(Last Updated on : 01/02/2014)
Ginger is hugely praised for its use in cookery, medicines and ayurveda and in some cases it is also used for some therapies. Ginger is cultivated in Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka , Kerala, Meghalaya, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Orissa.
Ginger is a perennial creeping plant, with thick tuberous rhizome. It has an erect stem 30 -100 cm (1-3 ft) tall. The lance-shaped leaves are bright green, 15 - 20 cm (6-8 in) long, with a prominent longitudinal rib, enclosing conical clusters of small yellow-green flowers marked with purple speckles. The cultivation of ginger requires a tropical climate with both a heavy rain season and a hot dry season. This plant is called in different names in different Indian languages like ginger is called `Ada` in Bengali and Oriya, `Adu` in Gujarati, `Adrak` in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, `shunti` in Kannada, `Inji` in Malayalam and Tamil, `Ale` in Marathi,`Adraka` in Sanskrit ,`Allam` in Telugu. Ginger is also known by the names African ginger, black ginger, sunthi, East Indian pepper, Jamica pepper, German ingwer, Italian zenzero jengibre, myoga, zangvil, gingembre, dinnsear, engifer, shouga, imbir, luya, gung, etc.Ginger holds the botanical name Zingiber officinale and belongs to the Zingiberaceae family. Mostly the rhizome part is used for general purposes. Indian dry ginger is found in two varieties like Cochin ginger (NUGC), and `Calicut ginger`(NUGK). In India ginger is found in various forms like oils, oleoresins, and fresh ginger in brine, pickles, candies and syrups. Ginger is also available in bleached or unbleached and in powder forms. There are many varieties of cultivated and wild ginger. Generally, the more pungent versions are more effective for therapeutic or medicinal uses, while the milder versions would suffice for culinary purposes.
Ginger is considered to be one of the most important and indispensable spices of Indian culinary practices. Apart from being a major culinary ingredient in Indian spices, the traditional Ayurvedic Medicine has been considering ginger since the ancient ages and is being recommended effective for many gastrointestinal and blood diseases. It is used for abdominal bloating, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, and for the treatment of inflammatory joint diseases, such as arthritis and rheumatism. Ginger contains oily substance called gingerol as well as volatile oils. Gingerols and shogaols present in ginger are pungent chemical substances. Ginger also contains some amount of essential oils in the root, which is the reason for its fragrance. Including having such properties, ginger contains other chemical substances like sesquiterpenoids and monoterpenoid in lesser quantities.
In alternative medicine, ginger is considered to be one of the most important elements that have immense medicinal properties. The practitioners of Ayurveda, Herbal medicines and Naturopathy say that ginger clears congestion in the body and detoxifies it by promoting elimination of wastes through the skin, mainly through sweating. It is also said that ginger acts as a catalyst to improve the absorption and effectiveness of other herbs. The recent research of modern science evidences that essences of ginger are used to treat allergies, asthma, cholesterol control, colds, infections, inflammations, nausea, and parasites. Among the different types of ginger some contain the properties like anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-parasites, to stimulate appetite etc. Ginger is used to helps to relieve the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Ginger has certain chemical substances which reduce blood cholesterol levels, act as blood thinners, and also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It also helps to alleviate hypertension, relieves from asthma, colic, cough, colds and flu, headaches, muscle aches. Ginger increases the circulatory system and by stimulating it increases circulation. Proper consumption of ginger is one 