Chewing cardamom after meals may aid digestion, blood pressure and bad breath
Green cardamom, a kitchen staple, is credited with benefits ranging from better digestion to fresher breath and healthier blood pressure.
The green cardamom sitting in the kitchen box is not just for adding flavour and aroma to tea, kheer or biryani. People often chew it merely to get rid of bad breath, but its benefits are said to go far beyond that. Cardamom contains several nutrients, including fibre, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and magnesium.
Cardamom is said to be beneficial for those who complain of bloating, gas or acidity. Cardamom oil increases digestive juices in the stomach, helping food digest faster. If the stomach feels heavy after a meal, chewing one cardamom pod can bring relief. It also improves intestinal activity, which reduces constipation.
People often feel embarrassed to speak in front of others when they have bad breath. Cardamom is not just a mouth freshener, it has anti-bacterial properties that eliminate the bacteria in the mouth that cause bad breath. It can also bring relief when gum inflammation or the early stages of tooth decay set in. This is why people used to eat cardamom after meals in the old days.
Cardamom is also considered helpful in keeping the heart healthy. The natural compounds it contains support the heart, and including a little cardamom in daily food is said to keep the blood vessels around the heart in better condition. However, eating cardamom alone will not cure heart disease, though it may help prevent it.
People who have high blood pressure are advised to eat cardamom. It has antioxidant and diuretic properties that open up the blood vessels and improve blood flow, helping lower blood pressure naturally.
Sometimes there is inflammation and burning inside the body, which causes pain. Cardamom is said to have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce this inflammation in the body. If cardamom is used as part of a balanced diet, the body stays cool from within, though this is not a treatment for any major illness, just a support.
Some recent research has also found that cardamom may help control blood sugar, as some of its compounds have a good effect on metabolism. However, research on this is still ongoing. Those with diabetes should not rely on cardamom alone; they should continue their medication and can have cardamom alongside it.
