Cardamom – ‘Queen of spices’

Cardamom – ‘ Queen of spices ‘

Cardamom is a spice, originated in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. It is also called by the name Elaichi. It is one of the most common spices seen in an Indian household.

Nowadays it is available in most tropical places in Asia, including India, China, Bhutan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Korea, and Japan. Elaichi or Cardamom is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of mouth ulcers, digestive problems, and even depression

Did You Know ? There are two main types or subspecies of cardamom, they are Elettaria, which is called green or true cardamom and Amomum, which stands for black, white, or red cardamom.

It aids in digestion

Cardamom or Elaichi is carminative in nature and helps speed up digestion. It also helps to reduce the inflammation of the stomach lining, thereby fights heartburn and nausea. The volatile oil in cardamom soothes the stomach and
intestines. It reduces the air content in the stomach, making it more capable of digesting food efficiently.

Cures bad breath

Cardamom possess antibacterial properties, which can easily fight the germs that causes bad breath. It has a strong
flavor and a pleasant smell that can beat bad breath. Oil extracted from cardamom seeds contains compounds that kill the bacteria causing bad breath and other infections.

The most common benefits of cardamom is that it can be used as a mouth freshener. Simply chew on a pod of cardamom after every meal or whenever you need to freshen up your breath. Also, you can drink some cardamom tea or rinse your mouth with lukewarm cardamom tea twice daily. It will work as an effective antiseptic mouth
rinse.

Did You Know ? Cardamom is the third most expensive spice after saffron and vanilla.

Guatemala is the largest producer of cardamom in the world. India is the second largest producer worldwide.

It helps to fight Anaemia

Anaemia is a condition in which there is a deficiency of red cells or of haemoglobin in the blood, resulting in pallor and weariness. Cardamom contains copper, iron and essential vitamins like riboflavin, vitamin C and niacin. These are good for fighting anemic symptoms like fatigue and weakness. It has powerful antioxidants that help to replenish the vitamins lost during an anemic condition.

Provides relief against Asthma

Asthma is a respiratory condition marked by attacks of spasm in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. Asthma sufferers can have symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Cardamom helps in increasing blood circulation within the lungs, fighting inflammation, and soothing mucous membranes, thus make breathing easier. The warm nature of cardamom also helps in relieving chest tightness.