Cardamom is a spice whose scientific name is Elettaria, we know two varieties: green cardamom and black cardamom. Known since the time of Ancient Greeks and Romans, cardamom looks like a capsule containing the seeds, that are very fragrant. To use this spice the capsule should be broken and the seeds, once collected, can be used for flavoring food but also as a basis for herbal teas with beneficial properties in case of toothache, gum problems, poor digestion and inflammation of the respiratory tract. In addition to this, cardamom also helps speed up your metabolism resulting a help for diets. The advice is to break the capsule at the last minute, because the aroma dissipates very quickly. Another note: if you suffer from gallstones, pay attention because the spice may cause colic, finally it was recorded an interaction of cardamom with some anti-platelet drugs such as aspirin, therefore avoid the spice if you're following a treatment of this type. Let’s see the main uses of cardamom:
Seeds
You can chew cardamom seeds after meals to aid digestion, fight intestinal fermentation, flatulence, swollen belly, or against halitosis.
Brew
Bring to boil a cup of water, remove from heat and leave to brew for ten minutes a teaspoon of cardamom seeds. You can drink the tea to counteract digestive problems, in case of sore throat or cold.
Decoction
Boil a little more than a cup of water with a teaspoon of cardamom seeds for five minutes, then remove from heat and let stand for five minutes. Filter and, once lukewarm, you can use to gargle in case of sore throat or inflammation of the gums or mouth.
Inhalations
For colds or other infections of the airways, you can heat a bowl of water, then remove it from the heat and add a few drops of essential oil of cardamom to make inhalations.
