Cardamom Seeds 100 g, 50 g, 25 g

Cardamom Seeds 100 g ($19.99), 50 g ($12.99), 25 g ($7.99)

Benefits
According to folk medicine, cardamom helps with digestive problems, vomiting and diarrhea, morning sickness, and loss of appetite. In Chinese medicine, it is used for stomachache, nausea, vomiting, and flatulence. Ayurvedic physicians use it to treat ulcers and malaria. The essential oil is antibacterial and antifungal.

Dyspepsia. Cardamom works best on upset stomachs according the German Commission E.

Urinary incontinence. Cardamom is used in ayurvedic medicine to help control urinary incontinence in both men and women.

Blood Pressure  Cardamom may be helpful for people with high blood pressure. In one study, researchers gave three grams of cardamom powder a day to 20 adults who were newly diagnosed with high blood pressure. After 12 weeks, blood pressure levels had significantly decreased to the normal range (3). The promising results of this study may be related to the high levels of antioxidants in cardamom. In fact, the participants’ antioxidant status had increased by 90% by the end of the study. Antioxidants have been linked to lower blood pressure (3, 4).

Researchers also suspect that the spice may lower blood pressure due to its diuretic effect, meaning it can promote urination to remove water that builds up in your body, for example around your heart.

Cardamom has been shown to increase urination and decrease blood pressure in rats (5).

Blood Sugar  When taken in powder form, cardamom may lower blood sugar. One study found that feeding rats a high-fat, high-carb (HFHC) diet caused their blood sugar levels to remain elevated longer than if they were fed a normal diet (15). When rats on the HFHC diet were given cardamom powder, their blood sugar did not stay elevated for longer than the blood sugar of rats on a normal diet (15). However, the powder may not have the same effect in humans with type 2 diabetes.

In a study in over 200 adults with this condition, participants were divided into groups that took only black tea or black tea with three grams of either cinnamon, cardamom or ginger every day for eight weeks (29). The results showed that cinnamon, but not cardamom or ginger, improved blood sugar control (29).

In order to better understand the effect of cardamom on blood sugar in humans, more studies are needed.

Cancer  The compounds in cardamom may help fight cancer cells. Studies in mice have shown that cardamom powder can increase the activity of certain enzymes that help fight cancer (6, 7). The spice may also enhance the ability of natural killer cells to attack tumors (8). In one study, researchers exposed two groups of mice to a compound that causes skin cancer and fed one group 500 mg of ground cardamom per kg (227 mg per pound) of weight per day (7). After 12 weeks, only 29% of the group who ate the cardamom developed cancer, compared to over 90% of the control group (7). Research on human cancer cells and cardamom indicate similar results. One study showed that a certain compound in the spice stopped oral cancer cells in test tubes from multiplying (9).

Even though the results are promising, these studies have only been conducted on mice or in test tubes. Human research is needed before stronger claims can be made.

Anti-Inflammatory  Cardamom is rich in compounds that may fight inflammation. Inflammation occurs when your body is exposed to foreign substances. Acute inflammation is necessary and beneficial, but long-term inflammation can lead to chronic diseases (10, 11, 12). Antioxidants, found in abundance in cardamom, protect cells from damage and stop inflammation from occurring (13). One study found that cardamom in doses of 50–100 mg per kg (23–46 mg per pound) of body weight was effective in inhibiting at least four different inflammatory compounds in rats (14). Another study in rats showed that eating cardamom powder decreased liver inflammation induced by eating a diet high in carbs and fat (15).

Though there are not as many studies on the anti-inflammatory effects of cardamom in humans, research shows that supplements may increase antioxidant status by up to 90% (3).

Digestive, Ulcers  Cardamom has been used for thousands of years to help with digestion.

It’s often mixed with other medicinal spices to relieve discomfort, nausea and vomiting (1). The most researched property of cardamom, as it pertains to relieving stomach issues, is its possible ability to heal ulcers. In one study, rats were fed extracts of cardamom, turmeric and sembung leaf in hot water before being exposed to high doses of aspirin to induce stomach ulcers. These rats developed fewer ulcers compared to rats that only received aspirin (16).

A similar study in rats found that cardamom extract alone could completely prevent or reduce the size of gastric ulcers by at least 50%. In fact, at doses of 12.5 mg per kg (5.7 mg per pound) of body weight, cardamom was more effective than a common anti-ulcer medication (17). Test-tube research also suggests that cardamom may protect against Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria linked to the development of most stomach ulcer issues (18).

