Latin Name: Zingiber officinale

Plant Family: Zingiberaceae
Plant Part Used: Rhizomes
Extraction Method: Steam distillation
Scent: Warm, spicy and woody
Color: Pale yellow to dark amber
Viscosity: Thin
Shelf Life: 6 years
Max Dermal Use Level: 4%
Notes (Perfume): Base (to Middle)
Phototoxic: Yes (very low level)
Safe for Kids: No
Safe for Pregnancy: Yes
Safe for Breastfeeding: Yes
Has GRAS Status: Yes
Chemical Families: sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, monoterpenols
Primary Chemical Constituents: alpha zingiberene, beta bisabolene, beta sesquiphellandrene, germacrene D isomer, camphene
Blends well with:

(Worwood, 2016, p. 592)

bay (West Indian), bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, cistus, clove bud, coriander seed, cypress, frankincense, geranium, grapefruit, immortelle, jasmine, juniper berry, lemon, lime, mandarin, marjoram (sweet), niaouli, orange (sweet), palmarosa, patchouli, petitgrain, plai, rosalina, rose maroc, rosemary, rose otto, sandalwood, spearmint, turmeric, vanilla, vetiver, ylang ylang 

General Information

Ginger essential oil is extracted using steam distillation from the root (rhizome) of the perennial herb Zingiber officinale, which is better known as ginger. Ginger is native to China, India and Southeast Asian countries where it is often used as spice and medicine. In traditional Chinese medicine, ginger is often used to treat digestive, respiratory and circulation problems.

Currently, India and China are the leading producer and exporter of ginger essential oil. Ginger CO2 extracts are also available and have closer chemical composition to the actual plant as compared to the steam distilled essential oil.

Some in vitro studies showed that ginger essential oil has anticancer activity against certain types of cancer, specifically prostate and lung cancer (Tisserand & Young, 2014).

Therapeutic Properties

(Worwood, 2016, p. 592)

Analgesic – reduces pain sensation
Antiseptic – prevents and kills microorganisms which include bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa
Antispasmodic – relieves muscle spasms
Antitussive – relieves cough
Carminative – has calming (sedative) effect
Circulatory - promotes flow of blood and lymph
Expectorant – promotes removal of mucus from the body
Febrifuge – anti-fever agent
Fortifying – strengthen the immune system
Pectoral – beneficial for diseases or conditions of the chest and respiratory system
Stimulant – increases alertness and energy
Stomachic – promotes appetite and aids digestion
Thermogenic – stimulates heat production

Uses and Benefits

Help Improve Digestion

If you are experiencing digestion problems like constipation or stomach spasm, you can create a massage oil with ginger essential oil and rub it onto your stomach.

Relieve Joint and Muscle Pain

Ginger essential oil can also be used as natural painkiller. Its warming properties help improve blood circulation and reduce pain. It is an ideal remedy to treat sore muscles, arthritis, rheumatism and menstrual cramp. You can incorporate ginger essential oil to your favorite pain relief massage oil or balm.

Relieve Nausea

If you experience nausea due to pregnancy (e.g. morning sickness), motion sickness (while travelling) or migraine, then adding a few drops of ginger essential oil to your diffuser can help reduce nausea.

Treat Symptoms of Cold and Flu

Ginger essential oil is a great way to treat common symptoms of cold and flu such as cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and mild fever. You can make a vapor rub or an inhaler blend using a combination of ginger, peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils.

Disinfect the Room

Using ginger essential oil in room spray will not only add an energizing aroma to your house, it can also cleanse the air, thanks to its antiseptic properties. Ginger essential oil blends well with citrus (e.g. sweet orange) and spicy (e.g. black pepper) oils.

Skin Care

Ginger essential oil has an ability to prevent and fight pimple-causing bacteria, so you can combine it with lavender or tea tree essential oil to create a facial serum for people with oily and/or acne-prone skin.

Hair Care

Ginger essential oil can stimulate hair growth by improving blood circulation to the scalp. The antiseptic properties of ginger oil can also help treat dandruff problems. Create your own hair tonic by mixing ginger essential oil with carrier oils that are good for the hair like avocado, jojoba and argan oil.

Safety Information

• No known contraindication with any medical drugs, procedures and conditions.
• Has been given GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means that it is safe for ingestion (depending on the safe dosage). It is highly recommended to consult first a health professional before ingesting any essential oil.
• Ginger essential oil has low level of phototoxicity but its phototoxic effects are not considered significant. (Tisserand & Young, 2014). As a precaution, it is suggested to avoid direct sunlight or use a sunscreen when using ginger essential oil topically.

P.S. To always get the latest blog updates, don’t forget to follow me on Facebook.