Ginseng roots can be dried and sliced and used in soups and teas or eaten or chewed. When making soup, you may add ginseng roots or slices after the soup has been made and allow the ginseng to simmer in the soup for a couple of hours. The ginseng roots or slices will then become soft and can either be mashed and put back into the soup or eaten separately.

Ginseng tea can be made from the whole root or slices of ginseng, which is more convenient since it would not have to simmer as long. It takes about 2 to 3 grams or 5 to 8 slices of ginseng to make a cup of tea. The longer the ginseng remains in the tea, the stronger the tea will be. The ginseng can be reused several times to make tea and then eaten. Another alternative is to simply make tea from ginseng tea bags.

Ginseng can also be used in cooking. Fresh ginseng roots or slices can be added to dishes, such as stir-fry dishes, Ginseng powder can be added when baking and when making rice.

Ginseng extracts can be used to make pills and skin creams. Always check the product labeling for correct dosage before taking it because different products may use different extract standards.