Nutritional value of cultivated ginseng

Since ancient times, ginseng, a traditional Chinese medicinal material, has been popular with everyone, because ginseng is mainly a perennial herb that absorbs a large amount of the essence of the earth during its growth process and has high nutritional and medicinal value. However, in modern society, wild ginseng is rare and scarce, so many artificially cultivated ginsengs have appeared. So what is the nutritional value of artificially cultivated ginseng?

More than 30 kinds of ginsenosides (divided into three groups, namely oleanolic acid group, protoginsadiol group and protoginsenotriol group) have been isolated from red ginseng, raw sun-dried ginseng or white ginseng, respectively called ginsenoside (Ginsenoside)-RX (Note: X=0, a1, a2, a3, b1, b2, b3, c, d, e, f, g1, g2, g3, h1, h2, h3, s1, s2), and there is also pseudoginsenoside F11, etc. Saponins are the material basis of ginseng's physiological activity. When separating aglycones, due to the action of dilute acid, the hydroxyl group and olefin bond of the side chain of the molecule are cyclized to form ginsenoside and ginsenoside. Both ginsenoside and ginsenoside are triterpenoid compounds.

Organic acids and esters include: citric acid, isocitric acid, fumaric acid, ketoglutaric acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, maleic acid, malic acid, pyruvic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, ginseng acid, salicylic acid, vanillic acid, p-hydroxycinnamic acid, triglycerides, palmitic acid, tripalmitin, α,γ-dipalmitin, trilinolein, and glycosyl diglycerides.

Vitamins include: vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, vitamin C, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin and niacinamide.

Sterols and their glycosides include: β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, carotene, campesterol, ginsenoside P and sterols.

In addition, ginseng also contains: adenosine converting enzyme, L-aspartic acid enzyme, β-amylase, sucrose converting enzyme; maltol, nonaconic acid, kaempferol, ginseng flavonoids and more than 20 trace elements such as copper, zinc, iron, and manganese.

The saponin content of ginseng stems and leaves is basically the same as that of the roots. The total saponin content of ginseng roots, ginseng buds, ginseng leaves, ginseng flowers, ginseng fruits, etc. is higher than that of the roots, and is worthy of further utilization.