Besides saffron and vanilla, cardamom is the third most expensive spice on the planet, despite its abundant use in culinary applications in Asia where it regularly appears in many food dishes and is incredibly popular hot and brewed as a tea made from the pods of the plant. There are technically two types of cardamom and then separate varieties that branch off from the two types, green cardamom and black cardamom, the former being the more widely used of the two. Interestingly enough however, though similar members of the ginger family, there are different cardamom tea benefits for health depending on what type is used, and both varieties have their own places in history and ancient medicine. South Asia is where green cardamom grew in popularity to treat a wide variety of medical problems. Meanwhile, black cardamom has deep roots in Ayurvedic medicine in India, ancient Chinese medicine in China and other areas like Nepal, Korea and Japan.
Cardamom is regularly used in tea so finding commercially available forms of the product is fairly simple, and the pods’ unique taste makes it a popular addition to many herbal tea recipes. However, it’s still said to be best when made at home, especially if cardamom tea benefits for health are what the brew is being prepared for. A standard cardamom tea recipe uses six cups of water, cardamom pods that have been peeled, three teaspoons of black tea leaves and one cup of milk and then sugar optionally as a sweetener if desired. The pods, milk and tea leaves can be added to the six cups of water that have been brought to a boil only to be immediately removed from the heat and allowed to rest for five minutes. The resulting mixture will have a strange appearance, much like a caramel candy in color, opaque and creamy looking. It can be enjoyed regularly to take advantage of the numerous cardamom tea benefits that people in the eastern part of the world have celebrated for centuries, the best ten of which follow.
1. Digestive Benefits
Both black and green cardamom are thought to help ease digestion thanks to contained volatile oils, and these organic compounds found in the pods may help relieve spasms of the intestines and reduce gas as well. It’s thought that this is why cardamom is so popular in many spicy food dishes, as it may help to counteract the harsh garlic and onion that appear widely in eastern cuisine.
2. Bad Breath
Perhaps also related to the pungent elements of eastern diets, cardamom is thought to be so effective at eliminating bad breath that it’s touted as being more effective at such than freshening gum. Cardamom tea benefits may also include helping stave off rank smelling breath thanks to powerful essential oils contained in the pods used to make tea.
3. Depression
Specifically cardamom tea benefits from brews made from ground up seeds are thought to help reduce stress and help support healthy symptom relief from depression. It may be the aromatherapy related benefits of the herb’s volatile oils which can be experienced profoundly while enjoying a cup of tea that bring about these healing properties.
4. Preventing Cancer
There is no clear cut scientific evidence that has determined cardamom can reduce the risk of cancer. But, there is evidence that IC3 and DIM are present in the plant’s pods, and these phytochemicals have been linked to preventing cancers that are related to hormones such as prostate, breast and ovarian cancer.
5. Anti Aging Properties
No food, drink, herb or spice will ever function as a fountain of youth, but cardamom and other antioxidant rich herbs and spices like it may be the closest thing that the planet ever sees. Though cardamom tea benefits aren’t likely to include wrinkle reduction and skin tightening, the plant’s antioxidants may help slow cell destruction and degeneration, both internal signs of aging.
6. Gallstones and Kidney Stones
These types of temporary trauma can be very painful, and there is not always a way to fix or treat them, and sometimes passing is the only solution. In some parts of the world, cardamom tea benefits include helping relieve discomfort that can be associated with passing their foreign bodies.
7. Tooth Decay and Oral Problems
Chewing cardamom pods in common practice in some parts of the world, and though it may seem strange to westerners, there is a good reason why lots of people use the plant for this purpose. It’s again the volatile oils found in the seeds and pods that help combat problems in the mouth. Cardamom tea benefits for oral health can also be taken orally via hot, brewed beverage.
8. Nausea and Vomiting
In addition to aiding healthy digestion, cardamom is also used regularly to help ease nausea and quell vomiting. The spice is often applied externally in a blend of other spices to help ease the tumultuous sensations. Though there is little evidence to support the claim, it’s possible that cardamom tea benefits for health may include more for the gastrointestinal system than just indigestion alone.
9. Heartburn
There are many inexpensive and useful over the counter remedies for clearing up heartburn, but natural relief may be possible with cardamom, which is thought to be useful in treating the painful, burning condition as a part of providing gastrointestinal benefits on the whole.
10. Infection Prevention
No herbal remedy can keep people from getting sick all of the time, and personal hygiene and that of other people is almost just as important as personal prevention, but cardamom tea benefits may include a little supportive boost to staving off common infections, a theory which might be supported due to the herb’s use in oral disorders.
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