The ginseng root is known for being extremely effective for a number of aspects of human health. The herb's benefits can be received in a number of forms. One of the easiest to make and most versatile forms available is ginseng powder.
How to Prepare Ginseng Powder
Making ginseng root powder is incredibly easy. Simply grind a dried ginseng root roughly using an herb or coffee grinder. Grinding up the ginseng as such releases the active compounds in the root. Ginseng powder can be used in its basic form, but it is also a key ingredient in other ginseng preparations.
How to Consume Ginseng Powder
Ginseng, while praised for its medicinal effects, is widely criticized for its displeasing taste and earthy texture. As a result, a number of different forms of ginseng have become popular, and many of those include ginseng powder.
The most common ways to consume ginseng root powder are:
As a seasoning. Sprinkle ginseng powder on your meal to add its health benefits without the overbearing taste or texture. Ginseng powder is used as a popular seasoning in Asian cultures. When grinding the root to make powder, consider that the recommended daily dosage is 0.5 - 2.0 g.
In ginseng capsules. Capsules use a casing to contain the ginseng powder for easy, controlled dosage. Simply scoop up the powder by sliding the two capsule halves toward one another and close once they are full of powder. The recommended daily dosage for ginseng capsules is 100 - 600 mg, to be divided into multiple doses.
Benefits of Ginseng Powder
The dried and powdered root carries all of ginseng health benefits and can help with stimulating immunity, lowering blood pressure, balancing glucose levels, and easing menopause symptoms.
Ginseng powder is a great source of ginsenosides, which are a type of plant-based sugar and are believed to be responsible for most of ginseng's curative and preventative properties.
Furthermore, ginseng powder is also used by healthy individuals seeking to enhance performance. While studies on its effectiveness are inconclusive, many people take ginseng to enhance physical performance and lose weight. Additionally, in spite of a lack of scientific evidence, there are a number of brands of ginseng capsules aimed to help stimulate sexual arousal and treat erectile dysfunction. However, the intake of ginseng powder in supplements to help improve memory and alertness has been supported by scientific research.
Side Effects of Ginseng Powder
When taken at the correct dosage, ginseng powder is believed to be incredibly safe. However, high amounts of ginseng root over a long period of time may lead to adverse reactions. Symptoms of overuse may include hypertension, hypotension, insomnia, diarrhea, skin rash, and possibly depression. In order to avoid these undesirable effects, the use of ginseng powder in capsules is recommended because they allow better control over the dosage.
Ginseng powder is a convenient way of consuming the ginseng root. It is easy to prepare at home and is a great way to reap all the health benefits this herb contains.
Sources
- American Family Physician, Panax ginseng, 2003
- Diabetes Care, Ginseng Therapy in Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetic Patients: Effects on psychophysical performance, glucose homeostasis, serum lipids, serum aminoterminalpropeptide concentration, and body weight, 1995
- National Institutes of Health, Ginseng, Panax | Asian Ginseng
- Nutrition Bytes, Ginseng and Memory, 1998
- Public Health Nutrition, Efficacy and safety of ginseng, 2000