CARDAMOM

Description

Cardamom is popularly known as “Queen of Spices”. It comes from the seeds of various plants that belong to the same family as ginger. It emerged in the monsoon forest of Malabar-coast in South-West (the ever green forests of Western Ghats) of India. It is cultivated in heavy rainfall areas of hilly region, top spoil along with nutrients. It is one of the oldest and the third most-expensive spice in the world, also known as diamond of the spice world. It has a distinctive flavour that complements both sweet and savoury dishes and is extremely fragrant. It is rich in essential oils and has strong antioxidant properties. Cardamom seeds and pods are used in curries, desserts, and meat dishes, as well as in beverages, such as coffee and tea. It contains phytochemicals that have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. It can be used in three forms; whole, decorticated seeds and ground. Green cardamom is the most commonly used in both sweet and savoury food preparation, like biriyani and payasam (kheer). Black cardamom is not as fragrant as the green cardamom but it is more famous for its medicinal properties.

Cardamom is a good stimulator for heart and liver. After a tough and tired day, drinking cardamom tea reduces exhaustion. It is an important ingredient of digestive stimulants.

Major Health Benefits of Cardamom:

• Improves Digestive Health: It stimulates the secretion of bile acid in the stomach, further aiding in digestion and proper fat metabolism.
• Promotes Heart Health: It contains fibre, the nutrient that can help lower cholesterol levels and enhance heart health. According to a report by Harvard Medical School, cardamom is one of the ingredients heart experts usually include in their dinners.
• Helps in Cancer Prevention: This spice can be used to prevent, delay and even reverse cancer formation. It also decreases general inflammation, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells and encourages their death.
• Fights Asthma: It plays a vital role in fighting asthma symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. Cardamom makes breathing easy by enhancing blood circulation in the lungs.
• Lowers Blood Pressure Levels: A small amount of cardamom included in soups and stews keeps blood pressure levels in check.