A prominent culinary and medicinal spice throughout history, Ginger is pungently potent and a little of its hot, spicy flavour can go a long way. Generally considered a native of India, the herb belongs to the Zingiberaceae family which features some 60 species of Ginger.  As ancient trade routes connected the West to the Byzantine and Asian empires, the use of the herb expanded slowly. Reference to its medicinal qualities have been found within traditional Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Roman and Sanskrit texts. Classically used in both fresh and dried form, it was rarely used as a single herbal remedy, but rather in combination with other medicinal herbs giving rise to its modern use as a ‘synergistic’ herb. This means that it is believed to enhance and amplify the qualities of the other herbs it is combined with, so that the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts.

A staple in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) apothecaries, it is considered to have a special affinity for supporting both the lungs and bowel. It is commonly considered as a digestive warming agent to disperse cold and promote good circulation.

Traditional uses include:

To alleviate nausea and to settle the stomach

As a digestive stimulant

As an anti-inflammatory

To alleviate congestion

To promote good circulation

As a synergist to amplify the effects of other herbs