Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems about one meter tall bearing narrow leaf blades. When you’re eating ginger, you’re eating the root (called the rhizome), which resembles a smaller sweet potato or even a gnarled tree. However, ginger packs a powerful punch. Not only does it contain vitamin C, magnesium and potassium, but it also provides multiple health benefits.