Ginger beer, biscuits and cakes are the most well-known products made with ginger but it has many other applications. Ginger can be found as single ingredient essential oils, teas and supplements. It’s essential oil is more rarely used in fragrances and in skin care products.

After harvesting, the ginger roots are manually processed. Typically, the largest, healthiest root segments are replanted after being cut into ‘seeds’. These root segments will grow and give rise to the next harvest. The remaining parts can be sold whole, crushed or shredded. The ginger can be further processed to make essential oils, teas and supplements. Some health supplement companies even isolate the active compound gingerol to make highly concentrated products.

Ginger root is technically not a root. It’s a rhizome. Rhizomes are modified stems that grow beneath the soil.

Ginger rhizomes need to be processed by hand after harvesting. Unlike carrots for example, the ginger rhizomes are not uniform in shape.

Regrettably, ginger crops suffer from some serious bacterial and viral diseases (like rhizome rot). As such, many farmers choose to use chemical sprays to ensure a bountiful season and limit their financial risk.

The unfortunate consequence of this is the pollution of waterways when the chemicals are washed away. To get the most sustainable ginger products, and limit your own contribution to environmental damage, choose organic.