gastroprotective effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe).
Ginger has been shown to possess free radical scavenging, antioxidant; inhibition of lipid peroxidation and that these properties might have contributed to the observed gastroprotective effects. This review summarizes the various gastroprotective effects of ginger and also emphasizes on aspects that warranty future research to establish its activity and utility as a gastroprotective agent in humans.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23612703/

Pain reduction

Clinical trials on pain lowering effect of ginger: A narrative review.
Finally, one RCT evaluated the effects of Swedish massage with aromatic ginger oil on CLBP demonstrated a reduction in pain. The use of ginger for its pain lowering effect is safe and promising.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32436242/

Obesity 

Ginger and avocado as nutraceuticals for obesity and its comorbidities.
Reports have shown that ginger and avocado induce antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects by improving enzymatic activity and modulating obesity-related impairments in the anti-inflammatory system in different tissues, without side effects. Furthermore, ginger and avocado were found to be effective in reversing the harmful effects of obesity on blood lipids.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31989713/

Cardioprotective

Ginger and Heart Health: From Mechanisms to Therapeutics.
The cardioprotective effects of ginger are contributed to its cardiotonic, anti- hypertensive, anti-hyperlipidemia, and anti-platelet effects. The signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of ginger regarding its cardioprotective effects are also clarified.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33297926/

Nausea in Pregnancy

A comparison between the effects of ginger, pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and placebo for the treatment of the first trimester nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP).
Ginger is more effective than placebo for the treatment of mild to moderate Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy and is comparable with vitamin B6.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32436242/

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