• Antimicrobial
• Antidepressant
• Cardiovascular benefits-prevents blood clots, lowers blood pressure and softens blood vessels
• Fights cancer
• Improves digestion
  Stimulates the metabolism (human metabolic syndrome)
• Helps smokers quit & attenuates the mutagenic action of nicotine

Cardamom is a strong antioxidant. Many studies have documented its ability to protect the cardiovascular system, including the heart, from oxidation damage. Those same antioxidant properties also protect the kidneys, stomach, lungs and brain from free radical damage.

In a recent study, scientists found it increased the activity of the natural antioxidants glutathione, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, all of which are involved in the reduction of various oxidants and detoxification.

One of its most novel uses is as an antidote for spider and snake bites, benefits that are probably the result of its ability to promote the activity of these antioxidant and anti-toxin compounds.

Antimicrobial

In India patients are told to chew five grains of cardamom three times a day to kill the H. pylori bacteria. It is very broad spectrum, and kills STD’s, stomach and kidney infections, tooth and gum infections, lung infections and pulmonary tuberculosis, among others.

Antidepressant & Anti-anxiety

Cardamom has strong antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties. Recent research has confirmed its ability to upregulate the release of serotonin in the brain.

Cardamom aromatherapy has also been shown to improve mood.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Indian Scientists have shown that cardamom has several compounds that prevent blood clots. In a study at the RNT Medical College in, Rajasthan, India, scientists showed that cardamom reduced blood pressure and reduced blood clotting.

Gilani et. al. at the Aga Khan University in Karachi Pakistan showed that cardamom lowered blood pressure, increased the expulsion of urine (diuretic), and acted as a mild sedative, which all contribute to heart and vein health, as well as over-all health.

Fights cancer

If you do a search for cardamom in Pub Med, which is where the U.S. records and saves research reports, you will find about ten pages listing the various studies using cardamom and its derivatives. About half of those studies concentrate on cardamom’s anti-cancer qualities. It has been shown to fight cancers of the digestive tract, pancreas, lungs, prostate and many others.

Stimulates the metabolism (black cardamom)

Researchers have verified cardamom’s ability to fight human metabolic syndrome, which is devastating the populations of most developed countries and seems to be creeping into less developed countries as modern agricultural and food processing methods spread around the world.

This is the pervasive illness that causes obesity, diabetes, lack of energy and other metabolic symptoms and diseases, and ensures an early death. In one study Bhaswant et. al. at the Victoria University in Australia fed Wilstar rats (which are very similar to us metabolically) a diet high in simple sugars, trans fats, and saturated fats for sixteen weeks. They treated the animals with either green or black cardamom for the final eight weeks. At the eight-week point the rats had developed obesity, diabetes, liver disease, unbalanced triglycerides and high blood pressure. In the final eight weeks the rats fed the black cardamom reversed the symptoms and diseases associated with metabolic function. The green cardamom had no effect.

Improves digestion

Cardamom contains a wide array of volatile oils:

• Limonene
• Pinene
• Sabinene
• Myrcene
• Phellandrene
• Linalool
• Terpinen-4-oil
• A-terpineol
• A-terpineol acetate
• citronellol
• methyl eugenol
• terpinolene
• geraniol
• terpinene
• nerol

Scientists believe these oils help the digestive tract stay healthy and work at optimum levels.

Helps smokers quit

I found two studies that showed cardamom is an effective spice in the fight against tobacco addiction.

The first study, done at Texas Tech University, showed that gum flavored with baked apple and cardamom lessened the anxiety level of smokers who abstained for forty-eight hours.

The second study by Sukumaran and Kuttan at the Amala Cancer Research Center in India showed that the compound, eugenol, found in cardamom and a few other spices, inhibits the mutagenic activity of chemicals in cigarettes, thereby protecting the smoker from cancer.

Dosage

Dosage information is not very readily available. However, in my practice I usually suggest the following dosages for adults:

As a tea for improved digestion=one teaspoon of freshly crushed seeds steeped for 10 to fifteen minutes.

Raw spice as a supplement=1 to 1.5 grams of freshly crushed seeds daily.

As an antimicrobial=Three cups of tea per day, or chew five seeds three times per day.

Warnings and side effects

Do not ingest medicinal amounts of cardamom if you have gallstones. Cardamom can cause gallstones to be painful.

Do not ingest medicinal dosages of cardamom if you are pregnant or nursing.