There are various types of ginseng, all belonging to the Araliaceae family, but only some of them can be classified within the genus Panax . In fact, although (botanically speaking) the term ginseng indicates a well-defined Species of shrubs, the same name is often used in the common language to mention the Species quinquefolius (belonging to the same genus of ginseng ) and the Specie senticosus (instead, under the Genus Eleutherococcus ). NB. The latter is also known as "Siberian ginseng".
Other plants commonly called ginseng are: Panax notoginseng, Angelica sinensis, Withania somnifera etc.
Ginseng is a typically oriental herbalist / medicinal / phytotherapeutic product, of which the root is consumed essentially (fresh or processed). However, for many years, its trade has spread throughout the West, especially with regard to its tonic and immunostimulant properties; secondly, ginseng is also known for certain aphrodisiac, hypoglycemic and favoring sports performance characteristics. Not all the features already mentioned are scientifically proven (in particular, aphrodisiac properties are favored and sports performance is favored).
NB . Some ginseng plants are used for ornamental purposes; however, in general, these are NOT edible.
Below we will list the main types of ginseng available on the market, namely the best known and sold ones; this will help the consumer to better understand the difference between one product and another.
Asian Ginseng (edible portion: root): is Panax ginseng . Almost always cultivated, Asian ginseng is always commercially available in the red type; more rarely in white. According to traditional Chinese medicine, ginseng promotes yang energy and is opposed to the surplus of yin .
The Asian areas richest in ginseng are: Korea, northeast China, Bhutan and eastern Siberia.
American Ginseng (edible portion: root): is the Panax quinquefolius. According to traditional Chinese medicine, quinquefolius promotes yin energy and reduces the excess of yang .
The richest areas of quinquefolius are: Ontario (Canada), British Columbia (Canada) and Wisconsin (USA).
Siberian Ginseng: is the Eleutherococcus senticosus . It is a small shrub belonging to the Araliaceae family, native to eastern and northeastern Asia (China, Korea, Japan and Russia). It is also known as Eleuthero or Ciwujia and it also has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is known as "cì wì Jia".
Fresh Ginseng: as anticipated, in Italy it is quite difficult to find, as most of the crops / collection points are in Asia or in North America.
Wild Ginseng: it grows spontaneously and is harvested by hand. It has become quite rare due to the collection by man; obviously, the massive sampling does not respect the multiplication and growth times of the ginseng plants, which can be even some years. Wild ginseng is present both in Asia ( Panax ginseng ), and in America ( Panax quinquefolius ), and can be processed to become red or white.
NB . Plants grown in the wild have a value comparable to that of spontaneous ginseng of the same age.
In Vermont, Maine, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, West Virginia and Kentucky, the " United Plant Savers " started a sort of cultivation in the wild, encouraging the planting of many specimens. The intervention is aimed at restoring natural habitats (of which the quinquefolius is an integral part) and limiting the pressure of the collection on the Species. The partially sprouted seeds are planted from early spring until late autumn, and germinate by the spring of the following year.Red Ginseng: also known as hong-sam, hong shen etc., is a product derived from ginseng root . Its processing involves peeling, steaming at 100 ° C and drying in the sun. Red ginseng is often "marinated" in an herbal infusion, a procedure that makes the roots extremely delicate.
White Ginseng: it is a process originating from America and involves the drying of the quinquefolius root without any preliminary treatment outside the peeling. The drying takes place in the sun and, from the chemical analysis, it emerged that this system improves its nutritional content compared to fresh roots. It is conceivable that this occurs due to the exposure of the peeled surface to the light that would promote enzyme activation. The water percentage of white ginseng is 12%. The yellowish white color is induced by exposure to the sun.
