India may be the home of Ayurveda but Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has just as many miracles in its kit. Ginseng is one gem from the treasury of TCM. But, naming it a healing herb might not do justice to the extraordinary plant it is. You can tell a herb holds miraculous powers when its name translated to “cure all” right?
Essentially an adaptogen or a tonic, ginseng aids in curing all kinds of health problems by building and maintaining the body functions. Since Chinese medicine employs a holistic approach to well being, it is not difficult to understand how ginseng rose to its glory so quickly. In fact, it is believed that this plant was much more valuable than gold in ancient China and it was a death sentence for normal people to keep ginseng at home for it was the food of the royalty.
Interestingly, while China was restricting the use of ginseng to the royalty, American Indians were using it for healing all their ailments. Though American and Chinese ginseng are two different varieties and vary in some qualities, they have similar health benefits.
Did you know?
Apart from translating as “cure-all” in Greek, the name ginseng also has a Chinese translation, “man root”. This may be due to the human-like appearance of ginseng root.
True to the legends, ginseng has kept its title as the revitalising plant in the modern times too. It is highly regarded for its energising benefits and is used as a health supplement for improving endurance and stress.
But that is not all.
Read on to find the many miracles of this healing extraordinaire.
Some basic facts about ginseng:
- Botanical name: Panax ginseng (Oriental ginseng)
- Family: Araliaceae
- Common name(s): Ginseng,
- Parts used: Roots
- Native region and geographical distribution: Ginseng varieties are native to China, Japan, Korea and America. Some lesser-known ginseng varieties are also found in Himalayas and Vietnam.
- Energetics: Warming (Chinese ginseng)