This plant is known as a herb that helps nourish the body, relieve pain, and supports the treatment of various diseases.
Benefits of Ground Ginseng
Ground ginseng, or yam ginseng, is a plant found in home gardens, forests, or damp areas. It is considered a famous specialty of Lào Cai Province. Externally, ground ginseng resembles sweet potato. However, when cut open, it has a light yellow color, is juicy, and has a fragrant smell somewhat similar to ginseng.
You can peel it and eat it raw as a dessert, prepare salads, boil it, cook it with pork bones, or extract its juice. When eaten raw, ground ginseng offers a sweet, refreshing taste, is very juicy, and crunchier than jicama. Cooking it in bone soup enhances its fragrant smell, adds sweetness, and it is delicious when sliced thinly for salad or wrapped in rice paper.
Ground ginseng originates from the Andes mountains in South America. It is a traditional food of the local indigenous people. What we eat is the tuber that lies underground. Although it looks like sweet potato on the outside, there are significant differences in its interior and flavor. The flesh of sweet potato is soft and fibrous, while ground ginseng’s flesh is crystal-like, fresh, sweet, and crunchy, somewhat resembling raw water chestnut.
Ground ginseng belongs to the Portulacaceae family and its scientific name is Talinum fruticosum. In folklore, ground ginseng is also known by various names such as Malabar ginseng, herbal ginseng, and Indochinese ginseng.
Ground ginseng is not very common in daily life, with many people having never seen it, let alone eaten it.
This plant is often used as a daily vegetable. Moreover, it is a very beneficial herb for health, effective in treating diseases, especially when combined with other medicinal ingredients, which can yield even more significant results. However, it is essential to know how to use it in moderation to avoid unwanted side effects.
Ground ginseng is often used as a daily vegetable.
Supports Joint Treatment
Ground ginseng can prevent and support the treatment of osteoporosis and joint pain. This is because it contains fructooligosaccharides, which enhance calcium absorption in the body and provide essential minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus to help strengthen bones. Therefore, this tuber can prevent and support the treatment of osteoporosis.
Supports Lowering Blood Sugar
The yam ginseng tuber contains many fructooligosaccharides (FOS) that help the body not absorb simple sugars, reduce glucose levels in the liver, and increase insulin activity in the body, supporting treatment for people with diabetes.
Positively Improves Diabetes
The root of ground ginseng contains fructooligosaccharides, which support the body’s absorption of simple sugars, reduce glucose in the liver, and enhance insulin activity. Its sweetness primarily comes from oligosaccharides, making it very suitable for diabetics. Therefore, diabetic patients should increase their intake of this food.
Ground ginseng can prevent and support the treatment of osteoporosis and joint pain.
Cancer Prevention
Ground ginseng contains a high level of antioxidants, particularly pectin. This natural fiber helps inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The vitamin compounds in ground ginseng also contribute to excellent antioxidant effects, antibacterial properties, and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Improves Digestive System
Similar to its cancer prevention effects, the pectin in ground ginseng also helps improve digestive issues such as indigestion effectively. The prebiotic component in ground ginseng stimulates the growth of beneficial gut microbiota, maximizing absorption of vitamins and minerals in the digestive system. This component also alleviates conditions like bloating, stomach ulcers, and constipation.
Excessive consumption of ground ginseng over a long time can lead to body poisoning.
Weight Loss
Ground ginseng has been shown to promote weight loss. Eating ground ginseng helps you feel full longer, thereby reducing food intake and increasing bowel motility, accelerating the elimination process from the body. Since ground ginseng contains no starch and is very low in calories, it is a healthy weight-loss food for women.
Good for Constipation
Ground ginseng is rich in vitamins, specifically vitamins B1, B2, C, and niacin. The B vitamins are beneficial for metabolic disorders, while niacin lowers cholesterol levels. This plant also contains selenium, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid, which are phenolic compounds that slow down cellular aging.
The ground ginseng tuber contains a large amount of water and sugar, with over 87% water content and high carbohydrate levels. Data shows that the average carbohydrate content of ground ginseng is 10.6g/100g; in different growing areas, the carbohydrate content varies, for instance, the figure for ground ginseng in Sichuan (China) reaches up to 73.2g/100g, nearly four times that of potatoes.
Carbohydrates found in most tuberous plants are primarily in the form of starch, while ground ginseng contains almost no starch. Fructooligosaccharides are the main carbohydrates, accounting for 45% to 65% of the tuber’s dry matter, thus earning it the title of “King of Fructooligosaccharides”.
The ground ginseng tuber has over 87% water content and high carbohydrate levels.
When we consume fructooligosaccharides, they are utilized by beneficial gut bacteria, promoting the growth of good bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and regulating the gut microbiota. Studies have indicated that fructooligosaccharides from ground ginseng have a better effect on the growth of bifidobacteria compared to inulin, by 1.5 to 2 times. As a soluble fiber, it has water-absorbing and swelling properties, which can increase stool volume when absorbing water, promoting stool formation, and yielding a softer texture, making it very beneficial for those with constipation.
Avoid Overconsumption
Despite its many effective benefits, excessive consumption of ground ginseng over a long period can lead to body poisoning. Dangerous symptoms of poisoning may include sweating, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, urticaria, irritability, etc. Upon noticing these symptoms, you must stop using it immediately before the situation worsens.
Additionally, some patients suffering from conditions such as hepatitis, cholecystitis, kidney dysfunction, or gout should exercise caution when using ground ginseng, as it may reduce the effectiveness of their treatments.
