Commercial ginseng is sold in dozens of countries, with China as the largest consumer. In 2025, the global ginseng market is estimated to be worth about USD740 – 920 MILLION
2,000 YEARS and its powerful effects have been
Commercial ginseng is sold in dozens of countries, with China as the largest consumer. In 2025, the global ginseng market is estimated to be worth about USD740 – 920 MILLION
GINSENG Panax
Famous for its various benefits, ginseng is one of the most well-known and researched herbs. There are 11 species of ginseng, including American, Asian and Siberian ones. Because they vary in concentration of active compounds, they have different effects on the body. Ginsenosides, the main active component of ginseng, are responsible for the root’ s antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties, which studies have demonstrated. Ginseng protects the body from free-radical damage and thus prevents cancer. Studies have found that taking ginseng boosts the immune system of post-surgery cancer patients, reduces fatigue and increases energy levels. Besides being effective in maintaining blood sugar level, ginseng consumption is known to improve mood and mental functions like memory. It is also being studied as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. Ginseng can be eaten raw, steamed or boiled in soups. Many Asian species are extinct or severely endangered due to overharvesting.
LINGZHI Ganoderma sichuanense
Also known as reishi, this mushroom has been recognised for its medicinal benefits for over 2,000 years. The benefits of lingzhi were recorded in Shen Nong’ s Herbal Classics, the first book that describes herbs and their medicinal value, written between the first and second centuries CE; and Bencao Gangmu, a Ming dynasty-era encyclopaedic gathering of medicine, natural history, and Chinese herbology. Lingzhi is believed to increase energy, strengthen cardiac function, improve memory, boost immunity and lower the risk of cancer and heart disease. It has been used to treat dizziness, insomnia, palpitations, shortness of breath as well as infectious diseases such as bronchitis and hepatitis. Wild lingzhi is rare and was something only nobles could afford. It is now cultivated and widely available. It is commonly taken in powder or extract form but can be eaten fresh too.
Lingzhi has been recognised as a medicinal mushroom for over
2,000 YEARS and its powerful effects have been
documented in ancient scripts. The word lingzhi( 靈芝) was first recorded by the Han dynasty polymath Zhang Heng( CE 78 – 139)