View source for Ginger

{{pp-semi-protected|small=yes}}
{{Copyedit|date=August 2007}}
{{otheruses}} 
{{distinguish|ginseng}}

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Zingiber officinale''
| status = 

secure
| image = Zingiber officinale01.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Zingiberales]]
| familia = [[Zingiberaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Zingiber]]''
| species = '''''Z. officinale'''''
| binomial = ''Zingiber officinale''
| binomial_authority = Roscoe
}}

'''Ginger ''' is the common name for the [[monocotyledon]]ous [[perennial plant]] ''Zingiber officinale''. The term is also used to describe the edible part of the plant which is commonly used as a [[spice]] in [[cooking]] throughout the world.  Often erroneously referred to as "ginger root", the edible section is actually the horizontal subterranean stem or [[rhizome]] of the plant.  The ginger plant has a long history of cultivation known originating in China and then to have spread to [[India]], [[Southeast Asia]], [[West Africa]], and the [[Caribbean]].<ref name="origin">{{cite web | url = http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed/spice/index.cfm?displayID=15 | title = Spices:  Exotic Flavours & Medicines:  Ginger | accessdate = 2007-08-08 }}</ref>

== Chemistry == 
[[Image:ginger-section.jpg|thumb|left|100px|Ginger section]]
Ginger contains up to 3% of an [[essential oil]] that causes the fragrance of the spice. The main constituents are [[terpene|sesquiterpenoids]] with [[zingiberene|(-)-zingiberene]] as the main component. Lesser amounts of other sesquiterpenoids ([[sesquiphellandrene|β-sesquiphellandrene]], [[bisabolene]] and [[farnesene]]) and a small monoterpenoid fraction ([[phellandrene|β-phelladrene]], [[cineol]], and [[citral]]) have also been identified.

The pungent taste of ginger is due to nonvolatile [[phenylpropanoid]]-derived compounds, particularly [[gingerol]]s and [[shogaol]]s. The latter are formed from the former when ginger is dried or cooked. Zingerone is also produced fron gingerols during this process, and it is less pungent and has a spicy-sweet aroma.<ref name="harold"> [[Harold McGee|McGee, Harold]] (2004). ''On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen'' (2nd ed.). New York: Scribner pp. 425-426.</ref>

== Culinary uses ==
{{nutritionalvalue | name=Ginger root, raw | kJ=80 | protein=1.82 g | fat=0.75 g | carbs=17.77g | fiber=2 g | | sugars=1.7 g | iron_mg=0.6 | calcium_mg=16 | magnesium_mg=43 | phosphorus_mg=34 | potassium_mg=415 | zinc_mg=0.34 | vitC_mg=5 | pantothenic_mg=0.203 | vitB6_mg=0.16 | folate_ug=11 | thiamin_mg=0.025 | riboflavin_mg=0.034 | niacin_mg=0.75 | right=1 | source_usda=1 }}
[[Image:ARS ginger.jpg|thumb|right|25.4-pound ginger "root"]]

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 [[Goat#Meat|mutton]].

Ginger is also made into candy and used as a [[flavoring]] for [[cookie]]s, [[cracker (food)|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]]. A ginger-flavored [[liqueur]] called [[Canton (liqueur)|Canton]] is produced in [[Jarnac]], [[France]]. Green [[ginger wine]] is a ginger flavoured wine produced in the [[United Kingdom]] by [[Crabbie's]] and Stone's and 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 "Shoonti" in Kannada language[Karnataka], ''Allam '' in [[Telugu language|Telugu]], ''Inji'' in [[Tamil language|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 flavouring in [[tea]].  

In [[Japan]], ginger is pickled to make [[beni shoga]] and [[Gari (ginger)|gari]] or grated and used raw on [[tofu]] or [[noodles]].

In [[Western cuisine]], ginger is traditionally restricted to sweet foods, such as ginger ale, [[gingerbread]], [[ginger snaps]], [[Parkin (cake)|ginger cake]] and [[ginger biscuits]].

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 particularly 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. You generally achieve better results by substituting only half the ground ginger for fresh ginger.

In [[Myanmar]], 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.

In traditional [[Cuisine of Korea|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 type of ginger is used in cooking. This 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 [[Laksa|Assam Laksa]].

Ginger has a [[sialagogue]] action, stimulating the production of [[saliva]].

== 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 [[Food and Drug Administration|FDA]]'s '[[generally recognized as safe]]' list, though it does [[drug interaction|interact]] with some [[medication]]s, including [[warfarin]].  Ginger is [[contraindication|contraindicated]] in people suffering from [[gallstone]]s as the herb promotes the release of [[bile]] from the [[gallbladder]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Al-Achi | first = Antoine | url = http://www.uspharmacist.com/oldformat.asp?url=newlook/files/Comp/ginger2.htm&pub_id=8&article_id=772 | title = A Current Look at Ginger Use | accessdate = 2007-08-02 }}</ref>  Ginger may also decrease joint pain from [[arthritis]], though studies on this have been inconsistent, and may have [[Anticoagulant|blood thinning]] and [[cholesterol]] lowering properties that may make it useful for treating [[heart disease]]. <ref name = UMMC>{{cite web | title = Ginger | author = University of Maryland Medical Centre | url = http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/Gingerch.html | accessdate = 2007-08-02 | date = 2006 }}</ref>

