Ginger relaxes the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) so helps to dispel gas, increases peristalsis, promotes secretion of saliva and gastric juices, is an antiemetic (reduces nausea and vomiting) … it’s all-around helpful for digestion.
Martha Stewart: Ginger, How To Store And Cook With it
The Green Pharmacy, James A. Duke, 1997
p. 276:
Commission E* approves taking two grams (about a teaspoon) of ginger in tea for indigestion. Ginger contains certain chemicals (gingerols and shogaols) that not only soothe the gut but also aid digestion by increasing the wavelike muscle contractions (peristalsis) that move food through the intestine.
Johns Hopkins says:
Eating ginger can cut down on fermentation, constipation and other causes of bloating and intestinal gas.
Here’s The Green Pharmacy. Duke really knew his herbs. You can pick up a used copy at Thriftbooks or Better World Books.
About Commission E, Duke says:
” … the German group of scientists that makes recommendations on herbal safety and effectiveness.”
The German Commission E is a scientific advisory board of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices formed in 1978.
The commission became known beyond Germany in the 1990s for compiling and publishing 380 monographs evaluating the safety and efficacy of herbs for licensed medical prescribing in Germany.
The Germans take herbal medicine seriously. I wish we did.
I used to have a copy of those Commission E Monographs. They’re one of the bibles on herbal medicines. It’s a big book but you can search it online now. The American Botanical Council offers it.
Fanatic Cook 