Cardamom is a warming, calming herb familiar to many people as the earthy vanilla flavor found in chai tea. Originating in southern India, cardamom is most famous for alleviating digestive discomforts, which is the reason cooks add it to rich, creamy desserts in Asia and the Near East. Cardamom tea can be particularly effective as a remedy for illnesses with symptoms that affect the body quickly, because tea is digested and begins healing symptoms much faster than pills. Additionally, many practitioners think that patients who brew herbal teas are more emotionally involved in their own therapies and the investment in their health has a positive effect, according to "Acupuncture Today." Cardamom's benefits are largely anecdotal, and consulting a practitioner prior to its consumption is recommended.
Respiratory Support
Cardamom tea is one of the most potent sources of the phytochemical cineole, which fights bad breath, gum disease, sore throats and respiratory conditions. Making a tea with cardamom and cinnamon is a well-known folk remedy for curing pharyngitis, sore throat and hoarseness; however, there is little scientific evidence supporting this claim.
Digestive Treatment
In the Ayurvedic tradition, those who consume cardamom tea after meals help ease their digestion. Acid from spicy foods such as curries, upsets the intestines, which increases gas-producing mucus that makes milk, wheat and cheese difficult to digest. Cardamom tea reduces mucus buildup and contains carminatives that decrease bloating and gas. Western scientific studies have not proven the benefits of cardamom; however, it has been used anecdotally as a digestive aid for acidic foods for more than 5,000 years. In fact, residents of the Near East often add cardamom to coffee to reduce the acid and neutralize the caffeine, according to the "Yoga Journal."
Aphrodisiac
Cardamom is an aromatic spice and has been used anecdotally as an aphrodisiac and a remedy for impotence. The cineole compound cardamom contains can increase blood flow in the body, which may be the mechanism of action for its aphrodisiac qualities, according to HolisticOnline.com. As with all herbal treatments, a practitioner should be consulted prior to its use.
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