Zingiber+officinale+'Ginger'



=**PLANT **= =Scientific Name= The scientific name for ginger is Zingiber officinalis (Schar, 1998). Ginger comes from the family of [|**Zingiberaceae]* (Katzer, 2007). In 1807, an English botanist named William Roscoe (1753-1831) gave this plant the name Zingiber officinale (Foster, 2010). The name comes from the ancient word singabera, where it is originated from Greek and Arabic words meaning "shaped like a cone" (Foster, 2010). Ginger is an herb used for spices and as a herbal medicine( See figure 1). Ginger can be used fresh, dried and powdered, or as a juice or oil (Lindberg, 2010). Even though we call it "ginger root," we are really talking about the rhizome (underground stem) where the plant stores its food supply (Barker, 2010). Ginger was one of the earliest spices known in Western Europe, it was used since the ninth century ("Encyclopedia of Spices," 2003). It became so popular in Europe that people included it in their daily seasoning, like salt and pepper("Encyclopedia of Spices," 2003).
 * What is it? **

**Appearance of the Ginger Plant** ﻿ Ginger is basically a swollen stem (Drori, 2005). The rhizome ginger looks like deer antlers, and ca n grow up to one meter in length, the rhizomes(also known as the roots) grow underground(see figure: 2), deep beneath the soil (Drori, 2005). The ginger plant produce flowers which are purple and a cream colour. They are about 30 centimetres long (Drori, 2005). The ginger plant also produces red flowers; each flower has three chambers that contain small black seeds (Drori, 2005). The ginger plant has shooting runners off the central plant (Schar, 1998).The runners which are really the growing tips are used in medicine, tea, drinks, etc. They are collected before the buds come out of the surface of the soil (Schar, 1998). The rhizome is thick, tangled and light to dark beige in color (Sidhe, 2010).The stem often extends as much as 1 foot above the ground (Sidhe, 2010).

Ginger doesn’t depend of a lot of energy from the sun to grow. It needs a portion of the sun, and regular moisture in well-drained soil (Scheper, 2010). It is easy to grow ginger from pieces of the ginger root which are firm and fresh but not dry (Scheper, 2010). The preferred environment where ginger grows should be high in humidity, mild and contain moist soil (Sidhe, 2010). It can be grown anywhere if these conditions are met and whether it is naturally or artificially produced (Sidhe, 2010). Ginger is now commercially cultivated in almost every tropical and subtropical country in the world (Foster, 2010). Ginger plants can’t stand frost, direct sun, strong winds, and soggy, waterlogged soil (Bradtke, 2010). It is harvested all year around, as long as the season temperatures stay moderate. Ginger is best grown in late winter and early spring because of tropic weather at this time. The best time to harvest ginger is any time after the leaves have died down. Usually it takes eight to ten months to get to that point (Bradtke, 2010). In the winter a ginger plant begins its life cycle in early spring. In late spring or early summer, the leaves send food to the rhizome to help it create the buds that grow into new, self-sufficient plants (Kelly, 2010).
 * Where ginger grows **

Ginger is a tropical plant which was originated in Asia, but it can also be found in Africa and Arabia (Schar, 2006). Greeks and Romans used ginger frequently; they said it came from India through Arabia using the Red Sea (Schar, 2006). In the European records it stated that it appeared during the 11th century, and was one of the greatly taxed spices (Schar, 2006). Ginger is commonly used as a commercial crop (Scheper, 2010). Fifty percent of worldwide ginger is produced in India, while the best quality of ginger comes from Jamaica (Scheper, 2010). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During the 1990s, the U.S. imported approximately over 4,000 metric tons of ginger per year (Foster, 2010). The main world producers for ginger include Fiji, India, Jamaica, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and China (Foster, 2010). Americans import ginger from China, Africa, Central America, Brazil, and Australia, and several Caribbean countries (Foster, 2010).
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Places commonly found **

PRODUCT
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In order to obtain the ginger the rhizome is extracted from the ground. The rest of the plant is not needed. The rhizome is the par where the plant stores its food reserves, and is the one used for both cooking and medicinal purposes (Rueben, 2010). The essential oils in the rhizome are the reason for the fragrance (Rueben, 2010). Ginger is used based on it being a natural remedy and common cooking substance. It is always in demand because it is "all natural goodness". The specific product that I am doing is **ginger tea**, it comes in a powder like substance. The rhizome is used in order to make ginger tea (refer to figure 3). The powder can be mixed with water, lemon, and or honey in order to achieve the end results of the tea.

