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Herbs > Ayurvedic Herbs and their Healing Power > Cardamomum
By Dr. Satish Kulkarni
The
colloquial name for cardamom is ilayachi or veldoda
and its botanical name is Elettaria Cardamomum.
Cardamom is one of the famous spices in the world. In
India, it is used for flavoring curries, puddings and
many other sweet dishes. It is often added to teas,
coffees and milk, which adds to their taste. It adds
to flavor of the many recipes and has medicinal value
in addition.
Cardamom
grows as a perennial herb. It has underground leafy
stems and leafy greenish roots. Other parts of herb
are large leaves, greenish, yellow flowers and
multiple seeded green or off-white colored fruits.
Fruits are dried and used for medicinal as well as
flavoring purpose. Fruits contain triangular blackish
seeds wrapped in a thin, transparent cover in
bunches. These seeds are important part of the herb.
Fruits and seeds leave pleasant aroma with sweet,
pungent taste behind when chewed. They can be eaten
directly or a powder of seeds/ fruits is added to
recipes/ spices/ ayurvedic medicines.
Indian
pansupari, which is combination of cardamom, clove,
betel nut, fennel, licorice and few other substances,
has prestigious place on Indian tea table/ dining
table. It is a custom in Indian houses to eat this
pansupari after lunch and/or dinner. When eaten
individually or in pansupari, cardamom fruits/seeds
leave warm sensation behind which adds to pleasures.
Cardamom
helps in reducing flatulence and strengthening
digestive activities. It activates our appetite by
acting on salivary secretion. It is a time-tested
medicine for nausea, dry vomiting, motion sickness,
vertigo and indigestion in general. A cardamom
enriched tea/coffee gives an instant relief from
indigestion induced headaches or tension headaches,
which are very common in the modern era. An ayurvedic
preparation that contains cardamom, cloves, ginger,
coriander and few other available herbal products is
an effective and safe remedy in digestive problems.
Cardamom
is a breath freshener. A few seeds chewed after the
intake of food, help in diminishing bad breath. Many
herbal types of toothpaste available in market
include this valuable gift of nature in their
product.
Cardamom
has some diuretic effect also. A diuretic herbal
mixture prepared out of banana leaf with few other
diuretic herbal medicines includes cardamom also. In
conditions like burning micturition, scanty
micturition, dribbling micturition, prostate
problems, cystitis and nephritis it has proven its
merit.
Cardamom
gives a boost to the body after a tiring or hectic
schedule. It helps in the state of depression as a
cheering agent. One ayurvedic school of thoughts says
this herb is useful in sexual disorders like
impotency and premature ejaculation. A special spice
prepared from cardamom, saffron and few other
ayurvedic sex tonics boiled with milk, is recommended
at bedtime. Treatment is to be continued for months
to achieve desired effect. Excessive use defeats the
purpose.
A concoction of the essences of cardamom seeds and/or
cinnamon added to lukewarm water is used for
gargling. This helps in conditions like stomatitis,
phyringitis, sore throat, adulthood tonsillitis and
hoarseness of voice due to any reason. Cardamom is a
boon for vocalists as it helps in improving voice.
Many performing artists take cardamom added milk
before a performance for smoothness of voice, and
cardamom added coffee after finishing it for the
relaxation of vocal cords.
Cardamom
has some role in relieving hiccups. A fresh powder of
roast cardamom and clove with few leaves of mint is
added to glass of water and kept for half an hour in
silver pot is a good hiccup reliever.
In
general cardamom is used in pansupari which is an
after food chewing mixture in Indian lifestyle. It
also adds to flavors of recipes and helps in
digestion. It is one of the antidepressant
recommended by ayurveda.
For further information on Ayurveda and/or questions
please
Visit India Herbs For
Consultations, Genuine Ayurvedic Medicines and
Nutritional Supplements or contact Dr. Satish Kulkarni |
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Index
Quick Reference
Alfalfa
Aloe Vera
Arnica
Asafoetida
Betel Leaves
Bishop’s Weed
Black Cohosh
Blessed Thistle
Burcock
Cascara Sagrada
Cardamom
Chamomile
Chaparral
Chicory
Cinnamon
Comfrey
Coriander
Curry Leaves
Dandelion
Echinacea
Euphrasia
Fenugreek
Garlic
Ayurvedic Garlic
Ginger
Aurvedic Ginger
Ginko Biloba
Ginseng
Gotu Kola
Guarana
Henna
Holy Basil
Hoodia Gordonii
Horny Goat Weed
Hyssop
Isapghula
Kalonji
Kava
Lavender
Liquorice
Maca
Mullien
Sage
Sandalwood
Sarsaparilla
St Johns Wort
Tee Tree
Tongkat Ali
Thyme
Tribulus
Turmeric
Yohimbe
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