The ginger plant is a perennial creeper which requires a tropical climate with heavy rainfall and a hot dry season for cultivation. Ginger has been cultivated by mankind since the early days of civilization and is widely used in a variety of culinary preparations all over the world. Apart from being used for cooking, ginger serves as an important ingredient in many of the cures related to alternative medicines like Ayurveda, Naturopathy, aroma therapy and herbal therapy.

Ginger has been an inseparable part of human lives since the 1500s' owing to its aroma, flavor and medicinal attributes which have been utilized to serve a wide range of purposes like lending flavor to food and curing many ailments. As a result, ginger is widely used all over the world because of the numerous health benefits which it provides to its users. Many of the health benefits of ginger which have proved to be extremely advantageous to human beings are listed as follows:

• The pungent constituents of ginger namely shogaols and gingerols are extremely effective in controlling vomiting and nausea because of their ability to control the movements of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Ginger has enjoyed the status of being the traditional medicine for the treatment of cough, cold and congestion in the fields of ayurveda and naturopathy.
• The extracts of ginger namely the ginger beer and the ginger ale are used as stomach settlers for generations in many countries due to their properties of being good analgesics and sedatives.
• The medical form of ginger, popularly known as ‘Jamaica Ginger', is used for treating dyspepsia and colic diseases and is especially recommended to people who suffer from gall stones. This is due to the fact that the intake of this herb triggers the release of bile from the gall bladder and thus causes the problem to heal over a period of time.
• Ginger should be taken by people who have diabetes and also by those who suffer from heart problems because it tends to lower the cholesterol content of the blood.
• Ginger can be used by pregnant women to ward off the morning sickness as it is not known to cause any harm to the fetus.
• Since it can be used for treatment of external wounds like snake bites as well as for internal disorders like ovarian and colon cancers, it is considered to be a universal remedy which must be present at home at all times.
• Fresh ginger juice if applied to minor burns as well as skin irritations provides immediate relief where as ginger oil is used extensively in spas and saloons due to its refreshing effect on one's mind and its ability to reduce arthritic pain.
• Ginger is added as a flavoring agent in a number of food stuffs which vary according to the region in which they are prepared.
• Ginger can also be used for reducing toothache and the discomfort which arises due to the infection in the upper respiratory tract due to its antibacterial and antifungal nature.

Some of the most common ways of having ginger include using it as a flavoring for a variety of culinary preparations, as an essential component of ginger cake, gingerbread and ginger biscuits, for the preparation of ginger ale and ginger beer and as a spice which can be added to tea.