ginger powder and fresh ginger, natural ginger flavor

What is ginger flavor?

From soft and sweet to crisply pungent and spicy, ginger flavor offers us a wide variety of taste experiences. Its unique flavor profile of lemony-citrus and warm earthy notes made ginger a traditional flavor in many cuisines, including Caribbean, Indian, and Asian. Ginger is the star ingredient in many baked goods, seasonal beverages, and savory sauces. Read on to learn more about ginger flavor – from aroma chemistry to food and beverage application!

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Why we love ginger

Ginger is our go-to flavor for adding nuance and warmth in all kinds of flavor systems.  From sweet pumpkin pie lattes to calming green teas and tangy teriyaki sauces, ginger provides earthy flavor notes (grounding), sharp nasal pungency (energizing), and mild to moderate palate heat (comforting).  This broad range of sensory profiles helps stabilize and balance other flavors in a blend, creating harmony and adding rich layers of complexity.  

Used liberally, ginger is bold and characterizing – just the profile a developer needs to convey natural intensity and power in an energy shot or detox tea.  Handled with artful discretion, ginger is the “secret spice” in the most orchestrated of custom flavors, providing a “je ne sais quoi” that is easy to love…but difficult to duplicate.  Whether the star of the show or a supporting cast member, ginger is a humble root with an unforgettable impact.

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The science behind ginger flavor

The first thing you’ll notice when tasting fresh ginger is that it’s extremely pungent. This is a result of a compound called gingerol, which is related to capsaicin and piperine. These two compounds are responsible for the spiciness of chili peppers and black pepper, respectively. However, as ginger is cooked, the gingerol is transformed into a different compound: zingerone. Zingorone still retains the spicy, bright flavor we associate with ginger, but it’s warmer and less pungent. Although ground ginger is more concentrated than the fresh rhizome, it has less of a bite, making it preferable for use in baked goods.

What does ginger taste like?

The distinct, spicy-fresh flavor we associate with ginger primarily comes from the root of the ginger plant, referred to as a “rhizome.” This bulbous branched root is where the plant stores nutrients and energy – and also where it concentrates its characteristic flavor. Dominated by a sharply sweet and mildly fruity warmth, ginger delivers an aromatic depth that is both fresh and zesty. The initial sensation hits the palate with a robust intensity, awakening the taste buds with its distinctive heat. Moving past the initial spark, the flavor profile softens, revealing subtle citrus undertones. This complexity makes ginger a dynamic ingredient in both sweet and savory applications.

Consumers have a broad range of both sensitivity to and appreciation for chemesthesis (the tingling or burning sensation that accompanies chemical irritation of the oral and nasal cavities, such as the heat from chile peppers), and therefore care must be taken when incorporating ginger in a product so as not to alienate your target consumer.

That said, ginger is an amazing spice that plays VERY well with others!  The breadth of its flavor compatibility is pretty impressive.  Check out the infographic below for a selection of flavor categories that – alone or in combination – pair perfectly with ginger.

ginger flavor pairings infographic

Where does ginger flavor come from?

Ginger is indigenous to China, India, and other tropical regions. It no longer exists in its wild state, making it a true “cultigen,” which is essentially a domesticated plant. The earliest evidence of ginger’s selective cultivation is among the ancient Austronesian people, approximately 5,000 years ago. It was a crucial crop for them, used for everything from food and medicine to weaving materials and religious purposes.

Today, the top exporters of ginger include China, Brazil, and Thailand. There are several varieties of ginger, but the the most familiar comes from the perennial plant Zingiber officinale, also known as “common ginger” or “garden ginger”. Each ginger plant can grow up to three feet high! Ginger plants produce 2-5 sections of thick, knobby rhizomes (often called “roots”) that can be harvested throughout the year.

The world history of ginger flavor

Ginger has a long, rich history among cultures around the world. It has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Follow this spice across millenia and continents as it makes its way from Asia to the Americas.

Asian origins

In India and China, the rhizomes were traditionally used in a tonic to treat a wide variety of common ailments. The ancient Chinese philosopher, Confucius, was known to eat a small amount of ginger before every meal, and praised it for its digestive and healing powers. By the 1st century, the word had spread about the inconspicuous rhizome, as traders brought it into the Mediterranean regions.

eastern remedy, ancient Chinese medicine, ginger and goji berries
Ginger has been an indispensable ingredient in Eastern medicine for thousands of years.

