This “Queen of Spices” has been used medicinally around the world for millennia, and is versatile enough to make an appearance in both sweet and savory dishes.
But beyond its warming notes, experts say that cardamom can protect against harmful inflammation and unfriendly bacteria.
A handful of international studies over the past decade have touted cardamom’s ability to reduce impacts of chronic inflammation that can result in cancer and heart disease, conditions which claim the lives of more than 1.5 million Americans each year.
Cardamom can help lower high blood pressure, researchers said in 2023, tackling an issue affecting some 119 million Americans.
The spice, ground from pods and seeds of cardamom plants, also provides antibacterial properties.
Using cardamom extract, for example, was effective against gum disease, according to researchers in Tunisia and Canada.
It helped to guard against P. gingivalis bacteria, one of the most common strains of bacteria related to the condition, and can lead to dental complications like gingivitis.
Cardamom’s medicinal history dates back to ancient Greece where it was consumed to aid digestion after particularly heavy meals.
Since then studies have highlighted the spice’s ability to reduce high blood pressure which is linked to stroke, heart failure and diabetes. Cardamom, which is cultivated in Asia, South America and Africa, contains plant chemicals called flavonoids that help relax blood vessels and prevent blood clots, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Kick coffee cravings to the curb
Trying to quit caffeine? Cardamom may also be used to curb coffee cravings, according to the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
In Ayurvedic medicine, the seeds are sucked on throughout the day so people don’t get the urge to pour another cup.
They also are used widely to help freshen breath.
Healthier... cake?
Cardamom is widely sold across the U.S. as a ground spice, and is a great addition to a crumb cake or to season roasted chicken or carrots.
Just a teaspoon of ground cardamom contains a little over a half a gram of fiber - far short of the 25-gram daily allowance. However, pre-diabetic women who consumed three grams of cardamom extract a day, over the course of two months, saw lower levels of inflammation than those who did not take cardamom, according to one Iranian study.
Cardamom is extremely popular in Scandinavia. Sweden is estimated to consume 18 times more cardamom per capita than other countries. The cardamom bun, kardemummabullar, Finnish pulla bread and Norwegian Christmas bread julekake are particularly popular during the holiday season.
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