What Is Ginger Root?
Ginger is a well-known spice that comes from the herbaceous plant, Zingiber officinale Roscoe. People have used the intense, sweet, and spicy flavoring in dishes for centuries and as an herbal therapeutic agent.
Cultures throughout the world use ginger to add a serious kick of bold flavor to their favorite foods. Other members of ginger’s plant family include turmeric and cardamom. Ginger owes its enticing aroma to the presence of ketones, namely its gingerols. And its flavor is spicy, too, giving off a peppery, sweet heat.
The part you eat, the horizontal stem the roots grow out of, is called the rhizome.
History Of Ginger Root
The name ginger is a derivative of the Middle English word, “gingivere.” The spice dates back over 3000 years, referred to in Sanskrit as “horn root.” Ancient Greeks called the root, “ziggiberis.” And though it may seem strange, ginger root doesn’t grow in the wild. Its origins remain mysteriously unknown.1
The tonic root is believed to have been produced by India and China for over 5000 years, with India being the largest producer. The plant is most successfully cultivated in more humid tropics.
India traded the valuable root with merchants within the Roman Empire more than 2000 years ago. The ancient Romans sought out the plant’s medicinal properties. In the thirteenth century, a pound of ginger was as valuable as a living sheep. During the Medieval Ages, preserved ginger was imported as a key ingredient in candy.2
And here’s a fun fact: The gingerbread man cookie was actually invented by Queen Elizabeth I of England.3
Potential Health Benefits Of Ginger Root: Polyphenols And Antioxidants†
The bioactive compounds in ginger (specifically, gingerols, shogaols, zingiberene, zingerone, terpenes, and other vitamins and minerals) have been shown to help support the following:
- Alleviate feelings of nausea
- Healthy cholesterol levels already within a normal range
- Healthy blood sugar levels already within a normal range
- More comfortable digestion
- Heart health4 † ,5†,6
For a more detailed look at the nutritional value of ginger root, check out the information below:
Nutritional Data
(per 100 grams of ginger root)
- Calories: 80
- Dietary fiber: 2 grams
- Sugars 1.7 grams
- Total fats: 0.7 grams
- Omega-3 fatty acids: 34 mg
- Omega-6 fatty acids: 120 mg
- Vitamin C: 5 mg
- Folate: 11 mcg
- Calcium: 16 mg
- Potassium: 415 mg
- Magnesium: 43 mg7
All of those amazing nutritional values can help elevate the impact of ginger root on your health and well-being. You can find the root itself at almost any grocery store. But if you are interested in getting your ginger intake through supplements, read on.
Which Gundry MD Supplements Include Ginger Root?
Gundry MD Vital Reds contains ginger root along with other useful ingredients, such as mulberry extract and probiotics. If you’re interested in learning more, you skim through the Vital Reds reviews on the Gundry MD website.
The sweet spice of the ginger root enhances the flavor profile of Vital Reds. A single, daily scoop of the polyphenol-rich powder added to a glass of cool water will help quench your thirst and give your body the extra support it needs to help you feel great.
- Sources
- 1-3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
- 4-6 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7019938/
- 7 https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2447/2