** MAKING THE PRODUCT **
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">please see attached flow chart **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">﻿media type="youtube" key="dqqRF-dWmB0?fs=1" height="312" width="386"

BENIFICIAL IMPACTS
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We all remember a point in our lives when we had a home remedy using ginger, whether it was ginger ale or ginger tea (Scizer, 2010). The primary uses for ginger is for cooking or medicine. Medically ginger is used for upset stomachs, motion sickness (diahrrea), nausea and vomiting (Scizer, 2010). Health care professionals commonly recommend ginger in order to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness, pregnancy, and chemotherapy for cancer (UMMC, 2006). It can also be used to assist in digestion, for mild stomach problems, to aid with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, and could even be used in heart disease or cancer (UMMC, 2006).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Nausea and vomiting after surgery: A gram of ginger before surgery seems to reduce the amount of nausea and vomiting after the first 24 hours of a surgery (Lindberg, 2010). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dizziness: consuming ginger seems to reduce dizziness and nausea (Lindberg, 2010). <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prevention of morning sickness: Ginger seems to reduce nausea and vomiting for some pregnant women (Lindberg, 2010). Taking any herb or medication is a risk while pregnancy, women should discuss this with their healthcare provider before hand to prevent experimenting and causing hazards (Lindberg, 2010). Ginger is also used for food absorption and to eliminate gas and bloating (Annie's, 2008). Ginger also stimulates circulation so it is good for cold hands and feet (Annie's,2008). Some say it reliefs flu, colds, loss of appetite there is no proper evidence to back this up (Annie's 2008).
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Effectiveness of ginger **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ginger is used by mainly humans as a source of sickness or remedy. Ginger tea is beneficial to the economy because it creates jobs for farmers, factory workers, and truck drivers. It also creates jobs for farmers because they cultivate it and extract it from the ground. There is a high demand for farmers to grow ginger. It makes jobs for factory workers because they clean, package, and produce the tea. The tea comes is bags and boxes so there is a factory running in order for the final product to be produced. Like any plant ginger is good for the environment because of photosynthesis, it produces oxygen and takes in carbon dioxide. Ginger tea has made an improvement on society because without it people would be purchasing expensive medicines that are costly. While with ginger tea all that is needed is ginger and a couple of other ingredients in order to have quick and efficient and cheap relief.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ginger Tea replaces pricey medicines in the market. The price of ginger tea is less than the price of a bottle of medicine. Instead of purchasing medicines like Pepto Bismol for nausea and upset stomach relief, ginger tea can be purchased. Ginger tea not only has an advantage over these products because it is cheaper it is also natural and has less side effects than medicine would. Ginger tea works naturally as appose to medicines that have chemicals in them. Ginger tea is also filled with goodness and vitamins, great alternative to tea or coffee and it is a tateful beverage.

HARMFUL IMPACTS
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the first safety measures of ginger to remember while using it is that you need to have a timely and healthy amount of ginger tea according to the needs of your body (et.al, 2010). The problem of most of the botanical medicines, especially the ones in forms of herbs and roots is that there is a good chance that the herbs would react with medication (et.al, 2010). If ginger tea does reacts with other medications, some symptoms include belching, nausea, heartburn and stomach upset. (et.al, 2010). These side effects also occur if over consumption of ginger tea is taken. (et.al, 2010).

