Nutritive value of some indigenous plant rhizomes resembling Ginger

Rhizomes of certain Ginger like species, viz. Alpinia officinarum Hance, A. galanga Willd., A. zerumbet (Pers.) Burtt & R M Smith (syn. A. speciosa K. Schum.), A. calcarata Rosc. and Kaempferia galanga Linn. have high medicinal value belonging to family Zingiberaceae. These rhizomes have a good nutritive value also (350.9 Cal per 100 g) and are quite rich in protein and carbohydrate, but low in fat. Rhizomes of A. officinarum, A. zerumbet and A. calcarata have high iron content with a moderate and balanced content of carbohydrate, protein, fat and crude fibre. Rhizomes of A. galanga are lowest in fat content but richest in carbohydrate. A. calcarata is lowest in Mn, Ni and K but richest in Ca and Na. Study shows the biologically important metals Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ca and Na to be sufficient in rhizomes of K. galanga. All these studied materials have a moderate to good antimicrobial activity.