Ginger - The Universal Medicine
Feb 3, 2022 | Written by Leticia Padmasri
There is so much about ginger that we could write a book. In fact, there is one out there that is very interesting: Ginger: Common Spice and Wonder Drug by Paul Schulick. If you want to nerd out about ginger, this book should be on your list!
So, this little article is me nerding out about ginger! I hope you learn a bit about its energetics and get inspired to use it to transform your food into medicine.
In Ayurveda, ginger is called vishwabheshaja, the “universal medicine”. It is also recognized as a sattvic herb, meaning it carries the vibrations of harmony, balance, and clarity. Dr. Frawley and Dr. Lad, in the book The Yoga of the Herbs, state that…
“…ginger is perhaps the best and most sattvic of the spices”
Praise the Ginger!
Yes, ginger is good for our digestion, circulation, and respiration! It stimulates our digestion and circulation but not as sharply as chiles, garlic, and onions. It breaks down fat in the stomach and calms nausea. It relieves gas, cramps, and constipation. It clears mucus, coughs, and colds. It reduces ama (undigested metabolic waste) and inflammation.
Many of us arrive at the late winter and early spring feeling heavier and more sluggish, especially if we have not followed the seasonal lifestyle changes and overindulged in heavy foods during the winter months. The result is colds, headaches, a few pounds extra, and upset stomachs.
Ginger is the antidote to that! It is your ally to increase your digestive power, calm your stomach and alleviate your sinus headache!
Ginger Qualities
Understanding its qualities will guide you in deciding when is the best time to use it.
Ginger’s taste (rasa) is pungent and sweet. You can taste it next time you drink some ginger tea. You will notice the spicy (pungent) and soothing (sweet) qualities. And you will certainly notice its virya (thermal action of herbs and foods) as you feel warmer as you sip your tea. So ginger’s action is heating.
Remember the principle “like attracts like and the opposite balances”?
So if the hot qualities are predominant in you or around you, ginger will increase them! On the other hand, when the weather is cold, you can certainly take advantage of this wondrous herb. Fall (Vata season), winter (Vata & Kapha season), and spring (Kapha season) are then great seasons for ginger. And it goes so well because it will bring warmth when temperatures are dropping and the sweet rasa soothes Vata anxiety. It will support digestion (especially with the heavier harvest) and it will clear that mucus when pollen and wetness go high.
Ginger is available fresh and dry.
Dry ginger is hotter, drier, and more stimulating and therefore better for the Kapha season or if you are experiencing Kapha imbalances such as congestion, swelling of the joints, or sluggishness. Fresh ginger then is the best form for the summer season (pitta season) or for when you are feeling fiery.
How can you get more ginger in your diet?
Ginger is so versatile, that you can try it out and experiment with teas, in your cooking, or anything else you can think of. I add its fresh version even to my homemade granola!
Here is my go-to ginger tea recipe:
I add to 1 cup of boiling water a 1/4 tsp of grated fresh ginger and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Then I add a little raw honey ( let it cool a bit before adding honey) and enjoy it one hour after dinner or I drink half a cup during lunch and the other half during dinner. The ginger amount varies depending on how I feel or the season. Usually, I add a bit more during my menstrual period which calms the excess Vata in the lower abdomen.