A type of ginger native to Southeast Asia has anti-cancer properties, a new study reveals. What it is: This ginger is called kencur (Kaempferia galanga L.), which is typically used as a spice or prepared as herbal tea. What it does: Researchers from Japan’s Osaka Metropolitan University found that kencur extract and its main active component, ethyl p-methoxycinnamate (EMC), can significantly suppress the growth of cancer cells in cellular and animal experiments.