Rome and Europe discover ginger

Ginger eventually became a popular spice in Rome, however, its use declined as the Roman Empire fell. It was forgotten in Europe for centuries until it was rediscovered when Marco Polo brought it back from his travels to the East. The Crusades also played a large part in the spice becoming more widely used in Europe, as the Crusaders ventured to far off lands, only to return home with exotic spices from the foreign trade centers. Ginger became known as the “grains of Paradise” and the Atare pepper; with its spicy flavor, it was often used as a substitute for the more expensive black pepper.

silk road trade route, ancient spice trade
Ginger was introduced to the Middle East, Europe, and Africa through an ancient trade route called the Silk Road.

By the 13th century, ginger was widely appreciated in the spice trade and its worth had greatly increased. As with all imported goods at the time, only the most wealthy could afford it. A pound of ginger was worth the price of a whole sheep! Spices like ginger were used in food preparation. It was also common to pass around ginger on a “spice platter” that held assorted condiments for meal customization – similar to how we add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to food today. Members of the royal family and nobility would often follow their meal with a wine spiced with ginger to aid digestion. Clearly, ginger flavor was making its mark on Westerners! However the sweetest invention was yet to come.

Gingerbread is introduced

It was during the Middle Ages that ginger became a popular ingredient for sweet delicacies, like cakes and bread. Gingerbread originated around the 14th century. This ancient recipe was more of a sugary confection than the cake-like variety that’s common today. According to medieval historian Bruno Laurioux, ginger was found in approximately one-quarter of all medieval French and English recipes. There were at least three varieties of ginger used in Renaissance era kitchens, including the common ginger we all know and love.

woman's hands decorating a gingerbread cookie, natural gingerbread flavor
Gingerbread cookies are a Christmas tradition throughout Europe and North America.

From Jamaica to America

As the British Empire grew and expanded into new territories, ginger went with it. The spice was introduced in Jamaica around 1525, where it quickly became established as a successful export. British colonists (in what would later become America) used it and other spices abundantly in their recipes, making ginger a characteristic flavor in traditional American cooking.

ginger flower, ginger plants, Jamaican ginger, wild ginger
Wild ginger grows along the banks of a waterfall in Jamaica.

The health benefits of ginger

The most common medicinal uses for ginger are relieving digestive issues and nausea. It can also help stimulate or improve digestion. Modern science has shown that many types of folk medicine using ginger may have some validity. There’s evidence that along with gastrointestinal issues, ginger also aids in relieving pain and inflammation, supporting cardiovascular health, and may even lower the risk of cancer. With so many potential health benefits, ginger is a functional ingredient worth exploring! Ginger has become a popular natural beverage flavor, partly because of the health halo it shares with ginger root.

Tips for using ginger flavor in food and beverage

Due to its long history in the global spice trade, and subsequent incorporation into global cuisine, ginger flavor has universal appeal.  Beef teriyaki, pumpkin pie, tom kha gai (Thai chicken and coconut soup), and chai tea are all regionally popular recipes that gained worldwide appeal – and all feature ginger as a primary flavor.  Even with its widespread acceptance, it’s important to note that the type and quantity of ginger used in a formulation can be quite polarizing. 

Get more innovative ginger flavor ideas here.

Ginger recipes

Ginger flavor is great any time of year! It is especially welcome during the holiday season when weather cools down and consumers seek feelings of comfort and warmth. Here are three fun ways to add ginger, in its various forms, to your diet this winter:

healthy smoothie, fall beverage flavors
Carrot Apple Ginger Smoothie recipe courtesy of Daily Smoothie
woman adding honey to ginger tea
Soothing Ginger Lemon Tea with Honey recipe courtesy of The Wimpy Vegetarian
Gingerbread Martini, seasonal beverage flavors
Festive Gingerbread Holiday Martini recipe courtesy of 3 Yummy Tummies

As an incredibly versatile spice, you’ll find ginger in a wide array of savory dishes, spice blends, sauces, desserts, marinades, pickled vegetables, curries, condiments, and drinks. The uses are so widely varied that it’s virtually impossible to list them all! Looking to add some spice to your products? Blue Pacific offers the finest certified organic and natural ginger food and beverage flavors.

Searching for the best ginger flavor?

Blue Pacific Flavors has searched the world to find the best natural and organic ginger flavors and extracts.  Request a sample today and start using ginger flavor in your products! 

Request A Sample Ginger
Request a sample of our natural and organic ginger flavors today!

Food and beverage development services

We hope these ideas help launch your next iconic flavor!  Blue Pacific Flavors has been a leader in flavor trends and food and beverage innovation since 1993.  Learn more about our product development services in this video.

We’re passionate about providing the highest level of customer service. Let our flavor business help you build your food or beverage business.

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