Oral Health  The use of cardamom to treat bad breath and improve oral health is an ancient remedy.

In some cultures, it’s common to freshen your breath by eating entire cardamom pods after a meal (1). Even the chewing gum manufacturer Wrigley uses the spice in one of its products. The reason why cardamom can lead to minty fresh breath may have to do with its ability to fight common mouth bacteria (19). One study found that cardamom was effective in fighting five bacteria that can cause dental cavities. In some test-tube cases, the extracts prevented the growth of the bacteria by up to 0.82 inches (2.08 cm) (20). Additional research shows that cardamom can reduce the number of bacteria in saliva samples by 54% (21). All of these studies have been conducted in test tubes, making it unclear how the results may apply to humans.

Antibacterial, Infections  Cardamom also has antibacterial effects outside of the mouth and may treat infections. Research shows that cardamom extracts and essential oils have compounds that fight several common strains of bacteria (22, 23, 24, 25). A test-tube study examined the impact of cardamom on drug-resistant strains of Candida, a yeast that can cause fungal infections. The herb was able to inhibit the growth of some strains by 0.39–0.59 inches (0.99–1.49 cm) (26).

Additional test-tube research found that essential oils and extracts of cardamom were just as, and sometimes more effective than standard drugs against E. coli and Staphylococcus, bacteria that can cause food poisoning (23 ). Test-tube studies have also shown that cardamom essential oils fight the bacteria Salmonella that leads to food poisoning and Campylobacter that contributes to stomach inflammation (24, 25). Existing studies on the antibacterial effects of cardamom have only looked at isolated strains of bacteria in labs. Therefore, the evidence is currently not strong enough to make claims that the spice would have the same effect in humans.

Respiratory, Oxygen Use  Compounds in cardamom may help increase airflow to your lungs and improve breathing. When used in aromatherapy, cardamom can provide an invigorating odor that enhances your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise (27). One study asked a group of participants to inhale cardamom essential oil for one minute before walking on a treadmill for 15-minute intervals. This group had a significantly higher oxygen uptake compared to the control group (27). Another way that cardamom may improve breathing and oxygen use is by relaxing your airway. This may be particularly helpful for treating asthma. A study in rats and rabbits found that cardamom could relax the throat air passage. If the herb has a similar effect in people with asthma, it may prevent their inflamed airways from restricting and improve their breathing (28).

Liver Protection: Cardamom may decrease elevated liver enzymes, triglyceride and cholesterol levels. They may also prevent liver enlargement and liver weight, which reduces the risk of fatty liver disease (30, 31, 32, 33).

Anxiety: One rat study suggests that cardamom may prevent anxious behaviors. This may be because low blood levels of antioxidants have been linked to the development of anxiety and other mood disorders (34, 35, 36).

Weight Loss: A study in 80 overweight and obese prediabetic women found a link between cardamom and slightly reduced waist circumference. However, rat studies on weight loss and the spice have not found significant results (15, 37) The number of studies on the link between cardamom and these potential benefits is limited and mostly done on animals. The reasons why the spice may help improve liver health, anxiety and weight are unclear.

Recommended Use
Cardamom is most frequently used as a tincture and liquid extract, which are made from ground seeds. The average daily dose is 1.5 grams of the herb, and you need 1 to 2 grams a day. It also may be used as a tea. The spice cardamom has the same effects as the medicinal herb—provided the spice is fresh. It should not be taken by anyone with gallstones unless a physician is consulted. There are no known other side effects or drug interactions.

Botanical Name: Elettaria cardamomum
English: Green Cardamom
Also, known as: Maton, kardamom, kardemumma, cardamome, Cardamomen, ilaayacii, cardamomo, karadamomo, cardamomo, kardemumma, aila cheddi, luk grawan, kakule, Grains-of-paradise
Habitat: The forests of India and Sri Lanka
Origin: Guatemala
Harvested: Cultivated
Parts Used: Seed

General Information:
Cardamom is a medicinal herb native to tropical China and Vietnam. It is closely related, but not identical, to the cardamom grown in India and Sri Lanka as a spice. Cardamom is a perennial that grows to a height of fifteen feet (five meters), with mauve-streaked white flowers and very long, lance-shaped leaves. The seed pods are used medicinally and oil is extracted from them.

