Cardamom
Useful properties and uses of cardamom
Description of cardamom
Cardamom is a unique fruit of an unusual herbaceous perennial. This tropical plant of the popular Ginger family often reaches a height of four meters. It has a creeping root and lanceolate leaves. Usually, two small stems extend from each root - leaf and creeping flower. The beautiful flowers of cardamom are expressed in white color. They are collected in graceful brushes. Lance-shaped leaves have a pale green tint.
The fruit of the plant is represented by a small three-chambered box. It is covered with a green leathery skin. Collect these boxes by hand about two years after planting. Then they should be dried in direct sunlight to keep them from opening. It is in this form that we are used to seeing the cardamom spice. The spice has sweetish tastes and a strong spicy aroma.
South India and Sri Lanka are considered the birthplace of the plant. Cardamom prefers evergreen forests. It should be noted that the plant grows well in Laos, New Guinea, Central America, Cambodia, Tanzania, Guatemala, Vietnam and El Salvador.
Such a delightful plant usually begins to bear fruit in the second or third year of life. A good harvest can be harvested around the sixth year after planting. Favorite places for cardamom can be called forest loamy soils, where there is a lot of organic matter and nitrogen, and the amount of phosphorus is negligible.
Useful properties of cardamom
The chemical composition of the seeds of a plant includes numerous beneficial components. Cardamom boasts a high content of essential and fatty oils, protein, amidone, cineole, terpeneol, terpenyl acetate, rubber, starch, iron, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, magnesium and B vitamins. Due to the combination of such trace elements, the presented plant has strengthening, carminative, gastric, stimulating, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
When exposed to the human body, the plant helps to stimulate the work of nerve cells, strengthen the stomach, enhance the synthesis of gastric juice, and relieve stress. Cardamom is indispensable for quickly getting rid of serious depressive conditions. Moreover, this incomparable spice has a positive effect on the functioning of the brain. Various drugs containing cardamom are indicated for the treatment of colds, asthma, bronchitis, nephritis, cystitis, pharyngitis and all kinds of skin diseases.
Since cardamom has a special flavor of lemon, camphor and eucalyptus, its regular use perfectly freshens the breath, neutralizing the pathogenic flora in the oral cavity. Long-term use of the plant normalizes the digestion process. For a long time, cardamom has been used for severe toothaches. It has been proven that it has a beneficial effect not only on vision and male potency, but also amazingly increases the tone of the body. Various products containing the plant will help eliminate involuntary urination and improve mood.
Using cardamom
Small cardamom seeds are indicated for regular exercise, as they are a natural tonic. Various seed remedies are prescribed for various intestinal problems, including flatulence. It should also be mentioned that regular admission helps to significantly reduce the risk of developing dangerous cancers.
For the treatment of all kinds of respiratory diseases, a special effective remedy can be offered. For pharyngitis, you can prepare a healing medicine from half a teaspoon of chopped cardamom and one glass of boiling water. The mixture should be infused for an hour, then it should be filtered, after which you can gargle with it up to five times a day.
For the treatment of insomnia, it is recommended to prepare another remedy, taking 1 tsp. well mashed fruits and boil them with a glass of boiling water. After the broth has cooled, you need to drink it at a time before bedtime for about half an hour. To improve digestion, you can use a special collection. Take 20 grams of cardamom and 30 grams of cumin. Mix everything thoroughly. One glass of boiling water requires 2 tsp. mixtures. After 10 minutes we filter and drink 100 ml per day.
For those men who want to get rid of impotence, it is advisable to brew a pinch of cardamom in a glass of milk with honey. You need to drink this remedy every evening. For a significant improvement in vision, you can mix 1 tsp. honey and 5 seeds of the plant. This mixture is recommended to be consumed daily, one teaspoon.
Slimming cardamom
Despite the high calorie content of cardamom, it effectively reduces weight by stimulating metabolic metabolism in the body. With the regular use of various preparations containing this plant, carbohydrates and fats are burned much faster, which leads to stable weight loss. Often, modern nutritionists recommend using this aromatic spice for the main course of obesity treatment. To get rid of extra pounds faster, you can mix cardamom with a little cinnamon.
Tea with cardamom
To make a miraculous tea with cardamom, you must carefully mix 20 grams of the presented spice with 20 grams of caraway seeds and a pinch of fennel. Fennel is not recommended to take more than 10 grams. Pour the resulting mixture with a glass of boiling water. After about 20 minutes, the tea can be filtered and drunk during the day, 100-150 grams per day. It is indispensable for flatulence, and also improves appetite. Moreover, this remedy is prescribed for the dangerous Remheld syndrome, which is expressed by serious cardiovascular changes.
Cardamom essential oil
Delightful cardamom essential oil is a clear or pale yellow liquid with a spicy delicate scent. It has a huge number of useful properties. Such a wonderful remedy perfectly normalizes the complex process of digestion, while providing carminative and antiseptic effects.
In addition, it should be noted that cardamom oil is excellent for enhancing stomach activity, increasing sexual activity and improving overall well-being. It is indicated for the treatment of flatulence, heartburn, helps to get rid of nausea, and also relieves the condition when a respiratory infection begins. Outwardly, such a product is used for rapid skin regeneration. It is indicated for various fungal diseases, for lichen and scabies.
Often, cardamom oil is prescribed for all kinds of peripheral circulatory disorders. To get rid of a cough, inhalation is prescribed along with this miraculous oil. To increase sexual activity, some experts advise drinking half a glass of good quality wine daily with a couple of drops of cardamom oil. For colds, you can also add oil to the gargle.
Cardamom for men
Cardamom has been shown to be effective in treating such a serious condition as impotence. The causes of impotence are not only excessive alcohol consumption, but also various mental disorders, as well as long-term use of modern sedative medications. In addition, obesity, diabetes, fatigue and general weakening of the body also affect sexual function. As a rule, the disease manifests itself in erectile dysfunction and temporary failures in regular sex life.
To normalize intimate life, it is recommended to use a special tincture. To prepare it, you need to take 2 liters of vodka, 200 grams of sugar and 2 tbsp. l. cardamom. The plant must first be crushed and then filled with vodka. After 20 days of infusion, sugar can be added. After complete dissolution, the agent is filtered. This unique cardamom liqueur has a spicy aroma. It should be consumed 30-50 grams daily before bedtime, and you can also add a teaspoon to your favorite tea.
In addition to restoring the functions of the reproductive system, such a course of treatment will increase the body's immune forces, helping to cope with various viral infections during massive epidemics.
Green and black cardamom
Cardamom comes in two main varieties - black and green. Green cardamom is mainly found in Malaysia and India. Its value is believed to be higher. But black has a more complex and strong aroma with resinous notes. Often the black species is called Javanese or Bengali. It is widely cultivated in all parts of Australia and in tropical Asia. Black cardamom is characterized by larger dark colored fruits.
The fruits are small bolls. They have a fresh, delicate taste without bitterness, but with a subtle mint aroma. It is often used in the preparation of meat dishes, and is harmless even in large quantities. It is not recommended to put such a pronounced seasoning in dessert.
Contraindications for cardamom
There are no specific contraindications for the use of this plant. But it should be noted the individual intolerance to various preparations containing cardamom and the increased sensitivity of the skin during external procedures.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).