Cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum

Family

Zingiberaceae

Part Used

Seed

Energetics & Taste

Warming, drying, spicy, aromatic

Habitat

Native to southern India and Sri Lanka, it prefers tropical rainforest climates.

Key Benefits + Uses

Cardamom is a wonderful carminative that helps relieve colic, gas, and various digestive complaints such as IBS, indigestion, poor appetite, and cramping. Its intense aromatics lend it a pleasant taste and enhance its antimicrobial action, which is effective through biofilm inhibition. This makes cardamom helpful against thrush, vaginal candidiasis, and candida overgrowth.

In Ayurvedic medicine, cardamom is a digestive stimulant that brings clarity and joy. It is also used for asthma, bronchitis, and kidney stones. In Chinese medicine, cardamom is used for urinary incontinence, likely due to its toning action and antibacterial properties. Additionally, it serves as an antibacterial agent for sore throats and bad breath.

Cardamom can also be used as a warming, stimulating expectorant and antispasmodic for lung issues characterized by excess mucus.