The Secret Life of Cardamom
I loooovee cardamom – I am currently drinking it as I write this (along with some other herbs) but I also love it in my oatmeal, chai, hot chocolate, cookies, and most recently I have been putting it on top of my homemade pudding!
Cardamom is so wonderful. The footnote version of this herb is: if you have digestive issues, have a lot of mucus you need to expel, or want to spice up your love life, cardamom might be your new favorite spice and tea herb!
But here is a little bit more info you might not know about cardamom.
Fun Facts:
- Part of the ginger family
- Native to Southern India
- Historically in Asia it is used in love potions!
- It’s used in herbal smoking blends
- You can chew the seed after dinner to freshen your breath
Cardamom has been used extensively throughout history as/to:
- An aphrodisiac
- A digestive aid from everything from poor appetite, flatulence, and cramping of the intestines to diarrhea
- Move mucus out of the body and calm coughing (particularly wet coughs)
- Help colic
- A diuretic
- To decrease inflammation, pain, and muscle spasms
In Aromatherapy cardamom is used to:
- Calm stress and anxiety
- Help fatigue and forgetfulness
- Uplift and energize emotions
- Open the body’s energy/qi/prana
In general, you will usually find cardamom mixed with other herbs – it’s rarely a stand alone herb. Though for the purposes of this article I did simmer some cardamom seeds on their own and shocker…I love the taste of it! I’m also considering making a cardamom pudding now! I’m thinking it would be a delightful after dinner treat.
So if you have any type of digestive, lung issues, or have general fatigue you might want to consider adding cardamom to your teas and tinctures!
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*Disclaimer* None of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition. This article is meant solely for educational purposes. Please consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
Works Cited
Gladstar, Rosemary. Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health. Storey Pub., 2008.
Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Vol. 1, Dover Publications Inc, 1971.
Keville, Kathi, and Mindy Green. Aromatherapy. Crossing Press, 2009.
Mars, Brigitte. The Sexual Herbal. Healing Arts Press, 2010.
McBride, Kami. The Herbal Kitchen. Conari, 2010.
Tisserand, Robert. The Art of Aromatherapy. Tisserand Aromatherapy, 1996.
