Where are the main producing areas of dried ginger, and how does it differ from fresh ginger?

Dried ginger is a traditional Chinese medicine with effects such as reducing swelling and stopping sweating. So, where are the main producing areas of dried ginger? What is the difference between fresh ginger and dried ginger?

1. Where are the main producing areas of dried ginger?

It is mainly produced in Qianwei, Sichuan; Changshun and Xingren, Guizhou; Laifeng, Hubei; Xinhui, Guangdong; as well as Zhejiang, Shandong, Hunan, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Fujian and other places, and is sold throughout the country.

2. What is the difference between fresh ginger and dried ginger?

1. Fresh ginger tends toward the exterior, dried ginger tends toward the interior

Zheng Zhimin, a pharmacist in the pharmacy department of Guangzhou First People's Hospital, says that fresh ginger tends toward the exterior, focusing on releasing the exterior, dispersing cold and stopping vomiting, and is mostly used in exterior-releasing formulas; dried ginger tends toward the interior, focusing on warming the middle, warming the lungs and restoring yang, and is mostly used in middle-regulating formulas; therefore in clinical practice there is often the saying “use fresh ginger for new afflictions, use dried ginger for lingering ones.”

In addition, the difference between the two is not only in water content; their chemical compositions are not entirely the same either. The chemical components of fresh ginger and dried ginger are mainly two major categories, volatile oils and pungent components, and the pungent components mainly include phenolic components such as gingerol, shogaol and gingerone. Some literature reports that the total volatile oil content of dried ginger is lower than that of fresh ginger, but its pungent components are greater than those of fresh ginger. Besides the different proportions of component contents, each also contains its own unique chemical components; for example, fresh ginger contains trans-farnesal, which dried ginger does not, while dried ginger contains neryl acetate, isoaromadendrene and others, which fresh ginger does not.

2. Different producing areas also bring different effects

In addition, because the growing regions differ, the nature and uses of ginger also differ. Ginger is divided into northern and southern types. Southern ginger (such as from Sichuan, Hunan and other places), due to the hot climate, abundant sunlight and long growing period, is generally harvested at the winter solstice. Its rhizome is slender and small, highly starchy, strongly pungent, and contains less water; it is suitable for medicinal use and is commonly called “medicinal ginger.”

Northern ginger (such as from Shandong, Henan and other places), due to the relatively cold climate and early frost period and short growing period, is generally harvested around the beginning of autumn. Its rhizome is large and plump, low in starch, mildly pungent and contains more water; it is mainly used as food or fresh ginger is used medicinally, and is commonly called “vegetable ginger.”

The traditionally recognized authentic dried ginger should be made from the mother ginger of “medicinal ginger” produced in places such as Qianwei, Sichuan and Kaihua, Sanqu, peeled and sun-dried.

3. The medicinal effects of ginger peel differ from those of ginger

Although ginger peel is part of fresh ginger, its nature, flavor and effects are completely different. Ginger peel is pungent and cool, and has the effects of harmonizing the spleen and promoting water movement, reducing swelling and stopping sweating; a commonly used formula is Wupi Yin (Poria peel, areca peel, fresh ginger peel, acanthopanax bark, tangerine peel), which mainly treats edema.