Ginger is frequently used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine as a warming element to reduce symptoms associated with nausea, indigestion, and muscle pain. The rhizome can be used fresh or dried and is also pressed into an essential oil for topical use. Ginger is made into an herbal tea in the Philippines called salabat, which is consumed to relieve nausea and to ward off flu and colds.

Ginger can be utilized in both raw and cooked applications and is most often used as a spice or herb in fresh, dried, ground, pickled, or powdered form. When raw, the rhizome can be minced and added to smoothies, shredded and mixed into salads, noodle dishes, or tofu dishes, and blended into dressings and marinades. Ginger can also be used in cooked applications, tossed into soups, curries, roasts, and stews, baked into cookies, bread, and muffins, or used to flavor meats, gravies, and vegetable dishes. In addition to culinary dishes, Ginger is often used as a flavoring for beer, tea, candies, and lozenges, or it can be pickled and paired with fresh seafood or kimchi. Ginger pairs well with meats such as poultry, beef, pork, and fish, other seafood, carrots, Brussel sprouts, spinach, lentils, chickpeas, cranberries, and chocolate. The rhizome will keep for one month when stored in a paper or plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. The rhizome can also be grated and frozen.

Gingers are available year-round.