Ginger

Ginger has been cultivated for at least 5,000 years. Confucius is said to have eaten ginger with every meal. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was a prized spice imported via the Silk Road. The Koran mentions it as a drink in Paradise. Medieval Europeans used it to ward off plague, and it appears in virtually every traditional medical system on Earth.

Tradition: Traditional Chinese Medicine

Origin: Southeast Asia