Benefits and uses of ginger
                     Adrak / Zingiber officinale/ Ginger
chandigarhayurvedcentre.com/blog/adrak-zingiber-officinale-ginger/
By Karanvir Singh
Ginger is in two forms dry and fresh ginger and its actions are quite similar except the 
 dry one which is preferred to fresh on during summers. It treats asthma, Indigestion,  
nausea, and more.
Latin name: Zingiber officinale 
 Family: Scitamineae
Division: Angiospermae
Sub-kingdom: Phanerogamia 
 Genus: Zingiber
Species: Officinale  
Class: Monocotyledanae 
 Subclass: Petaloidanae
Names in different languages:  
Hindi Name: Aadi, Adarakh (fresh) 
 Punjabi Name: Adrak, Adarak, 
Ada  Marathi Name: Aale
Tamil Name: Inji
Kannada Name: Shunti, Hasi Shunti 
 Telugu Name: Allamu, Alla
Farsi Name: Anjeebeele Tara 
 Bengali Name: Ada
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Tamil Name: Inji
Malayalam Name: Inchi
Arabian Name: Janjabeele Ratab
Its Sanskrit synonyms:
(Wet Ginger)
Ardra Shaka, Moolaja, Ardraka, Gulma moola (Knotty rhizomes) and Anupaja (grow in 
 moist places)
(Dry Ginger)
Ushana (Hot in nature)  
Katubhadra (has pungent taste)
Nagara- Found in Nagar Pradesh and it is best among katurasa 
 Shunti- Useful in Kapha, vataja vikaras
Ardhraka- Causes salivation 
 Katuviddi- Have katu rasa
Katugranthi- Having nodes 
and internodes
What are the chemical 
constituents of ginger?
Ginger chemical constituents are d-Borneal, B- D- Curcumene, D- Camphene, B-  
Bourbornene, A- Curumene, Zingerone, Zingiberol, Geraniol, Citronellol, Zingiberenes, 
 Gingerol, Gingerone, Paradol, Gingerdiol, Gingerone B and C, etc.
What are the medicinal properties of ginger? 
 Rasa (taste)- katu (Pungent)
Guna (qualities)- Guru (heavy), Teekshna 
(strong, piercing), and rooksha (dryness)
Veerya (Potency)- Ushna (hot)
Vipaka- Madhura (undergoes sweet taste after 
digestion)
Effect on three doshas- Balances kapha dosha
Part used: 2/4
Rhizome
Dosage:
Fresh juice- 5-10ml 
 Powder- 1-2gm  
Syrup- 2 to 5 ml
Ayurvedic 
benefits of 
ginger:
It used as spices that have a pungent taste and are anaphrodisiac in nature. As per  
Ayurveda, it helps in increasing Vata dosha. It improves the digestive strength and acts  
as a appetizer. It also treats constipation. These are the Ayurvedic benefits of  ginger.
Difference between dry and fresh ginger-
Wet ginger is rooksha (dry) and ushna (hot) in nature and dry ginger is snigdha (oily, 
 unctuous) and ushna (hot) in nature.
Wet ginger causes diarrhea but is more useful in constipation where as dry ginger has 
 bowel binding property and is useful in IBS.
Wet ginger is used for a shorter period of time because of its dry nature whereas dry  
ginger is snigdha (unctuous) and hence tolerable for a longer period ie., it can be used 
 for a long time.
The effects of wet ginger are seen more in stomach and intestines whereas effects of dry 
 ginger is seen in both stomach and intestines.
What are the Ayurvedic uses of ginger?
Its application removes the excessive oil from the skin and manages various skin  
infections. It also shows good results in controlling hair loss as well as promoting hair 
 growth. The application of Ginger juice on the skin helps to control acne formation.
Nausea
Ginger is a beneficial herb in stopping nausea. If you are going for long traveling, take  
fresh cloves of ginger that will help in travelling bad effects like nausea and headaches. 
 Chew a ginger clove also treats morning sickness.
Cold and Cough
In winters, ginger increases the immune system of the body. It is a natural antiviral that 
 protects the body from the illness by increasing non-specific immunity. It has an anti-  
inflammatory property which reduces inflammation in the respiratory tract. It is also a  
good cough suppressant that helps to clean the respiratory system.
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Menstrual Cramps
During menstruation, women experience heavy menstrual cramps. In these days, a  
woman should take ginger tea, so as to get relief from the pain. It provides warmness in 
 the stomach and maintains the normal flow of the blood. It also provides relaxation to  
the muscles and alleviates the pain.
Weight Loss
Ginger has a property of burning fat that promotes weight loss. Its thermogenic  
property activates the body’s metabolism. Due to its antioxidants properties, it  
eliminates the wastes from the body and detoxifies the body. Regular intake of ginger 
 tea will help a lot.
Improves Blood Circulation
The ginger contains gingerol alkaloid which is present in the ginger tea helps in  
lowering the blood pressure. When the pressure in the blood vessels reduces, it allows 
 easier blood flow. It has blood-thinning properties, which prevents heart attacks.
Ginger tea helps in improving the blood circulation in the body.
Stress and anxiety
Ginger shows a calming and soothing effect on the mind and the body. It relieves stress 
 and tension by keeping the brain calm. One cup of ginger tea improves your mood and  
gives a feeling of freshness. It also reduces the cortisone levels in the body which helps  
to keep you relax.
Damage Precancerous Cells
Many researches had stated that ginger tea contains strong antioxidant properties that  
prevent the body from infections. It can prevent the production of pre-cancerous cells  
from growing. Drinking ginger tea kills free radicals formation and decreases the risk of 
 having cancer.
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