What is Panax ginseng? Why does it grow in the shade, and how does steam turn the harvested root into red ginseng?
Korean ginseng is Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, a plant native to East Asia. Its root gave “ginseng” its enduring place in regional traditions — a story of people and cultivation long before the root reaches a glass jar.
Korea has a long tradition of cultivating and preparing ginseng. The place, the botanical species and the method of preparation help us understand what is inside each package.
White and red ginseng are not different species. White ginseng is dried; red ginseng is steamed first, then dried. Steam and time change the root’s appearance and composition.
Ginsenosides are characteristic compounds of Panax ginseng. Their amounts vary between products and may be declared in an extract’s specification.
Ginlac works with red ginseng and uses fermentation in part of its production. Duo Gold and Fermented Extract Gold contain fermented ingredients in different proportions; you can find each one on its product page.
Ginlac grows ginseng and makes products in Korea. KUAN Industrial Co. Ltd. processes the root into extract and prepares it for packaging.
Ginseng prefers shade to direct sun. The choice of soil and careful attention to moisture are part of its cultivation.
A root may remain in the same soil for four to six years before harvest. “Six-year” describes specific products, not every ginseng root.
Older Korean accounts describe ginseng offered as a gesture of regard. Duo Gold’s wooden presentation case gives that idea a contemporary form.
Historical and cultivation source: Korea Ginseng Association ↗ · Association English booklet (PDF, 35 MB) ↗
The old letters recall a root chosen as a personal gift. Today it appears in different forms: extracts, drinks, capsules and skincare.
Further sources: European Medicines Agency ↗ · NIH / NCCIH ↗ · Ginlac EU ↗
From a Joseon scholar’s letters to a modern wooden case: how Korean ginseng found a place in the art of giving.
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From fresh root to white or red ginseng, then to extract: what changes at each stage of preparation.
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