If Ginger and Vanilla had a Baby…

If Ginger and Vanilla had a Baby…

White’s  Ginger (aka Mondia; Mondia whitei) is a plant valued for many diverse  uses.  As a food, the fresh, cooked or dried leaves are consumed as a  vegetable, and its vanilla-like scent is enjoyed both as a fragrance and  also as a spice.

It is the roots that are the most sought-after,  however, with a flavor like ginger or licorice and aroma like vanilla,  and popular medicinal uses that has led to overharvesting of plants.

There  are efforts to promote cultivation, as White’s Ginger makes an  interesting horticultural specimen, and in an agroforestry situation it  can be grown to reinforce enclosures.

White’s Ginger is a  climbing shrub endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa producing reddish-purple  flowers with green edges and large opposite leaves with purple veins on  the underside of the leaves. The climbing stems are produced from large  tuberous rootstocks.

The roots are bitter tasting at first and  then turning sweet. They are used to make a beverage in Africa similar  to ginger beer, and when brewed in alcohol they are used to make an  energizing drink for wedding parties.

White’s Ginger is favored  as an aphrodisiac and a health-promoting tonic herb. It is also  traditionally used for a number of other indications, such as for an  antidepressant, for aches and pains, sexual dysfunction, for digestion,  digestive complaints, to treat stress and tension, respiratory health,  urinary health, and as an appetite stimulant.

Potential  bioactives of interest found present in White’s Ginger include phenolic  compounds, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, alkaloids, terpenoids and  cardiac glycosides.

Through scientific investigation, White’s  Ginger has been confirmed to have aphrodisiac, antidepressant,  antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase,  antiepileptic and anthelmintic activities, among others.

#ethnobotany #biodiversity #medicinalplants #aphrodisiac #vanilla #mondia #ginger #tonic #africa #antidepressant
Photo by JMK
*This  content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not  intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of such advice  or treatment from a personal physician.

Scroll to Top