Health Benefits of Cardamom

Slofoodgroup Team June 22, 2023

Inside of every cardamom pod are several tiny, intensely-flavored seeds that not only span the realms of savory and sweet, adding sweetness and spice to everything from ice cream to curry, but also the realms of food and medicine.

The benefits of cardamom are many, though as is the case with anything not backed by big pharmaceutical dollars, the research is limited. As such, we do recommend speaking with your healthcare provider before utilizing cardamom for its suggested health benefits. Still, it definitely doesn’t hurt to incorporate it into more recipes!

How Can Cardamom Be Used For Health?

We’ve done a little research to determine what some of the most commonly asked questions relating to the health benefits of cardamom are and are delivering some science-backed answers.

What does cardamom do for your body?

Some evidence suggests that cardamom is a powerhouse in the world of natural remedies, hosting an array of antioxidants, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, and inflammatory properties from within each pod. Making cardamom a part of your regular diet not only reduces oxidative stress, but some studies suggest it might even help keep the weight off.

What happens if we eat cardamom daily?

There are limited studies that specifically focus on the effects of daily cardamom consumption. However, cardamom has been deemed safe by the FDA and it is often used in addition to a balanced diet in natural medicine to contribute to overall well-being. The reasoning behind doing so is usually attributed to its known antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. As previously noted, weight loss or prevention of weight gain may be a result of daily cardamom intake, but it has also been found to assist in the efforts of naturally managing diabetes.

Does cardamom detox your body?

The concept of detoxing the body is one that is often used in alternative health practices and many folks around the world have reported positive results. Still the evidence that it can have major impacts on our overall health is minimal and difficult to quantify. Because the body contains uses the liver and kidneys to perform its own detoxification, it is likely that any agent that helps them better perform, would be beneficial in furthering detox efforts. Studies have been conducted to explore the hepatoprotective effects of cardamom with evidence that the spice may have protective effect on the liver and could potentially reverse liver damage. Cardamom does contain some compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, which may help to cleanse the body and enhance cellular health.

Is cardamom good for digestive issues?

Cardamom has been used for centuries to support digestive health, providing relief from a wide variety of gastrointestinal issues, such as indigestion, bloating, and nausea. In more recent history, studies have been conducted to determine the efficacy of the utilization of cardamom for digestion. What they have found is that it may promote the secretion of certain digestive enzymes and reduce acid secretion to lessen or eliminate other uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms. Another study even found it to be beneficial in warding off the E. coli bacterium.