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ginger Tea is bad for the economy because it is expensive to transport good from a different country. It order to transport good from Asia or Africa to Canada it needs to travel by air or water, this is a costly process. If ginger was able to grow in North America it would be easier and let costly to transport and manufacture into a tea.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ginger tea is bad for the environment because the manufacturing of the product contributes to pollution. There has to be a way for the ginger to reach countries like America and Canada and transportation is one of the main problems for contributing to pollution ( refer to figure 4). It is transported through ships and trucks. Gasses are emitted into the air causing pollutants. In order to get the finished product to tea, ginger is dried and powdered in the factories; it is then added with other herbs and other products. Afterwards it is packaged, labeled and sent off to stores. During these manufacturing steps the factories emit a lot of pollution to the air.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ginger is bad for society because too much of one thing is bad. This goes for ginger tea too, if too much is consumed it can cause bad side effects. Also people might depend too much on Ginger as a tea as appose to other teas which produce different vitamins.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Other alternatives** to Ginger tea are actual medicines. They are more pricy but it works as well and quickly. Medicines like ‘Pepto Bismol’ can assist with upset stomach and nausea. Also lemon juice or lemon tea can replace ginger because they also relieve upset stomach and nausea. Lemon is another form of natural relieve, because it has vitamins. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">

** CONCLUSION **
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ginger, which is an rhizome not root, is a natural medication to many people. Overall ginger tea is great and it takes the place of medicines. Ginger plant is also attractive and has flowers (see figure 5). Not only is the warmness soothing but it also has a purpose to it. Ginger tea relieves nausea, upset stomach, morning sickness, motion sickness and assists with chemotherapy. Ginger tea is an alternative for medicine not only because it is has a better taste it but because it works, its natural, and a lot cheaper. It is very easy to grow ginger and there isn't much care needed. The environment should be moist and have some sunlight but not a lot. It is grown in places like South America, Nigeria, Jamaica and other isalnds, Arab countries, China and India (Foster, 2010). In order to produce ginger the rhizome is picked, dried, cleaned, and grinded, this isn't a long process. It takes maximium 9 month to have a plant at it's mature age. Ginger tea is used for as medication to sooth and relieve a person but it also have other benifits. It bring money to the economy, the rhizome goes through photosynethesis while it is in a plant creating oxygen, and it gives people a natural healer instead of using medicine. The rhizome also produces ginger ale, culinary uses, and as an oil. As to everything else in the world there is always a negative to it. In order to produce ginger tea it has to be shipped to factories, cleaned, and transported to stores. This process takes alot of travelling and alot of pollution is caused. Also since large amounts of ginger cannot be gown in Canada it takes alot of money in order to ship it here. But overall ginger is a great herb, tastes great as tea and really works as medicine.


 * <span style="color: #31849b; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 16pt;">References **


 * <span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Web Pages **

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; letter-spacing: 1.35pt;">Annie's Remedy, Initials. (2008). //Ginger zingiber officinale// .Retrieved from <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 1.35pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Barker, L.B. (2010). How does ginger grow?. Retrieved from <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">http://www.ehow.com/how does_4566992_ginger-grow.html

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Bradtke, B.B. (2010). How to grow ginger. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Drori, J.D. (2005). Plant cultures ginger. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif';">Foster, S.F. (2010). 2010 steven foster group, inc. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Kelly, M.K. (2010, March 10). The life cycle of ginger plant. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Rueben, R.B. (2010). All4naturalhealth ginger. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Schar, D.S. (n.d). Planet biotanic ginger. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Scizer, R.S. (2010). Ginger. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Sidhe, W.S. (2010). Ginger root facts. Retrieved from [] **<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">University Document online ** <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Lambson, L.L. (2010). Ginger tea. Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Katzer, G.K. (2007). Ginger (Zingiber officinale rosc.). Unpublished manuscript, University of Graz, Australia, Retrieved from []

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">UMMC, Initials. (2006). Ginger. Unpublished manuscript, Medcial center, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Retrieved from []

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Online Reference Work ( Encyclopedia) ** <span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Encyclopedia of Spices Ginger. (2003). Epicentre herbs. Retrieved December 12, 2010, from __ [] __

<span style="font-family: 'Cambria','serif'; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 3.4pt;">Scheper, J.S. (2010). zingiber officinale. Floridata plant encyclopedia. Retrieved December 13, 2010, from []