Our ginger snap granola base has become a fave recently!  (No surprise here, we think it’s tops.)  So what’s the story behind this gnarled, bumpy little root?

Ginger’s current name comes from the Middle English gingivere, but ginger dates back over 3,000 years to the Sanskrit srngaveram meaning “horn root” with reference to its appearance. The English name ginger comes from French: gingembre, Old English: gingifere, Medieval Latin: ginginer, Greek: zingiberis, Old Persian: shingavir. Ultimately the origin is from Tamil: inji ver. The botanical term for root in Tamil is ver, hence inji root or inji ver.

As suggested by the origin of its name, ginger cultivation first began millennia ago in South Asia. Although it was well-known to the ancient Romans, ginger nearly disappeared in Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Thanks to Marco Polo’s trip to the Far East, ginger came back into favor in Europe, becoming not only a much-coveted spice, but also a very expensive one.

Today, ginger is used in Asian medicine to treat stomach aches, nausea, and diarrhea.  Ginger has also been historically used to treat inflammation, and research on rats suggests that ginger may be useful for treating diabetes. It has additionally been used for rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and joint and muscle pain.

In Asian cultures ginger is also reputed to be effective for infertility and erectile difficulties. That’s right, the “horn root” might be the “horn-y root”. (Whether you up your chances of having a “ginger kid” if you eat a lot of ginger—well, the jury’s out there.)