cardamom benefits

Cardamom Benefits

Most people are familiar with cardamom from fragrant Indian dishes,

but this flavorful spice does more than lend flavor to curries and

chai: It also has numerous health benefits, such as improving

digestion and stimulating the metabolism. Readily available in

markets, the precious pods are relatively pricey, as each one must be

hand picked.

Health Benefits:

- Detoxifies the body of caffeine

- Cleanses kidneys and bladder

- Stimulates digestive system and reduces gas

- Expectorant action

- Improves circulation to the lungs and thus considered good for

asthma and bronchitis

- Antispasmodic

- Can counteract excess acidity in the stomach

- Stimulates appetite

- Remedy for tendency to infection

- Cures halitosis

Scientific studies

To date there are very few scientific studies on cardamom seeds that

provide scientific evidence for its traditional uses. Researchers have

shown that extracts of cardamom have anti-inflammatory activity but

the compounds in the extracts were not identified.

The oil from cardamom is usually rich in fatty acids such as palmitic,

oleic and linoleic and in 1,8 cineole and alpha terpinyl acetate.

In traditional medicine

In South Asia, green cardamom called "Elaichi", in Hindi and Urdu, is

broadly used to treat infections in teeth and gums, to prevent and

treat throat troubles, congestion of the lungs and pulmonary

tuberculosis, inflammation of eyelids and also digestive disorders. It

is also reportedly used as an antidote for both snake and scorpion

venom.

Species in the genus Amomum are also used in traditional Indian

medicine. Among other species, varieties and cultivars, Amomum

villosum is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat

stomach-aches, constipation, dysentery, and other digestion problems.

"Tsaoko" cardamom is cultivated in Yunnan, China, both for medicinal