What is cardamom? Cardamom is native to the evergreen forests of India. This spice is commonly used in Indian cuisine, but it has also made its way into Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for mouth ulcers, digestive problems, and even depression. Some of the health benefits of this peppery, citrusy spice are now making their way into modern studies. It’s well worth adding cardamom to your food for the flavor alone, but these health benefits are also something to consider whenever you break out the spices.
What Is Cardamom? Everything You Need to Know
Top 15 Cardamom Benefits
Using cardamom is no longer restricted to cooking Indian-inspired recipes and foods. In fact, cardamom pods, ground cardamom powder, cardamom essential oil, cardamom tea drinks, and other cardamom supplements are available on the market.
With the number of options growing, more and more people consider supplementing with cardamon for overall health. How exactly does the cardamom plant affect the body?
Before you decide to buy multiple pods of cardamom or packets of ground cardamom, check out these 15 health benefits of cardamom:
1. Ease Symptoms of Digestion Problems
Cardamom is related to ginger and can be used in the same way to counteract digestive issues and problems. You can use it to combat nausea, acidity, bloating, gas, heartburn, loss of appetite, constipation, and much more.
Make a cup of cardamom tea and take small sips until your stomach calms down. If you don’t have cardamom tea, you can make your own digestive aid with edible cardamom oil or ground cardamom pods and some hot water.
2. Detoxify the Body and Remove Waste
This spice helps the body eliminate waste through the kidneys. This benefit is ideal for those who want to get rid of the toxins and chemicals from their body to speed up weight and fat loss.
3. Get Rid of Halitosis or Bad Breath
Chew on cardamom leaves! Cardamom is an aromatic spice that leaves a fresh, lingering scent in your mouth when you chew on it.
In India, they chew cardamom seeds or leaves after meals or whenever they need to freshen up their breath.
4. A Powerful Diuretic
Part of the reason cardamom is such a good detoxifier is thanks to its diuretic properties. It helps clean out the urinary tract, bladder, and kidneys, removing waste, salt, excess water, toxins, and combating infections, too.
5. Depression
Drinking relaxing and calming drinks infused with cardamom may be a way to improve one’s mood.
The science behind the antidepressant qualities of cardamom hasn’t been studied yet, but Ayurvedic medicine swears by the tea as a means to fight depression.
Also, it has a wonderful taste and relaxing scent that helps calm the senses. It might not be clinically proven to fight these mental illnesses, but you can still use them to help alleviate the symptoms.
6. Promotes Better Oral Health
Apart from helping with bad breath, cardamom is used for sore throats, mouth ulcers, and infections of the mouth and throat.
A recent study found that cardamom seeds and fruit could help improve oral health due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The findings showed that the cardamom extract was effective in disrupting bacteria that can lead to gum disease or infections.
7. Prevent Cold and Flu Symptoms
This pungent spice may help prevent and relieve cold and flu symptoms. It’s also used for bronchitis and coughs.
In addition to being high in vitamins and minerals, the astringent properties of cardamom tea make it good for helping to fight off bacteria in the body. Drinking a warm cup of cardamom tea can be soothing on a sore throat and can even help suppress coughing.
8. May Reduce Risk of Developing Cancer
Animal studies are showing promise that cardamom protects against, inhibits growth, and even kills some cancers.
Keep in mind that there’s not enough proven studies showing that cardamom has any actual effect on the growth and development of cancer cells in humans. Don’t delay seeking medical advice if you suspect you’re at risk.
RELATED: Papaya Seeds: Amazing Benefits And A Delicious Dressing Recipe
9. Regulates Blood Pressure
As a diuretic and fiber-rich spice, cardamom significantly lowers blood pressure. Exercising more, cutting back on sugar and adding more potassium to your diet and consuming less sodium can help keep your blood pressure steady.
10. Prevent Blood Clots
Cardamom prevents dangerous blood clots by preventing platelet aggregation and then sticking to the artery walls. In the long run, this may prove to be beneficial in preventing life-threatening clotting.
11. Acts as an Antioxidant
Many of the vitamins, phytonutrients, and essential oils in cardamom act as antioxidants, cleaning up free-radicals and resisting cellular aging. Getting rid of harmful free-radicals can balance blood sugar and cholesterol levels, improve blood pressure, and promote better overall health.
12. Combats Damaging Pathogens
The volatile essential oils in cardamom inhibit the growth of viruses, bacteria, fungus, and mold. In the long run, this can reduce your susceptibility to common diseases and illnesses.
Tip: To further increase immunity against diseases, take effective supplements such as Sunwarrior’s Immune Shield. Immune shield fights pathogens (bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic) by interrupting the metabolic reactions and inhibiting cellular replication with ionic silver and trace minerals.
13. Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Like ginger and turmeric, its relative, cardamom has some anti-inflammatory properties that limit pain and swelling, especially in mucous membranes, mouth, and throat.
14. Gets Rid of Hiccups
Cardamom is an antispasmodic that can help get rid of hiccups. This also applies to other involuntary muscle spasms, like stomach and intestinal cramps.
15. Increase Libido as an Effective Aphrodisiac
Want to last longer and stronger in bed? Try supplementing with cardamom seeds!
Traditional medicine lists cardamom as a powerful aphrodisiac that can help with erectile dysfunction and impotence through better blood circulation.
Jason Wrobel is happy to share his superfood rice pudding recipe in this video from Sunwarrior:
These are the basics of what people need to know about what is cardamom. Overall, it’s a great all-natural supplement that offers various health benefits, and you can use it to improve your health in more ways than one.
Do you use cardamom? What is your favorite way to use it? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 20, 2013, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
