Ginger

Though called a root, it is actually the rhizome of the monocotyledonous perennial plant Zingiber officinale.

The active constituent of fresh ginger is gingerol, a relative of capsaicin.

Young ginger roots are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste.

They are often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes.

They can also be stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea, to which honey is often added as a sweetener.

Mature ginger roots are fibrous and nearly dry.

The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Chinese cuisine to flavor dishs such as in seafood and mutton.

Ginger has a sialagogue action, stimulating the production of saliva.