Ginseng grown in Korea is called Korean ginseng. It is known for its "human-looking" root, and experts attribute its effectiveness to the excellent climate conditions, soil quality and developed methods of growing ginseng in Korea. The type of ginseng that grows in Korea is considered the best of all.
For centuries, people in the East have taken ginseng as a kind of tonic that will strengthen their body. It was discovered in China about 5,000 years ago, in the region of Manchuria. Very quickly it became appreciated because it restored strength and renewed energy. In the 3rd century BC, the demand for ginseng was so great that the Chinese started trading with Korea. In exchange for incredibly medicinal ginseng, they exchanged the widely known silk.
In the herbal book "Classical Medicinal Plants" (Pen Tsao Ching), ginseng is recommended for enlightenment and increasing wisdom.
By the beginning of the 20th century, the demand for ginseng had grown so much that commercial cultivation began in Korea, which continues to this day. Until then, wild ginseng was used for medicinal purposes, but today it is a very rare and almost endangered plant species, because it is harvested faster than it can grow.
Ginseng root takes years to mature. Therefore, its prices are much higher than those from cultivation, but today there is cultivated ginseng on the market, so the prices are still more acceptable.
The name Panax ginseng was given to it by the Russian scientist CA Meyer in 1843, considering that it is a "universal medicine" that can cure all diseases.
Similar to Korean ginseng, in America, Japan, China and Russia, ginseng species are grown that differ from Korean ginseng in terms of effectiveness and appearance. Korean, that is, Asian ginseng, for starters, belongs to the family Araliaceae, the genus Panax and the species ginseng, with the scientific name Panax ginseng CA Meyer. There are six more plants of the genus Panax.
- Korean ginseng (P. ginseng) - has 5 leaves - the root has the shape of a human body - grows in Korea and Manchuria
- American (P. quinquefolium) - 5 leaves - the root has the shape of a cylinder - northeastern America
- American (P. quinquefolium) - 5 leaves - the root has the shape of a cylinder - northeastern America
- American (P. quinquefolium) - 5 leaves - the root has the shape of a cylinder - northeastern America
- Dwarf (P. trifolius) – 3 leaves – sphere shape – Northeast America
- Himalayan (P. pseudoginseng) – 5 leaves – bulb / tuber shape – Nepal.
No matter how many plants are called ginseng, they all belong to the genus Panax, they work differently. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) cools the body and symbolizes yin energy, so it is used in various fevers, while Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) yang energy has the opposite effect and is used to improve circulation, helps the body recover, increases energy and endurance, which is necessary for people who are under stress and live a modern fast-paced lifestyle.
Ginseng for the poor
Ginseng is known as an adaptogen, that is, an agent that increases resistance to stress. In addition to improving the general condition of the organism (it is an excellent antioxidant), research results confirm that it has a beneficial effect and improves the quality of life (a study by the National Autonomous University of Mexico). Classic medical research shows different results about its effectiveness, considering that the research uses plants of different quality, which can be found on the market.
Unfortunately, plants that are not of the same genus can also be called ginseng, so we have Siberian ginseng, Alaskan ginseng, Indian ginseng, Brazilian ginseng, Peruvian ginseng, Malaysian ginseng, southern ginseng, desert ginseng, female ginseng, domestic ginseng, and even ginseng. for the poor. Because they work in different ways, learn more about how they work before using them.
It is important to note that the German Commission E recognized ginseng as a tonic against weakness and fatigue, useful for the recovery of physical and mental abilities and concentration. It is also mentioned as a stimulant, which ginseng actually is, but it also has adaptogenic properties. The power of ginseng is in the triterpene glycosides, called ginsenosides.
What are saponins?
Saponins (saponin glycosides) are a special group of glycosides that, in addition to sugar, also contain triterpene or steroid compounds, and their solutions create foam when mixed. They are named after this feature. In plants (buckwheat, mung beans, ginkgo, kuzu, vetches, onions...), they are mostly found in the parts of the plant that grow underground, the fruit and seeds. Since the saponin found in ginseng differs from those in other plants in terms of chemical structure, they are called ginsenosides (panaxatriol-ginsenoside, abbreviated PT, panaxadiol ginsenoside or PD). Unlike the others, Korean ginseng has a balanced ratio of PT and PD, and during its processing the saponin G-Rh2 is also created, which has an impressive effect.
To make it easier to understand what saponins are, think of them as an ingredient that, when it enters the human body, cleans blood vessels and organs like soap.
A six-year-old ginseng root is about 35 cm long and weighs 40 to 120 g, although it sometimes reaches a weight of 300 g. However, a seven-year-old ginseng grows slowly and becomes distorted, with a woody surface. During processing, white spots appear on it and it becomes hollow. Therefore, it is processed earlier.
It's good to know
High doses of ginseng can cause insomnia, so it is better to take it at the beginning of the day.
Excessively high doses (5-10 grams per day) can cause nervousness and increased blood pressure.
Ginseng can increase the effect of caffeine.
Pretjerano visoke doze (5-10 grama dnevno) mogu uzrokovati nervozu i povišeni krvni tlak.
Ginseng može povećati učinak kofeina.
Even other adaptogenic plants can be called ginseng, and often those that are not even adaptogenic. Some of them are: southern ginseng (Gynostemma pentaphyllum), Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), prince's ginseng (Pseudostellaria heterophylla), Indian ginseng (Withania somnifera), Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata), Peruvian ginseng (Lepidium meyenii), Alaskan ginseng ( Oplopanax horridus), female ginseng (Angelica sinensis), Panax notoginseng better known as san qi, tian qi or tien chi.
Foto by Braedon McLeod on Unsplash
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