Herb of the Month: Cardamom – A Warming Spice to Help With Gas, Bloating, and Metabolism

As the northern hemisphere tilts farther from the sun and plunges us into the dark, chilly days of deep autumn and winter, we find our kitchens are warmly lit with heartier meals and more pungent spices. Many of the herbs and spices we associate with winter flavors (ginger, cinnamon, etc.) are wonderful digestive aids that help us get through the season’s heavy meals. Cardamom is an excellent example of this. This tropical spice is often associated with winter baked goods, teas, stews, etc. It’s a perfect mediating herb, as it helps temper some of the more pungent spices while also aiding warming and circulatory effects that are so helpful in the fall and winter. Cardamom has a long history of use in South Asia and the Mediterranean before it was brought to Europe by Alexander the Great’s soldiers. It’s a delicious addition to flavor profiles and a potent plant medicine. 

Common name: Cardamom

Latin name: Elettaria cardamomum

Part used: seeds

Properties: antimicrobial, antinauseant, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, aromatic, carminative, cholagogue, digestive, diaphoretic, expectorant, stomachic, and adjuvant (harmonizer)

Taste: pungent and sweet

Energetics: warming and slightly moistening

History

South Asia to North Africa

Cardamom appears in ancient Sanskrit and Ayurvedic texts dating back to 3,000 BCE. These texts depict this herb as a beneficial aid for digestion, infections, and respiratory conditions. As its use spread into northern Africa and the Middle East, records show that cardamom was used not just as a culinary addition but also as incense, perfume, and a breath freshener. Cleopatra was known to crush and burn cardamom for its aromatic properties. Arab, Persian, and North African nations began to use it in their cuisines and, most notably, their coffee. 

Europe

As Roman rule spread throughout Europe, we can see cardamom’s use grow. Eventually, Viking voyages brought them into contact with Moorish and medieval traders, introducing the flavor to Scandinavia, where it has held a stronghold in Scandinavian cuisine ever since (Swedish cardamom buns and the spiced beverage glogg).

Colonialization/Plantations

During the 19th century, cardamom became an important part of global trade. British cardamom plantations were established in the Western Ghats of India. By the early 20th century, German coffee plantation owner Oscar Majus Kleerekoper brought cardamom to Guatemala. Coincidentally, Guatemala is currently the largest commercial producer and exporter of cardamom (ahead of India and Sri Lanka!).

Benefits

Digestive Aid

Cardamom has been used for thousands of years as a soothing remedy for stomach aches, a carminative (dispels gas), and an appetite stimulant. While soothing the gut, it also stimulates circulation throughout the digestive tract, easing nausea, vomiting, and belching. Additionally, cardamom eases digestive cramping, bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea. If you’re like most of us, you may encounter gas, bloating, and digestive discomfort from eating many beans and legumes. Luckily, cooking crushed or powdered cardamom seeds with these legume-rich meals can reduce those uncomfortable side effects. As a cholagogue (promotes bile production), cardamom helps improve fat digestion. It also helps prevent the cramps associated with taking laxative herbs. 

Antimicrobial 

The volatile oils in cardamom (most notably 1,8-cineole) have strong antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. As an expectorant (helps remove phlegm), it can help with upper and lower respiratory infections, sore throats, and coughs. Herbalists often use it in throat-soothing preparations (teas, cough syrups, cough drops), as it contains a mucilage that helps soothe the mucous membranes of both respiratory and digestive systems. 

Circulation

Cardamom is a warming circulatory stimulant. It can carry heat from the core to the extremities (making it all the more perfect for winter treats!). 

Emotional Aspects of Cardamom

Aromatherapists use cardamom essential oil to evoke a sense of comfort, support the nervous system, and uplift mental well-being. It’s also used to evoke a sense of physical comfort as well as grounding. Cardamom contains alpha-terpinyl acetate and 1,8-cineole, which help regulate mood and tension and enhance mental clarity. Additionally, it stimulates our appetite for life and helps us show up in the world from a grounded and more open place. It generates an inner warmth that promotes creativity and gratitude. 

Recipes

Immune Boosting Chai Tea by The Herbal Academy

Ingredients

• 1 ½ – 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons dried astragalus root
• 6 black peppercorns, crushed
• 4 cardamom pods, crushed
• A few cloves, ground or crushed
• 1 slice fresh ginger, minced
• Two cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon dried orange peel
• ½ – 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon loose black tea (or two tea bags)
• Maple syrup/sugar, to taste (optional)

Instructions

• Place water and astragalus root in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 20 minutes.
• Add the spices and the milk, then simmer gently for a few more minutes.
• Turn off the heat and add the tea. Steep for 10 minutes.
• Strain into a mug, then stir in sweetener to taste if desired.

Swedish Glogg (Mulled Wine) by True North Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 orange
• 1 bottle dry red wine, nothing expensive but full-bodied
• ⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2-inch piece of ginger sliced into thin rounds
• 10 whole cloves
• 10 cardamom pods, crushed (include both pods and seeds)
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• ½ cup aquavit, such as the Linie brand (rum, brandy, or vodka will also work)
• Golden raisins, blanched almonds, and thin orange or clementine slices for serving (optional)

Instructions

• Remove the orange peel with a vegetable peeler and transfer the strips to a medium saucepan.  
• Cut the orange in half and squeeze juice into the saucepan with the peel.
• Add all remaining ingredients to the saucepan and heat until the mixture just comes to a simmer.  
• Cover and remove from heat. Let steep for two to four hours at room temperature. 
• Strain into a clean container.  The mixture can be prepared up to this point up to a week ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• When you are ready to serve, return the mixture to a saucepan.  Add aquavit and a handful of golden raisins. Heat, but do not boil (boiling will remove the alcohol).  Serve immediately, garnished with raisins, blanched almonds, and orange or clementine slices if desired.

Ginger Throat Soothing Drops by Nourish Farms

Ingredients

• ½ cup honey
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp cardamom 

Instructions

• In a saucepan over medium-low heat, mix all the ingredients, stirring often. 
• Bring the mixture to 310F using a candy thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, you can test it by dropping some of the mixture into ice water. If it hardens, it’s finished. 
• Using a spoon, place drops of the mixture on parchment paper to harden. Once hardened, you can coat the drops in arrowroot, cornstarch, or powdered sugar to keep them from sticking in the container.