Ashu’s Curiosity
For the last one month, Ashu’s sister has been suffering from respiratory & gastrointestinal problems. Her age is not a major factor but these diseases can be aggravated by wrongful lifestyle & irregular eating habits.
Although Ashu’s father has consulted with the doctor regarding her health condition, medication is not effective till now. A neighbour has suggested to use of Ayurvedic herbs as a medicine. He suggested using Kulanjan herb that is also called Galangal root.
Unlike, modern medical science, Ayurveda has a very different approach to curing the disease with any specific dosha, its aggravation & how to pacify it.
Certain herbs are considered effective in Ayurveda to pacify dosha aggravations. One such herb is Galangal Root, a perennial herb that looks similar to ginger. It has been recommended in Ayurveda as a pacifier of aggravated Kapha & Vata.
Now, Ashu wants to know about Galangal root and its benefits and uses. He knows that only Know Ur Diet is a platform where he can find the more accurate information that he is seeking. Let us see what he finds:
What is the Galangal root?
Galangal root is a perennial herb plant that is native to the Indian subcontinent & has been used in traditional medicines in countries such as India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam & even in China.
Galangal root belongs to the same family of ginger which is the rhizome family. Some important characteristics of this herb are its intense aroma & strong spicy taste. This herb plant can only reach a maximum height of 2cm. You can find it mostly in clusters, have long-hair structure & have greenish-white flowers.
It has round-shaped fruits & they are reddish in colour. Triangular & flat seeds have a pleasant & strong aroma like cardamom. April to July is the flowering & fruiting season for this herbal plant.
Nutritional Value of Galangal Root
Following is the list of nutrients content in the 100g of Galangal Root:
| Nutrient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Calories | 71 Kcal |
| Saturated fats | 0.5g |
| Carbohydrates | 15g |
| Dietary fiber | 2g |
| Protein | 1g |
| Sodium | 12mg |
| Iron | 0.4mg |
| Vitamin C | 6mg |
Ayurvedic Use of Galangal Root
In Hindi, Galangal root is also called as Kulanjan. Ayurveda considers Kulanjan (Galangal root) as a pacifier to Kapha & Vata doshas. Vata is a dosha represents the wind element of the human body while Kapha represents the mucous element.
In Ayurvedic literature, Kulanjan has been mentioned as an immune-modulator, anti-microbial, antiasthmatic, antirheumatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic & anti-ulcerative.
As per the Ayurveda, Kulanjan is a great herb to intensify your internal heat that can boost your immunity & can smooth the working of internal organs. It has a bitter & pungent taste which makes it a good laxative for instant relief in constipation & indigestion.
Similar to this, there are many other Spices & Herbs that have positive implications on our health as per Ayurveda, To Read about them Click Here.
Health Benefits of Galangal Root
Galangal root or Kulanjan can get you several health benefits against chronic and basic health problems. some of them are preventable by regular consumption of this herb:
Cures Respiratory Diseases
Galangal root has been used in Ayurvedic medicines as a cure for most respiratory diseases. This herb is effective in tackling the problem of cough, asthma, common cold & even on Tuberculosis to some extent.
Helps Digestive Systems
Galangal (Kulanjan) would be a superfood for your digestive system. It contains fibres & photo-chemicals that makes it a good laxative. Cooling properties of Galangal root can also comfort your ulcer problem. Due to its aromatic properties, it can also treat your nausea problem.
Lowers Cholesterol
Recent research has shown that Galangal root can effectively increase the synthesize of fatty-acids. Galangal extracts can lower the adverse effects of bad cholesterol (LDL) on your arteries & heart pumps. It is also a cardiac-friendly spice that can lower risk of heart diseases.
Treats Impotency
Galangal root is traditionally used in medicines to stimulate sexual desire & cure the impotency. In many South-east Asian countries, it is also used as a cure for the menstrual disorder.
Medicinal Uses of Galangal Root
Following are some of the ways to use Galangal root (Kulanjan) as a home remedy to treat different diseases:
- Take Galangal root (Kulanjan) with honey to cure various respiratory diseases such as the common cold, cough & Asthma. It is especially effective for children & old age people whose immunity is weaker than others.
- Chewing Galangal raw after peeling its layer can treat motion sickness. This is especially beneficial for pregnant women who commonly experience motion sickness in morning and sometime full day. Just have the slices of Galangal with warm water & honey to treat this problem.
- To boost your stamina, just make a tonic of Galangal root with garlic, tamarind & black pepper. Take this tonic three times a day & you will feel a rejuvenation of your muscles.
Galangal Root Products
You can find a variety of Galangal Root (Kulanjan)-based products at any Ayurvedic shop nearby to your home:
Kulanjan Powder
Made from the crushed extract of Galangal root after drying them. It is very beneficial for dental care. Just rub it on the toothache & you will get instant relief. Another way to use it is as a cooling agent by rubbing it on the sweating area.
Kulanjan Oil
Kulanjan oil is prepared by the steam distillation process on dried Galangal root. You can apply it on the skin to cure any skin-related disorders. Apply it to hair & the anti-fungal properties can tackle your dandruff problem.
Kulanjan Tonic
Kulanjan tonic is made from the liquid extract of Galangal root. You can use it as a cough syrup for respiratory diseases, a laxative for better digestion & even as a medicine to boost your stamina.
Dosage of Galangal Root
There is no scientific research about the ideal dose of the Galangal root (Kulanjan) based products but with experience, we can recommend that:
Kulanjan powder: 1-3 gm per day
Kulanjan Tonic: 10-30ml per day
You can also have Galangal root products in varying doses for different diseases such as:
- For Cold: have 50gm Kulanjan powder with hot milk & sugar at bedtime.
- For Digestive Disorder: consume 3gm of Kulanjan powder before every meal.
- For Cough: crush 5g of galangal root & soak it in water for 4 hrs then drink that water with honey.
- For Fever: mix Kulanjan powder & sugar. Take 1 tsp with hot water or hot milk at bedtime.
Side-Effects of Galangal Root
Galangal root (Kulanjan) is primarily used in Indian & Chinese traditional medicines because of its safe nature & high nutritional benefits.
But at the same time, we need to see that there are only limited scientific studies have been conducted about its effects on the human body.
Some of its side effects such as lack of appetite, excessive urination, fatigue & even diarrhoea are all associated with consumption in large quantities or over-dosing.
Recent studies have also highlighted that it can cause a slight spike in blood pressure. Due to this, people with hypertension should use it with utmost caution.
But at the same time, there is no doubt that Galangal root is an effective herb that can be trusted for its healing properties for centuries.
Conclusion
Ashu now has clarity that Galangal root is an herbal plant that has great health benefits and has several medicinal uses. It belongs to the rhizome family & it is native to southeast Asian countries including India, where it is known as Kulanjan.
Due to its anti-microbial & anti-inflammatory properties, Galangal root has been part of traditional medicines in India & China.
Health benefits of Galangal root include a cure for respiratory diseases, and gastrointestinal diseases, a boost in stamina & treatment of impotence.
Galangal Root is mostly safe for consumption but a high dose can be problematic as some side-effects are being reported.
