What are the health benefits of Ginger in Chinese medicine

Condition analysis:
Ginger is thought to have originated in the Himalayan foothills of Northern India. Today, it is widely grown all over the world as a major commercial spice crop. The ginger plant grows to about a meter in height and features thin grass-blades like dark-green leaves and small yellow flowers.

Its root features knotty finger-like projections that grow downward from the soil surface. Fresh root has a silver gray outer skin (peel). Cut sections feature creamy white, yellow, or red-colored crunchy flesh depending upon the variety. The root often contains thin strands of fibrils running lengthwise through its center, especially in overmature ones.

Ginger has a pungent, spicy and aromatic smell that comes from essential oils and phenolic compounds such as gingerols and shogaols in the root.

Instructions:
Health benefits of ginger
Ginger root has been in use since ancient times for its anti-inflammatory, carminative, anti-flatulent, and anti-microbial properties.

It contains health benefiting essential oils such as gingerol, zingerone, shogaol, farnesene,  cineol, and citral. Gingerols help improve the intestinal motility and have been anti-inflammatory, painkiller (analgesic), nerve soothing, antipyretic as well as anti-bacterial properties. Studies have shown that it may decrease nausea induced by motion sickness or pregnancy and may help relieve a Migraine headache.

Studies suggest that zingerone, a chemical compound which gives pungent character to the ginger root, is effective against E.coli induced diarrhea, especially in children.

This herb root only has 80 calories per 100 g and contains no cholesterol. Nonetheless, it composes many essential nutrients and vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) that required for optimum health.

Furthermore, it also holds a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.