[2] It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of leaves) about one meter tall, bearing narrow leaf blades.

The inflorescences bear flowers having pale yellow petals with purple edges, and arise directly from the rhizome on separate shoots.

[3] Ginger is in the family Zingiberaceae, which also includes turmeric (Curcuma longa),[4] cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), and galangal.

[5] The distantly related dicots in the genus Asarum are commonly called wild ginger because of their similar taste.

There is no good evidence that ginger helps alleviate nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy or chemotherapy, and its safety has not been demonstrated.

[26] In 406, the monk Faxian wrote that ginger was grown in pots and carried on Chinese ships to prevent scurvy.

[26] Ginger—along with its relative, galangal—was imported into the Roman Empire as part of very expensive herbal remedies that only the wealthy could afford, e.g. for the kidneys.

The ship sank off the southern coast of Sweden in the summer of 1495 while conveying King Hans to a summit with the Swedish Council.

Traditionally, the rhizome is gathered when the stalk withers; it is immediately scalded, or washed and scraped, to kill it and prevent sprouting.

[30] Source: Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Statistics Division (FAOSTAT)[31] In 2020, global production of ginger was 4.3 million tonnes, led by India with 43% of the world total.

[31] Though it is grown in many areas across the globe, ginger is "among the earliest recorded spices to be cultivated and exported from southwest India".

[33] Regions in southwest and Northeast India are most suitable for ginger production due to their warm and humid climate, average rainfall and land space.

[34] Ginger has the ability to grow in a wide variety of land types and areas, however is best produced when grown in a warm, humid environment, at an elevation between 300 and 900 m (1,000 and 3,000 ft), and in well-drained soils at least 30 cm deep.

In India, farmers must irrigate their ginger crops every two weeks at the least between September and November (when the monsoon is over) to ensure maximum yield and high quality product.

[41] After soaking them in water, the outer skin is scraped off with a bamboo splinter or wooden knife by hand as it is too delicate a process to be done by machinery.

Once the produce has "reached [the] regional level markets, they are cleaned, graded, and packed in sacks of about 60 kg".

[33] Dry ginger is most popularly traded between Asian countries through a unique distribution system involving a network of small retail outlets.

[42] Ginger can be used for a variety of food items such as vegetables, candy, soda, pickles, and alcoholic beverages.

It is an ingredient in traditional Indian drinks, both cold and hot, including spiced masala chai.

In south India, "sambharam" is a summer yogurt drink made with ginger as a key ingredient, along with green chillies, salt and curry leaves.

Ginger powder is used in food preparations intended primarily for pregnant or nursing women, the most popular one being katlu, which is a mixture of gum resin, ghee, nuts, and sugar.

In Japan, ginger is pickled to make beni shōga and gari or grated and used raw on tofu or noodles.

In the traditional Korean kimchi, ginger is either finely minced or just juiced to avoid the fibrous texture and added to the ingredients of the spicy paste just before the fermenting process.

It is consumed as a salad dish called gyin-thot, which consists of shredded ginger preserved in oil, with a variety of nuts and seeds.

Indonesians also use ground ginger root, called jahe, as a common ingredient in local recipes.

On the island of Corfu, Greece, a traditional drink called τσιτσιμπύρα (tsitsibira), a type of ginger beer, is made.

Ginger bread is a kind of cookie traditionally prepared in the city of Gorgan on the holiday of Nowruz (New Year's Day).

If consumed in reasonable quantities, ginger has few negative side effects, although large amounts may cause adverse events, such as gastrointestinal discomfort, and undesirable interactions with prescription drugs.

[58] A 2018 review found evidence that ginger could decrease body weight in obese subjects and increase HDL-cholesterol.

[2] It may adversely affect individuals with gallstones, and may interfere with the effects of anticoagulants, such as warfarin or aspirin, and other prescription drugs.