Skip to content
Fast & Free Delivery over $45 How fast will I receive my order? ZIP Code: - Receive it More Info

Ginger 101

2 Min Read
Ginger 101
Updated on December 17, 2014

Ginger’s warm, pungent and peppery bite is an international hit. Featured in Indian cuisine as spicy masala chai, in Japan as pickled gari (the spicy, pink shavings served alongside sushi) and in Jamaica as a refreshing non-alcoholic beer, the ginger rhizome has successfully made its way around the world. Ginger has also served as a staple in both Ayurvedic and Chinese Medicine, traditional practices that are thousands of years old. We source some of our favorite spicy ginger from India to make our Ginger Aid® tea, and some of our favorite milder ginger from a Fair Trade Certified co-op in Sri Lanka to make our Ginger tea.

 ginger plant

While no one really knows the exact origin of Zingiber officinale, the biological variability of related species in Southeast Asia makes that region the best guess. Ginger loves heat and humidity, which is why it flourishes in subtropical or tropical climates like India and Sri Lanka. Growing medicinal ginger also requires dappled sunlight and a location that won’t freeze during the winter. It’s easiest to start from a rhizome that already has a bud, or “eye,” visible. From this eye, green shoots will sprout, eventually reaching about 4 feet in height and blooming with small red and yellow flowers. As long as the soil is kept damp and well fed in these climates, ginger can grow rather easily.

Ginger has played an important role in Indian, Middle Eastern and Asian herbal traditions for ages, and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners have used the rhizome to help with digestion, stomach upset and nausea for more than 2,000 years.* Today, you can access ginger’s herbal power in many forms, whether you use it fresh in your cooking, combine it with honey as a tea, infuse it into vinegars or even use it topically as a poultice. Whether you’ve overindulged after a big meal or are feeling a little green around the gills during a road trip, ginger is an invaluable herbal ally.

ginger infographic

Our Ginger Aid tea is our spiciest ginger, complemented by slightly sweet and lemony notes from a blend of blackberry, stevia and lemon myrtle leaves. If you’re more of a ginger purist, we also have a simple Ginger tea that delivers the classic, pleasantly spicy and pungent taste, but slightly milder in flavor than Ginger Aid. We love sipping on these whenever we’re feeling chilly, as ginger is great for circulation and warming the body.*

As one of the world’s most well-known medicinal plants, ginger’s plant power is celebrated for good reasons. Not only is its spicy flavor stimulating the palate and warming to the body, but its herbal benefits make it an essential herb in supporting digestion, helping to keep people well and vibrant for thousands of years. We invite you to incorporate more ginger into your foods and travel plans. It’s a friend you can count on!

You Might Also Enjoy

Shop All
Popular
Lemon Balm Tea. light & citrusy and relieves stress Lemon balm calms the nervous system and supports digestion

Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon Balm calms the nervous system and supports digestion
Popular
Turmeric & Ginger with Meadowsweet Tea Turmeric & Ginger with Meadowsweet Tea

Turmeric & Ginger with Meadowsweet Tea

This blend supports a healthy response to inflammation associated with an active lifestyle
Popular
Traditional Medicinals logo. Daily. Herbal. Organic Dandelion Leaf & Root. Balanced & Earthy. Detox + Kidney Health. Caffeine Free. 16 Wrapped Tea Bags. Herbal Supplement. NET WT .99 OZ (28g). USDA ORGANIC logo Dandelion Leaf & Root (Taraxacum officinale). This blend supports kidney function and healthy digestion.

Dandelion Leaf & Root Tea

Dandelion Leaf & Root supports digestion & kidney health while aiding the body's natural detoxification process
Popular
Peppermint Tea. soothes the belly Peppermint soothes your belly and alleviates digestive discomfort

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint soothes your belly and alleviates digestive discomfort
Popular
Roasted Dandelion Root Tea packaging box Roasted dandelion root stimulates the liver and supports healthy digestion

Roasted Dandelion Root Tea

This blend stimulates the liver and supports healthy digestion
Popular
Traditional Medicinals logo. Daily. Herbal. Organic Ginger. Pleasantly Spicy & Warming. Digestion Support. Caffeine Free. 16 Wrapper Tea Bags. Herbal Supplement. NET WT .85 OZ (24g). USDA ORGANIC logo Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Promotes healthy digestion and prevents nausea due to motion.

