In previous articles we’ve talked about the relationship between cannabis and many plants, flowers and fruits, and the similarities between certain compositions.
In the following post, we’ll go over the properties of ginger, its aromatic composition, and what exactly it has in common with cannabis plants; everything you need to know about this curious botanical mystery.
Ginger, Cannabis and Terpenes: an Interesting Relationship
You’ve probably tried ginger in a meal or maybe even a drink, or at least you’ve heard of it, but do you know what ginger is and what its properties are?
Ginger and Nature’s Curative Power
Ginger or Kion is a plant from the zengiberaceae family, from which the root is usually extracted and used in cooking thanks to its fresh, spicy flavor. It’s also used in traditional forms of medicine due to its many benefits.
What are Ginger’s Properties?
Ginger’s medicinal power, due to its composition, is pretty common knowledge and has been used in alternative medicine for a long time, as well as in cooking.
On a nutritional level, it contains sought-after elements; it’s a great source of vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper and manganese. Its intense, spicy and fresh aroma is due to its high terpene content (around 3%), which also increases medicinal properties.
- It’s known for its anti-viral properties.
- It’s used for illnesses such as arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-relief properties.
- Can be used against infections in the respiratory system (colds, bronchitis etc). It’s an expectorant, anti-infectant and an antitussive.
Efficient against kidney stone issues. - Can stimulate and improve blood flow.
- Improves digestion.
- Has diuretic properties.
What Terpenes are in Ginger?
Like we were saying earlier, ginger has a characteristically intense aroma that’s fresh and spicy due to its particular terpene profile and its high concentration of aromatic molecules.
The terpenes which can be found in high concentrations in ginger are Zingiberene, β-Bisabolene, Cineol, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral, Borneol, α-Farnesene, β-Phellandrene and Curcumene; they can be found in different proportions depending on the strain as well as the growing conditions and method. Some terpenes present in ginger are also quite common in cannabis plants, although some are extremely rare and hard to find in cannabis such as:
- Zingiberene: this sesquiterpene is one of the most dominant terpenes in ginger oil, which is where it gets its name from. It can represent up to 30% of the essential oils in this plant (more specifically, its roots).
What do Cannabis and Ginger Have in Common?
Most plants, fruits and flowers have terpenes in common with cannabis. Ginger has quite an interesting, special profile, which includes some terpenes that can be hard to find in other plants.
However, our favorite plant and ginger have a few terpenes in common, such as:
- Linalool
- Cineol
- Gernaoil
- Citral
- Borneol
What Cannabis Strains Have Terpenes in Common with Ginger
As you probably know by now, each cannabis strain has its own unique terpene profile that gives it its characteristic aroma. Let’s have a look at which strains have the most in common with ginger.
Strains rich in Linalool:
Linalool is definitely one of the most common terpenes in cannabis plants, which is why most plants contain it in different proportions. Some strains rich in Linalool are:
Strains rich in Cineol:
Cineol, even though it’s present in many cannabis strains, isn’t usually found among the three main terpenes in any strain. Some strains with high amounts of cineol are:
Other terpenes such as Gernaiol, Citral and Borneol are also present in many cannabis strains, although they tend to be found in small proportions.
We hope you found this post as interesting as we did! If you have any questions, comments or ideas, make sure to leave a comment below.
Until next time!
Cali Terpenes.
