It won’t surprise my regular readers when I say that I absolutely love learning and sharing accessible, evidence-based approaches to improving the health of my clients and those who follow my content.

When the opportunity arose, as it has today, to collaborate with the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association, I knew right away that I was about to expand my knowledge into the realm of Panax quinquefolius Ginseng.

That’s a mouthful isn’t it?

Panax quinquefolius Ginseng, also known as North American Ginseng (NAG), is native to Canada and was found growing near Montreal in the 1700s. 

DID YOU KNOW…

The ginseng industry is the LARGEST field grown horticultural export crop in Canada?

Precisely why I’ll be referring to it as Canadian Ginseng for the remainder of today’s post.

In fact, we export 95% of the ginseng we grow here in Ontario across the globe.

The clean air, water and soil that we are privileged to have in Southern Ontario makes for a high quality and highly sought after product mimicking that of wild ginseng – so it’s no surprise we export so much!

 Pretty impressive right?

We haven’t even got to the science yet!

It’s important to acknowledge before we do that ginseng has been highly revered for its medicinal properties for thousands of years, playing a meaningful role in Traditional Chinese Medicine and being an important aspect of both Chinese and First Nation’s culture.

In recognition of its rich history and massive future potential, I’ve collaborated today with the OGGA to explore specific aspects of Canadian Ginseng’s health benefits through the “metabolic health” lens – which is really just a fancy way to say having to do with the metabolism of food and its influence on our body.

Not quite sure what I mean by that? 

You’re about to find out!

Ginseng & Metabolic Health – The Science

One of the most relevant aspects of metabolic health is the way in which our cells respond to insulin (known as insulin sensitivity) – the hormone which helps our cells remove sugar from the bloodstream and utilize it for energy.

Insulin sensitivity means our cells respond as they should to insulin, but having poor or declining insulin sensitivity can increase our risk of health outcomes like fatty liver, pre/type 2 diabetes and PCOS.

Here’s the good news…

Canadian ginseng contains a number of unique bioactive compounds, the most notable of which are known as ginsenosides.

Scientists are increasingly of the belief that these compounds help improve insulin sensitivity in the human body through at least two different potential mechanisms.

• Improving Insulin Production: Ginsenosides may directly stimulate the Beta-cells of the pancreas (which produce insulin) to produce slightly more and make it a little bit easier for our body to regulate blood sugar levels as a result.

• Increasing The Lifespan Of Beta-Cells: Scientists also believe that ginsenosides may contribute to the health of the insulin producing beta-cells by increasing their lifespan. 

Now this is both really cool and real science, but I always like to look for human studies to really bring that science to life and increase our belief in the potential benefits of any dietary or herbal intervention.

Fortunately, we have multiple human studies demonstrating that these theoretical mechanisms do translate into measurable real life benefits of Canadian ginseng consumption.

Let’s take a closer look at those next!

Ginseng & Metabolic Health – The Studies

The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition 2001 & Journal Of The American College Of Nutrition 2000

The two studies shared above were very similar to each other because both explored the influence of ingesting Canadian ginseng prior to a test meal on the blood sugar of healthy adults.

What they found, in summary, is that as little as 1-3g of Canadian Ginseng consumed 30-60 minutes before a meal led to a statistically significant reduction of that meal on the blood sugar response in the participants with a slightly greater benefit found at higher Ginseng doses between 6-9g.

European Journal Of Nutrition 2018

Reducing the influence of a meal on blood sugar levels or just generally driving down blood sugar levels on the whole is a desirable outcome for many people, but especially the case in those living with type 2 diabetes where the influence of ginseng in available studies is also positive.

In the study above adults with type 2 were provided 1g of Canadian Ginseng per meal per day (3g per day total) and told to utilize it 40 minutes prior to their meal – in a similar fashion to the other studies I’ve discussed so far.

The researchers found that when people with T2 did this daily for an 8-week period, both their fasting blood sugar and A1C levels decreased. 

While there is absolutely no replacing professional guidance around nutrition, medication and supplementation – findings like these offer insight into the complimentary role Canadian ginseng could play in improving insulin sensitivity and blood sugar levels over time in conjunction with other changes.

How To Bring Canadian Ginseng Into Your World

Have I got your attention yet?

If you, like me, are relatively new to Canadian Ginseng there are a few more things I’d like to offer you.

Taste wise… Canadian ginseng is earthy and slightly bitter with a touch of sweetness.

Usage inspiration ideas include..

• Ginseng Capsules
• Powdered ginseng in baked goods, smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt and more
• Whole or sliced dried ginseng in coffee, tea, soups or marinades.
• Fresh ginseng, may be harder to find, can be eaten raw, steamed or grated and added to stir fry, soups and stews where 1-2 grams equates to .5 to 1 tsp.

Final Thoughts

I’m proud to admit that I’ve learned some great new raw and culinary science throughout the process of collaboration with the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association and even more proud to be meaningfully contributing to the awareness around a product that is really as local as it gets.

If today’s post has got your Canadian ginseng gears moving, I’d strongly encourage visiting the OGGA website for tons more ideas and inspo.

Are you a health professional? you’ll definitely want to check out the short on-demand webinar to learn even more about how this root can help your clients.

Until next time,

Andy De Santis RD MPH 

BONUS – BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS!!