Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a flowering plant in the family Zingiberaceae whose rhizome, ginger root or simply ginger, is widely used as a spice or a medicine. It can be used fresh, dried and powdered, or as a juice or oil. Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice. Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. They can be steeped in boiling water to make ginger tea, to which honey is often added; sliced orange or lemon fruit may be added. Ginger can be made into candy, or ginger wine.
In Indian cuisine, ginger is a key ingredient, especially in thicker gravies, as well as in many other dishes, both vegetarian and meat-based. Ginger also has a role in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. It is an ingredient in traditional Indian drinks, both cold and hot, including spiced Masala chai. Fresh ginger is one of the main spices used for making pulse and lentil curries and other vegetable preparations. Fresh ginger together with peeled garlic cloves is crushed or ground to form ginger garlic masala.
Ginger is commonly used to treat various types of “stomach problems” including motion sickness, morning sickness, colic, upset stomach, gas, diarrhea, nausea caused by cancer treatment, nausea and vomiting after surgery, as well as loss of appetite. Ginger might lower your blood sugar. As a result, your diabetes medications might need to be adjusted by your healthcare provider. Some research shows that taking ginger can modestly reduce pain in some people with a form of arthritis called “osteoarthritis.” One study shows that taking a specific ginger extract (Zintona EC) 250 mg four times daily reduced arthritis pain in the knee after 3 months of treatment.
Ginger is likely safe for most people. Using ginger during pregnancy is controversial. There is some concern that ginger might affect fetal sex hormones. There is also a report of miscarriage during week 12 of pregnancy in a woman who used ginger for morning sickness. Some people can have mild side effects including heartburn, diarrhea, and general stomach discomfort. Some women have reported extra menstrual bleeding while taking ginger. When ginger is applied to the skin, it may cause irritation. Not enough is known about the safety of using ginger during breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and don’t use it.
Ginger contains up to 3% of a fragrant essential oil whose main constituents are sesquiterpenoids, with (−)-zingiberene as the main component. The pungent taste of ginger is due to nonvolatile phenylpropanoid-derived compounds, particularly gingerols and shogaols, which form from gingerols when ginger is dried or cooked.
Source: Wikipedia and WebMD web sources.
Chemical Structure and Name of Zingerone.
Nutritional Facts of Raw Ginger
| Nutrient | Average amount in 100g | Unit | |
| Proximates | |||
| Water | 78.89 | g | |
| Energy | 80 | kcal | |
| Energy | 333 | kJ | |
| Protein | 1.82 | g | |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.75 | g | |
| Ash | 0.77 | g | |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 17.77 | g | |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2 | g | |
| Sugars, total | 1.7 | g | |
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium, Ca | 16 | mg | |
| Iron, Fe | 0.6 | mg | |
| Magnesium, Mg | 43 | mg | |
| Phosphorus, P | 34 | mg | |
| Potassium, K | 415 | mg | |
| Sodium, Na | 13 | mg | |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.34 | mg | |
| Copper, Cu | 0.226 | mg | |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.229 | mg | |
| Selenium, Se | 0.7 | µg | |
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 5 | mg | |
| Thiamin | 0.025 | mg | |
| Riboflavin | 0.034 | mg | |
| Niacin | 0.75 | mg | |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.203 | mg | |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.16 | mg | |
| Folate, total | 11 | µg | |
| Folate, food | 11 | µg | |
| Folate, DFE | 11 | µg | |
| Choline, total | 28.8 | mg | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.26 | mg | |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.1 | µg | |
| Lipids | |||
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.203 | g | |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.154 | g | |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.154 | g | |
| Phytosterols | 15 | mg | |
| Amino Acids | |||
| Tryptophan | 0.012 | g | |
| Threonine | 0.036 | g | |
| Isoleucine | 0.051 | g | |
| Leucine | 0.074 | g | |
| Lysine | 0.057 | g | |
| Methionine | 0.013 | g | |
| Cystine | 0.008 | g | |
| Phenylalanine | 0.045 | g | |
| Tyrosine | 0.02 | g | |
| Valine | 0.073 | g | |
| Arginine | 0.043 | g | |
| Histidine | 0.03 | g | |
| Alanine | 0.031 | g | |
| Aspartic acid | 0.208 | g | |
| Glutamic acid | 0.162 | g | |
| Glycine | 0.043 | g | |
| Proline | 0.041 | g | |
| Serine | 0.045 | g |
Disclaimer:
Side effects, traditional and medicinal uses are stated in different web resources. | The list of Food Additives/Preservatives/Ingredients included in this section and listed is subject to change as chemicals are added or removed by the Regulatory Authorities. FoodChem or Nyro Research Foundation cannot guarantee that this list is complete. | Government approvals and other regulatory details are subject to change. | This entry was added in good faith for public awareness. For current updated details please check with relevant authorities. | This blog is intended to be of general interest and public awareness which may or may not compliment studies from various sources. | In case of any health concerns please consult appropriate professionals and experts.| The content provided on this web site is for informational purposes only. | This information should not be considered complete or up to date and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation or advice of a legal, medical or any other professional. | The data has been compiled from many sources including traditional hearsay. | Some of it is ancestral. Some of it has not been tested in any laboratory.
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