Ginger: history, health benefits, and flavor profile

Where did ginger come from? Ginger is a flowering plant that originated in the tropical rainforests of India and Maritime Southeast Asia. It dates back thousands of years, when it was domesticated by the native people of these areas. The rhizome, or underground stem of the plant, is where the plant stores nutrients and energy. This rhizome is commonly used in food, beverages, and traditional medicine. Its uses have been documented for about 5,000 years. It was one of the first spices to be traded globally, and it was referred to in China as the “holy trinity,” along with onion and garlic. Ginger is a well-loved plant with many uses.

Ginger is used in traditional medicine, a type of medicine also known as:

- Folk medicine

- Alternative medicine

- Holistic medicine

- Eastern medicine

Ginger can be ingested raw, cooked, pickled, dried, preserved, crystallized or fermented. It can be made into kombucha, tea, powder, oil, extracts, tinctures, etc. This spicy rhizome is often used to relieve various symptoms.

How does ginger improve gut health? Ginger increases saliva and stomach juices, which relaxes the stomach and intestines. This can aid in digestion, reduce nausea and vomiting, and help with constipation, ulcers, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). It even has been said to help people with period cramps.

What’s even better for gut health is fermented ginger. During the fermentation process, the number of probiotic bacteria in ginger increases. This makes kombucha (fermented tea) all the more powerful because it gives the gut good bacteria. We’re taught to associate the word “bacteria” with sickness, but in a healthy gut, there are good bacteria that outnumber the bad bacteria. This is done in three ways:

Multiplication: Friendly bacteria can multiply so quickly that harmful bacteria don’t have space to grow. It’s kind of like cutting toxic people out of your life.

Competing: Friendly bacteria can compete with harmful bacteria for nutrients and space. Think of this as trying to beat everybody else to the last open table at a restaurant.

Training: Friendly bacteria can help the immune system understand the difference between helpful and harmful bacteria. This is similar to how our intuition helps us determine whether something is good or bad for us—we just know it in our gut.

How does this tie into mental health? The gut-brain connection is strong. This undeniable force between the two has brought about the knowledge that without gut health, we cannot achieve brain health. Without brain health, we cannot achieve gut health. It’s kind of like the old adage: “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” What matters is not what came first but how they affect one another. Ginger helps us manage mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, both of which draw on the gut for “happy chemicals,” such as serotonin. For you neuro-nutrition nerds, it's the 5-HT1A receptor specifically that ginger's goodness appears to interact with. Ginger contains a building block of neurotransmitters called choline, which impacts things like brain function and mood.

What else is ginger good for? Ginger aids the immune system by increasing the production of vitamins, fighting off pathogens, and boosting the system’s antioxidants. Ginger also has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that can help manage painful symptoms of headaches, arthritis, and rheumatism. It can help with nerve and muscle function, optimizing our body’s ability to function. Ginger also increases the production of short-chain fatty acids, which enhance these physical benefits. Some research even suggests that it lowers blood sugar and decreases the risk of heart disease. In summary, ginger is magical!

Ginger has a unique flavor profile that is spicy, warm, and aromatic. Truly fresh ginger is soft and juicy with hints of sweetness. Its spice level ranges from mild to pungent and has an earthy, citric, fiery “zing.” It is often paired with cooling herbs such as lavender. It has a similar flavor profile as black pepper, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, fennel, and anise. The flavor, however, varies based on its stages.

Young ginger has a more mellow flavor.

Dried ginger has a more concentrated spice.

Fresh ginger has a more intense, vibrant flavor.

Ginger has a dynamic taste and has been widely used in medicine and the culinary arts for thousands of years. It has remarkable health benefits, especially for gut health, mental health, and pain management. These health benefits of ginger are even greater in kombucha because the fermentation process infuses your body with healthy bacteria. All in all, ginger is a transformative plant.