Ginseng is one of the Chinese names that may not sound so foreign at all. It has found its way into many mainstream herbal supplements today, doing justice to its literal Chinese translation, “King of Herbs.” As you see, Ginseng is not just any normal supplement ingredient like Vitamin A or E, or selenium and ferrous sulfate. Ginseng is a real plant – a composite of a yellow fleshy root, a green stalk and elongated leaves. After processing, all that’s left of the 30 to 70-centimeter tall herb is a tiny pill that you can swallow or a bag of crushed leaves or dried roots that you can use in your culinary creations.

The herb has been a fundamental part of traditional Chinese medicine and folklore for the past 3,000 years, and the list of benefits which Ginseng offers just keeps on growing. The herb is your ideal remedy for problems concerning metabolism, immunity and the central nervous system. If you have diabetes, keep your ailment curbed with a dose of the herb. Do the same for libido problems; these claims aren’t rubbish. In fact, experiments and documented effects on this touchy topic can be read in medical writings that date back to the Tang Dynasty.

Whether you’re using the Asian or American variety, the usual way to take the herb is orally. You will find the pill a convenient form if you need high doses of the herb without having to spend time on preparation. However, if you prefer to consume less concentrated doses of the herb, you may opt to make tea out of Ginseng leaves.

Building up your metabolic rate sans any steroidal medication is one of the well-documented advantages of Ginseng. Because of this development, the herb is no longer restricted to the traditional tea form, but can now be readily found in contemporary energy drinks which complement your athletic lifestyle.

If you’re not in the mood for tea or energy drinks, try soup. Simply boil a pot of water, add in the Ginseng roots or leaves along with some chicken meat, and voila, you now have a protein-rich and aromatic appetizer to your meals. Again, soup contains a low concentration of the herb, so if your priority is to get the maximum dose of Ginseng possible, don’t force-feed yourself with soup. Take Ginseng in pill form.

Even with the herb’s current lineup of health benefits, research and experiments about Ginseng are practically never ending. Studies suggest a couple of welcome possibilities. First, as an adaptogen, Ginseng can strengthen your body’s immunity to stress. Second, Ginseng may possess anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties, which if proven and tested true can make you more youthful and less prone to cancer.

When you take Ginseng, you may experience a minor side effect that is tied to your increased metabolic rate: a difficulty in sleeping which may or may not escalate to insomnia. Some people have not experienced this side effect at all. The key to managing this potential problem is scheduling. Take the herb before you begin your day so that you can fully use the energy throughout your 8-hour or 12-hour itinerary. By nightfall, you should be sleeping like a baby.

Note: Ginseng overdose is unheard of, but it is best that you take the herb in moderation and only as directed by a qualified herbal medicine practitioner.