Dr. Ahmed Farhan
You may have noticed a distinctly floral, potentially eucalyptus-like scent wafting from your cup when drinking tea.
Known as the queen of spices, cardamom typically stays in a dark corner of the spice cabinet and is only brought out for special occasions or particular ethnic cuisines.
However, this small, green pod holds a secret that ancient civilizations have known for thousands of years: it is one of nature’s most potent aids for digestive health.
While the modern world often turns to chalky tablets and pink liquids to soothe an upset stomach, there is a compelling argument to be made for looking back at traditional remedies.
Cardamom isolates the similarities between the culinary and medicinal worlds by presenting a natural solution to common digestive problems that tastes great, too!
In this article, you will learn about the many ways cardamom can be applied to enhance your body’s natural way of digesting food.
The Historical Roots of Cardamom
To truly appreciate the value of cardamom, one must understand its lineage. Originating in the lush, humid Western Ghats of Southern India, the spice comes from the seeds of plants in the ginger family.
It is interesting to note that ginger itself is a well-known digestive aid, suggesting that these soothing properties run in the botanical family.
In Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine, cardamom has been used to treat stomach aches, constipation, and dysentery.
Although our ancestors lacked microscopes or the ability to perform chemical analysis, they managed to accurately observe how the spice affected the bodies of people who used it.
They discovered by instinct that the spice has properties that can increase the body’s natural ability to use food as fuel.
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The Science of Carminatives and Volatile Oils
Cardamom has been found effective in aiding digestion due to its multiple components. Inside each cardamom pod are seeds, which contain a high concentration of volatile essential oils.
These oils provide the spice with an intense aroma and include many functional compounds, but the greatest contributors to cardamom’s beneficial effects on digestion are cineole, limonene, terpinene, and other ester compounds.
Upon consumption, your body will react to these volatile oils by stimulating the production of mucus in your stomach.
When the stomach is stimulated by cardamom during digestion, it produces the necessary digestive enzymes and gastric juices needed for proper digestion.
This provides enough fluid in the digestive system so that the food is digested completely before being stored in the stomach and/or becoming fermented (which can cause a buildup of gases).
Furthermore, studies suggest that methanolic extracts from cardamom can help control gastrointestinal disorders, such as acidity, flatulence, and stomach cramps.
The compound cineole, in particular, acts as an antiseptic that can help tackle bad bacteria in the gut that might be contributing to digestive upset [Ref].
Soothing the Gut and Reducing Inflammation
Along with its properties of enhancing the movement of faeces through the intestines, cardamom also has an antispasmodic effect that can prove useful in alleviating stomach cramps and urgent bowel movements that many individuals experience at times.
When combined, the naturally occurring essential oils within cardamom help to calm the smooth muscle tissue in the GI (gastrointestinal) track, providing a comfortable and relaxing effect for any type of muscle tension in the body, where necessary.
Combating Nausea and Morning Sickness
Digestive problems can manifest themselves as nausea, one of the most severe symptoms. The source of this symptom may be due to many reasons, such as motion sickness, food consumption, or pregnancy.
For centuries, cardamom has been associated with helping reduce the symptoms of nausea. Just the smell of cardamom alone can reduce nausea.
From a physiological point of view, cardamom helps to balance the stomach and the muscle contractions that cause us to feel the urge to vomit.
This application is particularly relevant for post-operative nausea. Anesthesia often leaves patients feeling sick to their stomach, and heavy anti-nausea medication can have unwanted side effects.
In addition, cardamom is a gentler option than some pharmaceutical treatments when treating pregnant women experiencing morning sickness.
Green vs. Black Cardamoms
Cardamom is made up of two major groups that perform slightly different functions and are important to understand.
The most popular of these two varieties is Green Cardamom, and it’s also the “true” cardamom, which includes the sweet, floral, eucalyptus-like flavors that most people associate with desserts and teas.
Green cardamom is the most commonly used variety for everyday maintenance of digestive health.
Green cardamom has been known to help refresh breath, provide relief from light bloating, and assist in the digestion of complex foods, especially those containing dairy and fatty substances.
Black cardamom is different from green in that it has much larger pods with a dark brown exterior that contain smoky aromas from their method of drying (open flame).
Generally speaking, black cardamom is not used very often in sweet recipes but is found more frequently in recipe books regarding savory/rural-based dishes and curry recipes.
Known for being good at aiding digestion, black cardamom may be a little bit more useful for stronger digestive tract issues that require serious attention, such as constipation or another type of pain in the abdominal area.
Since black cardamom is such a robust spice, it is perfect for helping us digest the more difficult-to-digest red meats and complex types of carbohydrates.
Practical Ways to Incorporate Cardamom
You can understand the advantages of cardamom for digestion, but incorporating it into your life can be challenging. An enjoyable and effortless way to get the cardamom daily is in a cup of herbal tea.
To make an infusion, crush 2-3 of the green pods and steep them in boiling water for 10 minutes. This produces a delicious tea. Having this tea after meals lessens the sensation of feeling full and helps combat gas formation.
Traditional approaches, such as chewing seeds, are also popular. In many South Asian cultures, at the conclusion of a meal, diners are furnished with bowls containing fennel seeds and cardamom pods, which provide refreshing aromas and act as an aid to digestion.
If the flavor is too intense for you to chew raw, consider adding cardamom powder to your morning oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies.
Precautions and Considerations
Most people will experience no adverse effects with the use of cardamom; however, it is always wise to discuss with your physician what you should and should not take.
Cardamom may affect people who have been diagnosed with gallstones, since it increases bile secretion and could lead to discomfort due to excess bile formation.
Additionally, because cardamom has a warming effect and can thin the blood slightly, those onblood-thinning medications should monitor their intake.
It is also worth noting that “more” is not always “better.” Cardamom has a very potent flavor and a strong active profile.
Excessive consumption can lead to the very gastric irritation you are trying to cure. The culinary amounts used in food and the occasional tea are considered the safe sweet spot for reaping the benefits without the risks.
Conclusion:
Today, as we continue to become more distant from where our food comes from, and as we rely on chemical/ synthetic solutions for solutions to our health problems, using cardamom reminds us of how powerful the natural world can be.
When next you catch a whiff of its sweet, spicy scent, remember that it is helping prepare your body to be well nourished. Incorporating cardamom into your diet is a small, simple change, but for your digestive system, it can be a game-changer.
