Ginseng as a Food Additive & Stimulant
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This paper is a discussion of ginseng, a plant grown in various forms in Asia North America for its roots, which are used as a food additive and a stimulant. Folklore attributes restorative powers to ginseng. The root is said to be an aphrodisiac and an aid to prolonging youth, among other attributes. Its first recorded use is in China, more than 5,000 years ago. Some scholars also interpret the pannag referred to in the Book of Ezekiel as a reference to the plant. The traditions of both the ancient Chinese and Native Americans include deep reverence for ginseng as a healing plant and have passed down numerous formulas for maximizing its effects. While Western medicine has not fully verified the numerous claims for ginseng's effectiveness as a medicine, doctors are beginning to acknowledge that the root may have some health benefits. Most of the market for ginseng is currently in Asia, but a substantial portion of this market is supplied by American growers, as American consumption also begins to rise. The two primary species of ginseng are most commonly referred to as Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium). The genus name, Panax, comes from the word panacea, the "cure all" that ginseng is sometimes claimed to be. Kim Derek Pritts observes, "Most [species] exhibit medicinal properties, but interestingly, each species has a different chemical makeup and has a unique application in traditional Chinese medicine" (8). The Mohawk In
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been touted as an agent to make old men young, an aphrodisiac, a tonic, and a panacea, or all-healing medicine" (2). Kimmens calls it "the most important drug possessed by the Chinese for two millennia: the essence of the perfect yin, the spirit of the soil, a potent restorative and tonic" (vii). Chinese medicine includes it among the superior herb drugs, substances that may be taken over an extended period of time. Ginseng has been part of medical treatments of many Asian nations, especially China, Japan, and Korea, for centuries.
Many Native American tribes "were true herbalists with an intimate knowledge of nature's healing plants" (Pritts 2) and also included ginseng in various cures. Because the tribes were scattered, however, different groups used different kinds of remedies. Members of the Creek tribe, for instance, chewed the root and then used it to dress wounds or mixed it with ginger to treat a fever. Creeks sometimes used ginseng to frighten away evil spirits, while the Penobscot tribe believed it to be an effective fertility drug. Several believed that ginseng boosted mental alertness, and others found it useful for treating stomach disorders. When Asian immigrants and traders seeking goods for the Asian
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1586
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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