Tag: Culinary ginger

While most people are familiar with the zesty, peppery root from the grocery store, not all plants in the ginger family are safe to eat. Understanding what type of ginger is edible is crucial to avoid potentially toxic ornamental or wild varieties.

While most people commonly use the gnarled, underground stem known as a rhizome for cooking, it's actually just one part of the versatile ginger plant with culinary uses. So, **what part of the ginger plant do you use** if you are looking for new flavors or simply want to reduce waste? The answer lies in the plant's leafy shoots, which possess a milder, citrusy aroma.

The ginger family, *Zingiberaceae*, contains over 1,300 species, but not all are safe for human consumption. Understanding which varieties are edible is crucial for culinary and medicinal uses, as some, like wild ginger, contain potentially harmful toxins.

While both belong to the *Zingiber* family, shampoo ginger (*Zingiber zerumbet*) and regular ginger (*Zingiber officinale*) are different species with distinct uses. This fundamental botanical distinction means that despite a similar family name, they are not interchangeable for culinary purposes.