Plant history

Ginger first appeared in the southern parts of the ancient China. From there, it spread to India, Maluku Islands (so-called Spice Islands), rest of the Asia and West Africa. Europe saw ginger for the first time in the 1st century when the ancient Romans traded with the India.

The history of ginger spans a good 5000 year. The long and consistent history of ginger can be traced around the world in almost every country and culture; used in just about everything from food, healing and witchcraft – there is an old superstition that throwing a ginger root into the sea can calm a thunderstorm.

 Plant Identification

• Origin: China
• Growth: Ginger plants will grow to about 2 to 3 feet tall.
• Plant family: Zingiberaceae
• Scent: Ginger plants have a distinctive, spicy odour, though you may have to get at the roots to smell it.
• Colour: Red, orange, yellow
• Harvesting: Wait until after the first frost has passed to plant your ginger. The plant will take eight to ten months to mature, and it is best harvested in the winter when the plant's leaves begin to fall.
  
• Endangered: Not endangered.

Benefits

Ginger is loaded with antioxidants, compounds that prevent stress and damage to your body's DNA. They may help your body fight off chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diseases of the lungs, plus promote healthy aging.

It may help relieve nausea and vomiting in pregnancy and for people undergoing certain types of surgery. Ginger may play a role in weight-loss, according to studies conducted in humans and animals. One of the traditional uses of ginger is for pain relief, including menstrual pain. Ginger extract can inhibit the growth of many different types of bacteria.

Spiritual

Medicinal

Ginger has many wonderful attributes for medicinal purposes. It helps to stimulate digestion and indigestion by helping to move uncomfortable burping and acid reflux out the system. Heartburn can be very painful and ginger is very soothing for this and also coughs, colds and seasonal flu. 

Ginger has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the free radicals in the body that may cause obesity. It contains gingerol and shogaol compounds that may contribute in various biological activities in the body. Helps with feelings of nausea and menstrual cramps.