Scientific Name: Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd.
Synonyms: Maranta galanga L.
English Name: Greater Galangal
Other Names in English (UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand): Siamese-ginger, Greater galanga, Thai Ginger
Family: Zingiberaceae
GENERAL DATA
Plant parts: Root
Cultivation mode: Cultivated
In manufacturing: Medicine and for flavoring liqueurs. The rhizome is the source of true galangal oil used in perfume compositions to which it imparts unique, warm, spicy notes.
In food: Is used as a spice in cooking. It is also used to impart a pungent flavor to vinegar.
🟤 Industries That Use Greater Galangal Root (Alpinia galanga)
Here’s a well-organized list of industries that commonly use Greater Galangal root, an aromatic rhizome widely used in culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic sectors.
🌿 What Is Greater Galangal Root?
Greater Galangal (Alpinia galanga) is a rhizome belonging to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), native to Southeast Asia and widely cultivated in Iran, India and Thailand. It resembles ginger in appearance but offers a distinctively sharp, citrusy, and pine-like aroma, with warming and stimulating effects.
Rich in essential oils, flavonoids, galangin, and tannins, galangal has long been used in traditional medicine, functional beverages, and culinary recipes across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
1. Culinary & Food Industry
Key applications:
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Popular spice in Thai, Indonesian, Persian, and Middle Eastern dishes
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Core ingredient in soups (like Tom Yum), curries, and stews
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Used in spice blends, herbal broths, and marinades
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Added to flavored vinegars, pickles, and sauces
✅ Known for its warming, peppery, citrus-ginger flavor
2. Pharmaceutical & Herbal Medicine Industry
Traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda, Unani, and Persian medicine use galangal for its stimulating, anti-inflammatory, and digestive properties.
Applications:
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Carminative for gas, bloating, and indigestion
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Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent for respiratory infections
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Used to enhance circulation and libido
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Often added to joint pain formulas and tonics for fatigue
✅ Found in capsules, decoctions, powders, and digestive tinctures
3. Nutraceutical & Functional Beverage Industry
Modern health products utilize galangal in:
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Herbal teas, shots, and syrups for immune and digestive health
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Adaptogenic formulas for energy and stress support
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Used alongside turmeric and ginger in anti-inflammatory elixirs
✅ Acts as a warming stimulant with antioxidant and gut-supportive actions
4. Cosmetic & Personal Care Industry
Galangal’s antioxidant and antimicrobial qualities are used in:
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Anti-acne creams and toners
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Scalp stimulation oils and anti-dandruff shampoos
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Natural toothpaste and oral hygiene products
✅ Particularly valued in herbal skincare and Southeast Asian beauty recipes
5. Veterinary & Livestock Use
In some regions, galangal is used as a:
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Digestive tonic for poultry and livestock
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Mild antimicrobial additive in natural feed blends
✅ Seen in ethnoveterinary practices of South and Central Asia
✅ Summary Table – Greater Galangal Root 🟤
| Industry | Common Uses |
|---|---|
| Culinary & Food | Soups, stews, curries, spice blends, pickles |
| Pharmaceutical & Herbal | Digestive aid, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial formulas |
| Nutraceutical | Wellness teas, energy shots, anti-inflammatory drinks |
| Cosmetic & Skincare | Acne relief, scalp tonics, oral care |
| Veterinary | Natural digestive tonic in poultry and livestock feed |
🌱 Key Features:
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Sliced and dried rhizome of Alpinia galanga (Greater Galangal)
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Contains essential oils, galangin, eugenol, and tannins
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Used in Persian, Thai, and Ayurvedic systems for centuries
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Known for its pungent, warming effect in food, medicine, and wellness
PRODUCT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
Persian Name: خولنجان/ Khulanjan
German Name (Deutschland, Austria, Switzerland): Galgant, Siamesische Ingwerlilie
French Name (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec): Petite Galanga, Galangal Officinal, Galanga de l’Inde, Grand galanga
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About Alpinia Galanga
Alpinia galanga is an underground herbaceous and perennial plant whose height reaches one and a half meters. The stem of this plant is smooth and relatively thick and has a circular cross section. The leaves of this plant are elongated, oval and often pointed and grow without petioles.
The flowers are white and tabular and grow in spikes. Each flower has four petals. The three petals are oval and relatively small, but the tongue petal is a little bigger and wrinkled, and its inner edge is reddish pink with white veins.
The fresh underground stem of the plant is swollen, knotty, white, with pink spots. From each node of the underground stem of this plant, a new plant grows. The roots coming out of the underground stem are white and relatively thick. These roots become dark red and brownish after aging. Greater Galangal has a thick and pleasant aroma and a rather spicy taste.
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Alpinia Galanga Chemical Constituents
The constituents of the rhizome, the drug, are a volatile oil and flavonoids. The volatile oil, amounting to 1%, consists of 1,8-cineole, a-pinene, b-pinene, methyl cinnamate, etc. Flavonoids reported are about 14, including quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, galangin and 3-OMe galangin.
Great Galangal Temperament
Second degree of hot and dry.
Great Galangal Health Benefits
- Pulverize and eat Greater Galangal root. Relieves stomach pain, strengthens the kidneys and organs of the gastrointestinal tract, reduces urination and treats enuresis, clears the voice and relieves headaches caused by moist, treat burping, back pain, rheumatism and sciatica.
It makes the body more resistant to cancer, and slows the progression of cancer in people who have cancer. - Drink four grams of pulverized Lesser Galangal root solve in a glass of freshly milked goat’s milk. It makes lots of erection.
- Gently pulverize 25 grams of Greater Galangal root, then boil it with 40 grams of fresh milk and drink it. Increases men’s lust.
- Hold it in your mouth and suck. Eliminates bad breath.
- Eat some of its powder and keep a piece of it in your mouth constantly. Treats stuttering.
- Pulverize Greater Galangal root, then mix it with a little olive oil and apply it on the face every night. It eliminates freckles on the face.
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