A tall perennial herb with erect stems bearing broad leaves and horizontal flowering stems bearing clusters of white and pink flowers at ground level. Cultivated cardamom does not differ from the wild type. Plants can be propagated from seeds or by division. Near ripe fruits are usually handpicked individually, but the whole cluster is sometimes harvested.

Small, near-ripe fruits containing numerous dark brown seeds. They are recognized by their small seed pods: triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds; Elettaria pods are light green and smaller. They are green in color when simply air-dried, but may be pure white because of bleaching with steam or sulfur before drying. There are several other species known as cardamom.

The deliciously sweet and pungent taste of cardamom has found its way into many different culinary traditions. In its native India, cardamom forms an important component of curries and curry powders. It is also widely used in rice, vegetable, and meat dishes, as well as sweet desserts. The seeds are traditionally used to flavor Arabian coffee and black Turkish tea. In Europe and America, cardamom is well known as an essential ingredient of gingerbread and sweet pastries. Scandinavians are particularly fond of cardamom and large amounts are used in confectionery, desserts, stewed fruits, mulled wines, meat dishes and sausages.

Cardamom is the world’s third-most expensive spice, surpassed in price per weight only by vanilla and saffron.

 

How to use:
We make these suggestions to help you get the best benefit from the herbs that you’re choosing to improve your health. Also we make these ideas and recommendations so that consuming them easier and better fit into your lifestyle by adding them to the food that you already eat.
For the full health benefit, it is best to consume (or use the whole herb in poultices) the whole herb. All of the compounds in the herb act best together, as nature intends. Extracts draw out the most prominent beneficial compounds and may concentrate them. What is not extracted can be helpful in ways that we do not yet understand.

Cut Pieces or Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use cut pieces or powdered herb.
Food Preparation: You can add powdered or pieces of herb (if the pieces you buy are bigger than you like, a coffee or herb grinder will quickly reduce) to any yogurt, smoothie, apple or other sauces, spreads, salads or other foods more familiar to you that don’t use heat. Heat can be damaging to the beneficial compounds in the herb. Other options like oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, soup, cookies and anything else that fits your lifestyle, but minimizing (by adding near the end of cooking) the heat is helpful.
Also, for children, you can mix powdered herb with honey or glycerin to make paste. The thicker the paste, the more potent and herbal in taste. The sweet taste of honey and glycerin will help medicine go down. The resulting liquid is called an electuary.
For seeds in general, but especially small seeds, it’s best to grind these to break the protective hulls a short time before consumption. This makes all the benefits available, rather than some remaining locked inside the hulls that are unbroken by insufficient chewing.
To make adding herbs even easier, you could add a week’s worth of your chosen herb(s) to an amount of, for example, yogurt that you would eat in a week. Mix thoroughly and eat this each day of the week. So you make once /week and just eat each other day.
Hot Infusion: The basic method for dried herbs and flower is, take 2-3 tablespoons of dried herb in a cup or teapot. Pour hot water over it and cover it with lid for 10-30 minutes. The heat from making tea can degrade some of the beneficial compounds in the herb. This method minimizes this effect. For the full health benefit, it is recommended to consume what is left over after making tea.
Decoctions: Decoctions are suitable for roots, barks, large seeds & berries, and other dense material. The simple way to make decoction is, in a saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of dried herbs to 1 cup of water, Bring the water to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes with the pot covered. Squeeze out as much as liquid as possible. Best practice is to drink the liquid and also consume the solid material that remains. Herb pieces can also be used.
Powdered Herb:
There are different ways to use powdered herb.
Capsules: HerbsCrafters makes capsules guaranteed to be filled with the pure herb with no filler or any other products. You can also use powdered herb to make your own capsules at home. These capsules are best taken with liquid to aid in digestion and absorption and to ensure it doesn’t stick in your throat.
Poultice: Poultice can be made with an herbal powder and liquid (mostly water) to form a paste which is then applied to the skin. This method is very helpful for skin conditions.
Herbal shot: Powdered herb can be mixed with water, fruit juice or other liquid to make herbal shot.

Tips:
You can sweeten your herbal decoctions with bit of honey, natural fruit juice, stevia leaves powder or licorice root powder.

Precautions:
You should consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using any herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
All information on this website is for educational purpose ONLY.
This information has not been evaluated by Health Canada.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

How Much To Use
Recommended daily amount: the equivalent of 2-4 green pods (1-2 g)/day.
Speak to a healthcare provider with herbal knowledge before starting it if you’re taking a blood thinner or medications to manage diabetes.