Ginger

Zingiber officeinal (L')

Tamil name: Inji

Sanskrit name: Naagara

Singhala name: Inguru

In Burma, ginger and a local sweetener made from palm tree juice (htan nyat) are boiled together and taken to prevent the flu.In China, ginger is included in several traditional preparations. A drink made with sliced ginger cooked in water with brown sugar or a cola is used as a folk medicine for the common cold."Ginger eggs" (scrambled eggs with finely diced ginger root) is a common home remedy for coughing.A kind of Chinese dried ginger candy that is fermented in plum juice and sugared, is commonly consumed to suppress coughing. Ginger has been historically used to treat inflammation, which several scientific studies support, though one arthritis trial showed ginger to be no better than a placebo or ibuprofen for treatment of osteoarthritis.

In India, ginger is applied as a paste to the temples to relieve headache, and is consumed when suffering from the common cold. Ginger with lemon and black salt is used for nausea.In Indonesia, ginger (jahe in Indonesian) is used as a herbal preparation to reduce fatigue, reducing "winds" in the blood, prevent and cure rheumatism and control poor dietary habits.In Nepal, ginger is called aduwa, and is widely grown and used throughout the country as a spice for vegetables, used medically to treat cold and sometimes used to flavor tea.In the Philippines, ginger, known as luya, is used as a throat lozenge in traditional medicine to relieve sore throat.