What is the cardamom plant?

A tiny pod with black seeds inside is how cardamom is found as a spice. It is a member of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. This spice comes in two primary varieties, or subspecies. Their scientific names are Amomum, which stands for black, white, or red cardamom, and Elettaria, which is green or true cardamom.

Elettaria pods are small and have a light green color, while Amomum pods are brown in color and somewhat larger. These two are indigenous to the subcontinent of India.

For a long time, cardamom has been utilized in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.

You can read more about black cardamom here, even though this article is about green cardamom.

How does one taste cardamom?

The flavor of green cardamom is intensely savory, minty, and sweet. With their rich aromas, the seeds and pod are frequently used in sweets, spicy and hot dishes, and aromatic drinks like tea and coffee. After saffron and vanilla, it is the third most expensive spice and is known as the “queen of spices.”

Possible Advantages of Cardamom:

A qualified healthcare practitioner, such as a registered dietitian, pharmacist, or other healthcare provider, should assess and customize each patient’s use of supplements. No dietary supplement is meant to diagnose, treat, or avoid any illness.

it has been used in traditional medicine to treat psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.4

Cardamom’s pharmacological properties have also been praised. According to certain research, cardamom is:1

• antioxidants and antimutagenics
• antimicrobial
• anti-inflammatory
• antidiabetic
• heart-preserving
• liver-preserving
• Chemoprotective: a substance that might lessen chemotherapy’s adverse effects.

Despite its widespread use, there is little scientific proof of its therapeutic benefits overall, as the majority of studies have been conducted on animals or in lab environments rather than on humans. A summary of some of the research is given below.

Syndrome Metabolic:

Researchers have investigated whether cardamom can help prevent stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes because metabolic syndrome, a collection of conditions that occur together and increase your risk of these serious illnesses, can cause serious illness.

According to a narrative review published in 2021, it may help with the conditions that contribute to metabolic syndrome. Through a number of methods, cardamom has demonstrated the capacity to:1

• lower cholesterol
• lower blood pressure
• lower blood sugar levels
• Change a few genes that could cause obesity.

Conflicting findings were found in a 2022 systematic review on the impact of it supplementation on metabolic factors.

Results from six trials in the review with a total of 400 participants revealed that taking 3 grams of cardamom daily as a supplement did not improve certain metabolic parameters.

It may enhance dental health:

Although it works wonders as a breath freshener, it may also be good for your gums and teeth.

A 2020 study used a lab to test an extract from it fruit and seeds. The findings imply that cardamom might prevent the bacteria that causes gingivitis from growing.

Additionally, it may aid in the removal of Streptococcus mutans, a major cause of cavities, according to the findings of a 2017 study that also tested the spice in a lab.

It can improve heart function:

There are potential advantages of it for your cardiovascular system in several areas.

its supplementation appeared to have a significant effect on lowering levels of triglycerides, a type of fat that can cause plaque buildup in blood vessels and increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart disease, according to a review of five studies.

Might Improve Oxygen Consumption and Breathing:

The compounds in it may help your breathing by improving lung airflow.

it has a stimulating scent that improves your body’s ability to use oxygen when you exercise when used in aromatherapy (27).

In one study, participants were instructed to inhale one minute of it is essential oil before engaging in 15-minute treadmill walks. When compared to the control group, this group’s oxygen uptake was noticeably higher (27).

it can also help with breathing and oxygen utilization by opening up your airways. Treating asthma may benefit greatly from this.

Injections of it extract were found to relax the throat air passage in rats and rabbits.

It may lessen pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting:

Cardamom may be able to help with nausea and vomiting, which up to 75% of pregnant women experience.

120 pregnant women with mild to moderate nausea and vomiting were split into two groups in a 2015 study: A placebo was administered to one group, and 500 mg of cardamoms powder, taken three times a day, half an hour before meals, was given to the other. Compared to those taking a placebo, the cardamom group experienced less severe nausea and less frequent vomiting episodes.

It might aid in the fight against cancerous cells:

Several research findings indicate that it might have the ability to trigger apoptosis, or the death of cancer cells. The outcomes of these investigations cannot be applied to people because they were all conducted in vitro, or by testing cells in a lab.

Side effects of Cardamom:

In general, it is regarded as safe, particularly when taken in quantities commonly found in food.

Examining research, very few subjects mention cardamom’s negative effects or other safety issues. Only four side effect reports were made within the first week of treatment in a study involving eighty prediabetic participants. Glossitis, or tongue inflammation, mild inflammation, and diarrhea were among the study’s side effects.12

If you take large doses of it, you might be more susceptible to negative effects. Use cardamom only as directed because of this.

Frequently asked questions:

These are some of the most common inquiries concerning cardamom.

How does one taste cardamom?

Strong and warming, it has a spicy-sweet flavor. Some claim that it tastes like lemon or mint.

What uses does cardamom have?

it can be added to desserts, coffee, chai tea, and meat and curry dishes. Its consumption can improve liver, heart, and oral health, as well as help with conditions like metabolic syndrome and diabetes. In addition, it may have antibacterial qualities, aid in ulcer prevention, and support the fight against cancer.

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