Ginger Tea

Ginger promotes healthy digestion and prevents nausea due to motion
Popular
Traditional Medicinals logo. Daily Herbal. Organic Chamomile. Soothingly Sweet & Floral. Supports Relaxation. Caffeine Free. 16 Wrapped Tea Bags. Herbal Supplement. NET WT .74 OZ (20.8g). USDA ORGANIC logo Chamomile (Matricaria recutita). Calms your nerves and supports healthy digestion.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile calms your nerves and supports healthy digestion

Fennel Tea

Fennel promotes healthy digestion; eases uncomfortable feelings of fullness, bloating and gassiness

Dandelion Chai Probiotic Tea

This blend supports healthy digestion

Belly Comfort® Peppermint Tea

This blend soothes the belly and relieves occasional indigestion
Popular
Throat Coat<sup>®</sup> Lemon Echinacea Lozenges provides sore throat support when you need it most.

Throat Coat® Lemon Echinacea Lozenges

These herbal lozenges provides sore throat support when you need it most.

Tulsi & Ginger Tea

This blend supports a healthy response to stress

Licorice Root Tea

Licorice Root soothes the digestive tract and promotes respiratory health
Popular
Traditional Medicinals logo. Herbal. Lozenges. Organic. Belly Comfort. Relieves Nausea. Lemon Ginger. Herbal Supplement. 30 Individually Wrapped Lozenges. NET WT 4.13 OZ (117g). USDA ORGANIC logo. Belly Comfort Lemon Ginger Lozenges helps relieve nausea and occasional indigestion. Ginger (Zingiber officinale). Lemon (Citrus x limon)

Belly Comfort® Lozenges

Belly Comfort Lozenges helps relieve nausea and occasional indigestion

Green Tea Ginger

This blend gently invigorates, while promoting healthy digestion

Peppermint Delight® Probiotic Tea

This blend supports healthy digestion

Gas Relief™ Tea

This blend relieves gas and bloating

Lemon Ginger Tea

This blend promotes healthy digestion

Green Tea Peppermint

This blend gently invigorates, while alleviating digestive discomfort

Ginger & Chamomile Tea

This blend relieves occasional indigestion or nausea

Related Articles

View All

Herbal Basics: Nervines 101

It's no secret that life's pace can sometimes leave us feeling out of sync. In our fast-paced world, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, leading to occasional stress and moments of...

Herbal Basics: Adaptogens 101

We can all agree that sometimes our natural rhythm falls out of step. We live in a world where it is easy to take on too much, flaring up stress,...

Dandelion Date Shake

By Sarah Kate Benjamin of The Kosmic Kitchen If you've never had a date shake you're in for a real Southern California treat. Invented in the 1930's by a date...

A Conversation with Nioma Narissa Sadler: Empowering Women and Transforming Communities

Author: Jules Benefico Join us for an insightful conversation with Nioma Narissa Sadler, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, and Goodwill Ambassador at Traditional Medicinals®. Nioma is not only...

Voices Are For Using, Not Losing™: Get to know Jake & Shelby Singer/Songwriter Duo

Jake & Shelby, the dynamic pop duo aged 18 and 19, are rapidly climbing the music charts with their mature and fresh sound, drawing inspiration from John Mayer, Madison Cunningham,...

Identity Herbalism with Erin Masako Wilkins of Herb Folk Medicine

Erin Masako Wilkins is an Asian American herbalist and acupuncturist. She has been a practicing herbalist for over a decade specializing in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine. She aims to...

Celebrating the Holidays and the Planet

Tis the season of green! We are proud to announce that we at Traditional Medicinals have joined forces with the Environmental Media Association (EMA), using our voices to elevate eco-consciousness...

Q&A with Rosemary Gladstar, “Godmother of Modern Herbalism” and Traditional Medicinals Co-Founder

Photo taken by Danielle Cohen Meet Rosemary Gladstar, known as the godmother of modern herbalism, she has captivated a global audience with her wealth of knowledge and passion for herbal...

Voices are for Using, Not Losing™: Tips from a Celebrity Voice Coach

Meet RAab Stevenson, singer, songwriter, vocal coach, arranger, producer, artist and developer. Robert “RAab” Stevenson has worked with some of the most famous voices and producers heard on pop radio...

How Tea can Protect Ecosystems: FairWild collection with the BBC Storyworks Commercial Production

Climate change is altering landscapes. It’s harming global ecosystems and the people who depend on them. Over 40% of medicines found in western pharmacies are derived from plants, many of...

3 Herbal Hacks for Mental Health

Big emotions are often natural reactions to very real challenges. Occasional stress, overwhelm and stretches of melancholy can feel scary. And yet, you’re not alone. We’ve all had seasons of...

Herbalist Tips for Healthy Skin

While clear, dewy skin is often a bit of good luck, long-term health is very much dependent on healthy habits. Herbalists use plants inside and out to nourish the skin,...