Latin name: Zingiber officinale
Place of origin: Southeast Asia
Description: The ginger plant grows yellow and purple flowers and reaches a maximum height of about three to four feet. The roots, or rhizomes, have brown outer skins and pale yellow insides when fresh (“Ginger, Zingiber officinale”).
Historical medicinal use: In one of her recipes, Marie de Fouquet recommends combining ginger with long pepper, saffron, cinnamon, and clove to create a powder that will help a woman’s menstrual cycle come (Fouquet, 1685).
Modern medicinal use: Today, ginger is used to encourage more efficient digestion, alleviate nausea, and reduce bloating (“Ginger Benefits”). There is also some research that suggests ginger can help with pain associated with periods (Negi, Rizu et. al, 2021).
De Fouquet, Marie. Recueil des remèdes faciles et domestiques, choisis et expérimentés, et très approuvés pour toutes sortes de maladies internes et externes, et difficiles à guerir. 1685.
“Ginger Benefits.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, 4 Oct. 2023, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ginger-benefits. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
“Ginger, Zingiber Officinale.” Wisconsin Horticulture, hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/ginger-zingiber-officinale/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
Negi, Rizu et al. “Efficacy of Ginger in the Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Cureus vol. 13,3 e13743. 6 Mar. 2021, doi:10.7759/cureus.13743.