The characteristic odor and flavor of ginger root is caused by a mixture of [[zingerone]], [[shoagole]]s and [[gingerol]]s, 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 <ref>{{cite journal | last = MD O' Hara | first = Mary | coauthors = & MSt; David Kiefer, MD; Kim Farrell, MD; Kathi Kemper, MD, MPH  | year = 1998 | title = A Review of 12 Commonly Used Medicinal Herbs | journal = Archives of Family Medicine | issue = 7 | pages = 523-536 | url = http://archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/7/6/523 | format = HTML | accessdate = 2007-08-06 }}</ref>

===Nausea===
Ginger has been found effective by multiple studies for treating [[nausea]] caused by [[seasickness]], [[morning sickness]] and [[chemotherapy]],<ref>{{cite journal | last = Ernst | first = E. | coauthors = & Pittler, M.H.| year = 2000 | title = Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials | journal = British Journal of Anesthesia | volume = 84 | issue = 3 | pages = 367–371 | url = http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/84/3/367 | format = PDF | accessdate = 2006-09-06 | pmid = 10793599 }}</ref> though ginger was not found superior over a [[placebo]] for post-operative nausea.  

Modern research on nausea and motion sickness used approximately 1 gram of ginger powder daily.  Though there are claims for efficacy in all causes of nausea, the [[Physicians Desk Reference]] recommends against taking ginger rhizomes for morning sickness commonly associated with pregnancy due to possible mutagenic effects,{{Fact|date=August 2007}} though  [[China|Chinese]] women have traditionally used ginger rhizomes during [[pregnancy]] to combat morning sickness and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database states that it is likely safe for use in pregnancy when consumed in food-amounts.{{Fact|date=August 2007}}

==Folk medicinal uses==
Tea brewed from this root 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 [[cramp]]s in the [[United States|US]].  Ginger has also been historically used to treat inflammation, which some scientific studies support while others show ginger to be no better than a placebo or [[ibuprofen]].<ref name = UMMC/>

===Local uses===
In the [[Western culture|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 is not 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 [[Common cold|cold]]
* In [[Myanmar]], ginger and local sweet (Htan nyat) which is made from palm tree juice 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<ref>{{cite web | last = Jakes | first = Susan | date = 2007-01-15 | url = http://time-blog.com/china_blog/2007/01/the_beverage_of_champions_1.html | title = Beverage of Champions | accessdate = 2007-08-02 | source = Times on-line}}</ref>
* In [[Indonesia]], a type of ginger known as '''Jahe''' is used as a herbal preparation to reduce fatigue, reducing "winds" in blood streams, 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 "universal" [[panacea]].
* In [[Ivory Coast]], ginger is ground and mixed with orange, pineapple and lemon to produce a very refreshing juice called [[Nyamanku]].

==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.<ref name = Mayo>{{cite web | url = http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ginger/NS_patient-ginger | author = Mayo Clinic | title = Drugs & Supplements:  Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) | accessdate = 2007-08-02 | date = 2006-05-01 }}</ref>  Ginger can also adversely affect individuals with gallstones.<ref name = UMMC/><ref name = Mayo/>  There are also suggestions that ginger may affect blood pressure, clotting, and heart rhythms.<ref name = Mayo/>

==Horticulture==
[[Image:gingerfield.jpg|thumb|right|Ginger field]]
[[Image:Koeh-146.jpg|thumb|right|Sketch of ginger plant]]
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 is 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.

== References in popular culture ==

*To members of [[the Race (Worldwar)|the Race]], an alien species in [[Harry Turtledove]]'s best-selling [[novel]] series [[Worldwar]], ginger is a highly addictive, [[psychoactive drug]], with an effect similar to that of [[cocaine]] or [[PCP]] in humans.
*In [[Cockney rhyming slang]], ''ginger'' is a derogatory euphemism for ''[[Homosexuality|homosexual]]''.  The original slang rhymed ''[[queer]]'' with ''ginger beer''.
*In the west of [[Scotland]] (particularly [[Glasgow]]), ''ginger'' is a term for any carbonated [[soft drink]].
*Before the First World War, it was common for mounted regiments to receive large vats of root ginger before public ceremonies, which were peeled and cut into suppositories for the horses. The burning sensation made the horses hold their tails up; this practice is called [[Figging]] or feaguing.
*Ginger is also a common slang term in Great Britain for red-haired individuals. This term is also used in the [[South Park]] in episode [[Ginger Kids]]. In [[Harry Potter and the Deathly  Hallows]], the drunk men yelling at Hermione used the term "Ginger" to describe Ron's red hair.

==Production trends==
[[Image:2005ginger.PNG|thumb|right|Ginger output in 2005]]
In 2005, China continued to lead the world in ginger production with a global share of almost 25% followed by India, Nepal and Indonesia.

== 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 [[dicotyledon]]ous native species of eastern
[[North America]], ''[[Asarum canadense]]'', is also known as "[[wild ginger]]", and its root has similar aromatic properties, but it is not related to true ginger and should not be used as a substitute because it contains the [[carcinogen]] [[aristolochic acid]].  This plant is also a powerful [[diuretic]], or urinary stimulator.  It is part of the [[Aristolochiaceae]] family.

== References ==
<references/>
* {{Grocers}}

==External links== 
{{wikispecies|Zingiber officinale}}
* [http://www.plantcultures.org.uk/plants/ginger_landing.html Plant Cultures: botany, history and uses of ginger]
* [http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/Gingerch.html Medicinal uses of ginger]
{{Herbs & spices}}

[[Category:Medicinal plants]]
[[Category:Spices]]
[[Category:Zingiberaceae]]
[[Category:Tamil words and phrases]]