Besides the popular role of Ginger on “Gilligan’s Island”, ginger (the herb)... known as Zingiber officinale, is a shoot-like plant with a single purple-green flower that contains a thick root from which uses for this plant originate. It is native to coastal India, but it now grows and is harvested commonly in Jamaica, China, Africa and the West Indies. The root is the source of ginger’s familiar aroma, and is also the source of the spice made from a drying the root and grinding it into a powder. Ginger has been used throughout history as an aid for many gastrointestinal disturbances as well as to relieve inflamed joints. In addition to its other uses, the Chinese still use ginger as a tasty marinade to detoxify meats.