Ginger’s generic name, Zingiber, is derived from the Greek word zingiberis which was also coined from the Sanskrit name of the spice known as singabera. The rhizome of a ginger plant is the main portion that is consumed. Ginger produces a spicy aroma due to the presence of ketones, especially gingerols.

Ginger is believed to have originated in Maritime Southeast Asia and was likely domesticated first by the Austronesian peoples. Its use in India and China has been known since ancient times, and in the 1st century, traders had taken ginger into the Mediterranean region. Ginger is one of the first spices to have been exported from Asia, arriving in Europe with the spice trade. By the 11th century, ginger had spread in England. The Spaniards brought it to the West Indies and Mexico. By 1547, ginger was being exported from Santiago to Spain.

Ginger continued to be a highly demanded commodity in Europe even after the fall of the Roman Empire. Arab merchants had seized control over the trade in ginger and other spices for centuries. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, it was believed that the value of a pound of ginger was equivalent to the cost of a sheep.

Research shows India is the largest producer of ginger. In 2019, world production of ginger was 4.1 million tonnes, led by India with 44% of the world total. Due to its medicinal properties, Indians and Chinese have produced ginger as a tonic root to treat many ailments for centuries.

Ginger is cultivated throughout the humid tropics across the globe. The rhizome or its extracts is widely used for several nutrition and health purposes.

REFERENCE

Information from https://www.britannica.com/plant/ginger and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/ was used in this story.