Cardamom is often called as Queen of Spices, did you know why? Let me give you an overview. Cardamom has this title because of its unique aroma, amazing health benefits and it’s unbelievably all-rounder culinary. This treasured spice has been adored for centuries for its medical properties and enhancer property of the spice.

Cardamom was used in ancient Ayurvedic and traditional medicines. For centuries, it has been a natural remedy for digestive issues and detoxification. In the blog below, we will explore its health benefits, especially its aid in digestion and support for detoxification.

Understanding Cardamom

Cardamom comes from the ginger family. It is available in two types: one is green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) and another is black cardamom (Amomum subulatum). Green Cardamom is mostly used for medical and cookery purposes, while black cardamom has a stronger flavour, so it is mainly used in savoury dishes.

Cardamom is essentially rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B3, zinc, calcium, potassium, fibre, and magnesium. Due to its bioactive compounds and antioxidants, it contributes to various health benefits.

Relation between Cardamom and digestion

Cardamom plays an important role in promoting digestive health. It helps in relieving gas, bloating and heartburn by preventing the formation of excessive gas in the intestine and stomach. The volatile oils that are available in cardamom help the food divide by stimulating the secretion of digestive enzymes.

Moreover, chewing cardamom pods after meals keeps the breath fresh but also revives the digestion process by stimulating saliva production and gastric juices. Its fibre content supports gut health by promoting bowel movements and preventing constipation. Additionally, it comforts inflammation in the stomach lining, reducing the discomfort that is caused by ulcers and gastritis.

Cardamom for Detoxification:

Cardamom cleanses your body naturally by supporting your liver health, flushing out the toxins from your body through the kidneys, then, it also cleans your blood and fights bad breath and other oral issues.

Some of the other health benefits are:

1. Helps in weight management
2. Maintains Heart and Respiratory health
3. Reduces BP (Blood Pressure)
4. Reduces stress and enhances the mood.
5. Controls Blood Sugar

Diet Friendly – Cardamom

When you start consuming cardamom daily will help you in weight management. As it helps reducing lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure and controls blood sugar. It also improves your appetite, reduces your acidity and boosts your body’s defence. But keep in mind, don’t overdose on it, doing this may lead to digestive discomfort or stomach upset, so limit yourself from overconsuming cardamom. 

But not alone cardamom can help you in weight management but you should consume this with some exercise and a healthy diet. If consuming cardamom is so tough for you, you can also try drinking cardamom water or tea but with a limit. I don’t recommend people with gallstones to consume cardamom except to flavour the food. And there are no risks reported using cardamom in cooking.

Effect of consuming cardamom:

Cardamom is also called as elaichi in Hindi. Elaichi has a cooling effect on the body mainly during summer. In India, the climate is mostly hot and dry, so big elaichi also known as badi elaichi cools down the body and reduces heat in the body.

It also makes your skin shine through its antibacterial properties and antioxidants. It clears out breakouts, gives the skin a glow, helps with anti-ageing, and improves the skin tone. Not only does it help the skin, but it also strengthens hair and prevents dandruff.

Cardamom and Insomnia

You can start consuming cardamom before bedtime. It contains calming properties that relax you and help you fall asleep. This is also due to its digestive properties; if digestion happens perfectly, it gives you good sleep. Furthermore, it’s not compulsory to chew it; you can add cardamom to tea. But chewing it gives you a long-lasting fresh feeling and removes bad bacteria and cavities.

So, insomnia is a common disorder among millions of people worldwide. It causes stress, anxiety, fatigue, and reduced productivity. Most people use meditation to solve this, but trying cardamom is also worth it because of its unique sleeping properties. It’s a natural remedy for insomnia. This relaxes the nervous system and enhances the sense of well-being to give a better sleep.

Unexpected Health Benefits of Cardamom

Cardamom not only flavours food but also gives various health benefits. Here are some of the lesser-known health benefits of cardamom that I am going to list below:

1. Brain Protection: The brain is open to oxidative stress, oxidative stress occurs when our body has too many free radicals and fewer antioxidants. Consuming cardamom helps improve focus and alertness and also helps in retaining memory. It also helps support the healthy function of the brain and as we all know to deliver the required oxygen and necessary nutrients to brain cells, good blood circulation is needed and cardamom does that work.

2. Bone Health: This special spice contains various minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, etc… which help bones to be stronger and prevent conditions that damage bones.

3. Eye Health: Consuming cardamom daily will improve eye health. It protects from oxidative damage, which reduces the risk of cataracts and other age-related issues.

4. Gut Support: Chewing cardamom removes bad bacteria and maintains a healthy gut which is necessary for digestion, immunity and mental health

5. Wound healing: Cardamom is an antiseptic spice which repairs the damaged tissues and restores the skin to its form which helps in speedy recovery. This prevents infections. 

Conclusion

Cardamom is always considered a great spice for cooking because of its flavour and various health benefits. Incorporate cardamom into your daily routine as it aids digestion, detoxification, heart health, and cognitive function and much more benefits that will enhance overall health and well-being. So, with these health benefits, cardamom stands out as a natural superfood that will contribute to a healthier and well-balanced lifestyle.

To know more about cardamom, watch out for the post on 7 ways to use cardamom to spice up your cooking. And if you want to read more our blog on “Cardamom – Queen of Spices“.