The spice lily is a product that in the European area you will encounter in most cases only in exotic specialty stores or in the greenhouse of lovers of Far Eastern botany. Yet this plant has much more to offer than just being a beautiful decoration for the winter garden.
Occurrence and cultivation of the spice lily.
The spice lily belongs to the ginger family and is therefore often called sanding ginger. The spice lily is not, as the common name might suggest, a lily plant, but a monocotyledonous plant species of the genus Kaempferia. It thus belongs to the ginger family and is therefore often called sanding ginger. In botanical terminology, the spice lily is called Kaempferia galanga, often abbreviated as K. galanga. Mistakenly, this plant is sometimes called lesser galangal. However, lesser galangal is a different species of the same genus, Alpinia officinarum. The leaves of the spice lily are large and round. The shape of the white to pale purple flowers is reminiscent of lilies. Kaempferia galanga differs from other species of its genus by the absence of a stem and the dark, rust-brown color of its rhizome, the rootstock. The consistency of the yellowish-white interior of the root is soft. The spice lily is originally native to India, but is now also cultivated in parts of Southeast Asia and China. Like all ginger plants, the bulb is characterized by a pungent and strongly aromatic taste and its intense, spicy odor.
Effect and application
Sanding ginger is used as a spice in Malaysian, Balinese and Indonesian cuisine, but is mainly used as a medicinal plant of traditional healing teachings, especially in Ayurvedic medicine. This is an Indian healing art whose goal is to bring consciousness and body into balance. Here, the spice lily is used for its antibacterial and antiphlogistic effect in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. Spice lily is also said to help with diabetes mellitus and obesity. In addition, the root of the plant is particularly appreciated for its analgesic properties. Therefore, it is often used to relieve headaches and toothaches, as well as for rheumatism therapy. For colds and sore throats, a mixture of honey and a powder made from the tubers of sanding ginger has proven effective. Sandingwer can be made into a stimulating tea, which makes you awake without being nervous. Traditional Thai medicine literature also describes the use of the leaves and flowers of the spice lily to treat the fungal skin infection known as Clematis. Furthermore, the spice lily is also said to have appetizing, digestive and laxative properties, which is why it is also used to treat digestive disorders. The essential oils it contains and its strong aromatic smell have led to the spice lily being used as an ingredient in the manufacture of cosmetic products. In addition to perfumes, powders and creams, these include above all shampoos, as the medicinal plant has proven itself as a successful remedy for dandruff in the Asian region. In traditional Chinese medicine, the spice lily is sometimes used to relieve stress, restlessness and depression. The reason for this is probably the euphoric property attributed to the plant. Aphrodisiac and even intoxicating effects of the plant have also been reported. Many of the effects described in traditional medicine are now also being researched in modern medicine. The ingredients of the spice lily have been shown in studies to have antiviral, antibacterial, antiallergenic, antioxidant, aromatherapeutic, analgesic, antihypertensive, sedative, and antitumor effects, among others.
Significance for health, treatment and prevention.
The importance of spice lily for health and treatment of diseases is currently not very high outside the Indian and Asian regions. However, that may change as interest in the plant grows with regard to cancer research. Kaempferol, the active ingredient contained in the plant, is part of several studies looking at breast cancer therapy. Researchers found evidence that kaempferol may help prevent lung and pancreatic cancer.In addition, a change in the awareness of patients with regard to the composition of medications could be observed in recent years. Especially as a natural alternative to conventional pain treatment, sanding ginger could gain in importance, as it does not lead to problems with the stomach like some of the conventional preparations, but even counteracts digestive problems. The pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effect of the spice lily has already been proven in animal experiments. In the meantime, there are more and more physicians who, in addition to classical orthodox medicine, also continue their education in areas of herbal healing methods and use them in a supportive manner when interested and needed. In this sense the treatment with spice lily products would offer itself in the flu time as supplementing and careful therapy against sore throat. Even as a preventive measure against colds Kaempferia galanga can be used: already twice a day to eat a piece of the root with a little salt should help to prevent colds. For rheumatism patients who have not yet been able to achieve the desired success with conventional therapy options, it may also be useful to try out treatment with preparations made from sandingwood root after consulting their doctor. Kaempferia galanga can also help to increase health and general well-being in everyday life. For example, it would be interesting to consider replacing caffeinated drinks with spiced lily tea. This can be brewed from commercially available dried slices of the root. Not only coffee, but especially the increasingly popular energy drinks, in addition to the desired stimulating and awakening effect, can eventually entail dangerous side effects that could be avoided by switching to spiced lily tea.
