Cardamom: A spice to enhance your coffee and boost health
For many people, the morning ritual of drinking coffee is critical to starting the day. To enrich the taste of this popular beverage, you can add various ingredients like cinnamon, honey, cocoa, or cane sugar. Cardamom—a healthy spice—is also worth adding. Discover its unique properties.
Cardamom is a plant in the ginger family that originates from Asia. It is characterized by an underground rhizome and long stems covered with elongated lance-shaped leaves. The seed enclosed in elliptical fruits is the herbal raw material. In gastronomy, this perennial is also known as "green cardamom."
Health properties of cardamom
The advantage of this spice is its rich composition. Cardamom contains vitamin C, B vitamins, iron, calcium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, and essential oils. Thanks to these contents, Cardamom has antiviral, antibacterial, warming, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic effects. One of its main benefits is its positive impact on the digestive system.
Cardamom stimulates the secretion of digestive juices and is effective in treating indigestion, chronic gastritis, ulcers, and cardiovascular problems. Using cardamom is also helpful in stimulating appetite.
Using cardamom is a great way to alleviate gastrointestinal issues. Researchers from Florida A&M University have found that this spice may be helpful not only in treating inflammatory bowel conditions but also in advanced colon cancer.
Its anticancer potential may also be beneficial in the diets of patients with breast and prostate cancer. The components in cardamom seeds also strengthen the immune system, helping fight seasonal infections and upper respiratory inflammations. Additionally, cardamom inhibits enzymes responsible for the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Cardamom has a lemon-ginger aroma and a spicy taste. It also has a warming effect, making it a perfect addition to coffee. Although widely popular in Turkey, it is gaining increasing recognition worldwide. Besides coffee, cardamom goes well with tea, cocktails, sweet pastries, meat dishes, and rice dishes. It also pairs very well with pickles and sauces.
Where does cardamom occur?
Cardamom occurs mainly in Asia. It grows wild in China, Indonesia, and the Indian Peninsula. This plant has also been introduced to Central America, where it has acclimated. It’s worth mentioning that cardamom was used as far back as ancient Egypt and Rome, serving as an ingredient in perfumes.
