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Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger
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 Ginger Zingiber officinalis was one of the earliest spices to travel the caravan 'spice routes' from Asia to Europe, where both the Greeks and Romans made extensive use of it. Native to the steamy tropical jungles of Southeast Asia, ginger is a reedy plant growing up to a metre in height, with white or pale yellow orchid-like flowers, though it is the underground tuberous stems, or rhizomes, that pproduce the spice. The Spanish introduced ginger to the West Indies in the 16th century, and today it is grown in tropical regions throughout the world.
When harvested early while still green, the rhizomes are crystallized in sugar or preserved in syrup and served as sweetmeats. The best quality preserved ginger, stem ginger, is made from the youngest shoots and contains very little fibre. The rhizomes, root ginger, are available from grocery stores and supermarkets, fresh or dried. When buying fresh ginger, look for plump, knobbly rhizomes with firm skin. Ground ginger is widely used in baking, but the commercial grinding process causes rapid evaporation of the essential oil, which is responsible for much of its flavour and aroma. It also lacks the high potency required for medicinal purposes.
In Europe, ginger was regarded as an essential ingredient in most meat dishes until the 18th century, as it protected against infection of bacteria in meat. Today it's use is mainly in sweet dishes, gingerbreads, biscuits, cakes, and puddings, and in ginger beers and wines. By contrast, in the Orient it is used almost exclusively in savoury dishes.
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Ginger essential oil is produced from steam distillation of the dried, unpeeled, freshly ground rhizomes. Most of the oil is distilled in the UK from imported rhizomes, and in China and India where it is extensively cultivated. The essential oil is pale yellow to light amber in colour with a warm, pungent, spicy-wood scent. However, it lacks the light, fruity nuances found in the raw plant material. These highly volatile notes are destroyed by the process of steam distillation. If the aroma is liked, ginger oil's odour effect is described as warming and stimulating. It is reputed to be an aphrodisiac. It is possible to obtain an oil (produced mainly for the food flavouring industry) that is extracted by carbon dioxide, which retains the delicate top notes found in the raw material. It is rarely found in retail outlets because of its relatively high cost. Despite its superior aroma it is not recommended for aromatherapy massage as it has a different chemical composition that can increase the risk of adverse skin reactions.
Ancient Chinese medical texts written more than 2,000 years ago, mention the use of ginger for many complaints, including rheumatism, bacterial dysentery, toothache and malaria. To this day, it features in a great number of medicinal compounds prescribed by Chinese herbal practitioners, either for its healing properties or to buffet the potentially violent effects of other herbs on the digestive system. Ginger is categorized as a ‘yang’ or warming and stimulating herb, a specific for cold, debilitated individuals who have a pale, swollen tongue, and generally for ailments associated with cold, damp weather.
The Romans used ginger compresses for treating advanced cataracts and, in the I2th century, St Hildegarde of Bingen, the mystic and healer, recommended ginger for eye diseases and to ‘stimulate the vigour of old men married to young women’. John Gerard, the Elizabethan physician and author of the famous Herball, first published in 1597, mentions ginger’s digestive qualities and declared it ‘profitable for the stomacke’. In the 17th century, the Elixir of Vitriol, a potent brew of spices featuring ginger, was the inspiration of a German doctor, Adrian Mynsict, who proposed it as a remedy for drunkenness, presumably also for a hangover.
Modern herbal practitioners use ginger to stimulate the digestion and ease flatulence. It has antiseptic properties and is also useful as an expectorant, especially when made into a hot drink combined with lemon and honey. This same warming remedy is helpful for colds and flu, promoting beneficial sweating, which helps eliminate toxins from the system. Ginger tea is recommended for sluggish circulation, especially for people suffering from cold hands and feet, and to ease the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism. A piece of fresh root ginger chewed (crystallized stem ginger would also do) is an effective remedy for travel or motion sickness. A little ginger, perhaps in the form of a gingernut biscuit, may also help alleviate morning sickness in pregnancy.
Over the past decade a number of studies have verified the traditional therapeutic uses of ginger, most notably ginger’s ability to quell nausea and improve poor circulation. Studies by Japanese researchers show that ginger can have a tonic effect on the heart and may help to lower high blood pressure. Even more recently, amid great excitement, ginger has been identified by medical researchers at Odense University in Denmark as a particularly effective remedy for the pain and swelling associated with arthritis and rheumatism. The easiest way to take this is as ginger capsules available from health stores. As little as one a day (containing the equivalent of I2g of fresh root ginger) is regarded as the optimum dosage for most people.
Being such a fiery and highly odoriferous oil, ginger should always be used sparingly. Rheumatism, arthritis, muscular pain and stiffness can be eased by baths, hot compresses or massage with the essential oil. It is a good choice to include in a friction rub for sluggish circulation and feelings of fatigue. In steam inhalations, it is helpful for catarrh, colds and flu. It may be inhaled from a tissue to alleviate indigestion and most forms of nausea, but obviously only if the aroma is liked (peppermint oil may be a better choice for some people).
Ginger’s gerniicidal and fever-reducing properties make it an excellent choice for use as a fumigant when infectious illness is around. Used in the bath and in massage blends, the oil can be helpful for nervous exhaustion and associated loss of libido.
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