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USES AND BENEFITS
Duke reports that
ginger is not only a natural preservative but a bactericide and meat tenderizer
as well. (15) Its usefulness as a meat tenderizer is based on the enzymes
in ginger that are similar to papain found in papaya, which break down
proteins and tenderize meats. (9) The rhizome is dried and used as a spice
in home cooking, baking and processed commercial foods. The roots and new
shoots of wild ginger can be baked or roasted, then eaten and ginger leaves
may be used to cover food while baking. (1) Food preparation suggestions
include slicing a half-teaspoon to a teaspoon of fresh ginger to flavor
stir-fry vegetables or sauces. (9)
Wild ginger was a part
of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia from the 1820s to the 1880s. (16) While it is
commonly taken to aid in digestion and increase gastric motility or appetite,
some people believe that ginger can alleviate the congestion of a cold.
In the King's American Dispensatory, Felter notes that ginger increases
the flow of saliva, and "when swallowed it acts as a stimulating tonic,
stomachic, and carminative, increasing the secretion of gastric juice,
exalting the excitability of the alimentary muscular system, and dispelling
gases accumulated in the stomach and bowels." (3) He continues on to advocate
for the use of ginger during a variety of ills such as headaches, nausea,
dysentery, and cholera. As with many dietary supplements ginger is also
touted as a fat-fighting weapon. This claim is based on preliminary test-tube
studies, which used rat tissues to show that ginger boosts thermogenesis.
(9)
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