Nutrition History (from Parts Unknown)

In episode 9 of Nutrition History from Parts Unknown, we are talking about one of the oldest and most renowned herbal medicine in the history of the world—ginseng. Ginseng has a history spanning thousands of years and three continents— it’s story is one filled with various intrigues and some chicanery, connecting an unlikely cast of characters including Manchurian emperors, French Jesuit priests, and a famed American woodsmen. Ginseng has always ranked among the most important and valuable herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM), even today Asian panax ginseng is among the most highly valued forest products, fetching upwards of $1000/lb in Hong Kong markets. When the West became familiarized with ginseng in the 18th century, the herb became synonymous with invigoration, it was touted as a restorative tonic that cured derangements and languid tempers, and more recently ginseng has become the prototypical energizing herbal medicine.