Cardamom (Elaichi)
Also known as
Latin : Elettaria Cardamom
English : Cardamom
Sanskrit : Ela
Hindi : Elaichi
Marathi : Velachi
Tamil : Elam
Telugu : Elakkayalu
Malayalam : Elam
Kannada : Elakki
How it looks—It is a tall perennial herb with a branching root stock under the ground. The sharp-edged leaves have a sheathing base. The flowers and fruits arise from the base of
the stem near the ground, the fruits being three-sided with many black, fragrant seeds
.
What we use—Seeds, oil
What it does—Seeds—aromatic, cooling, stimulant, digestive, carminative, stomachic diuretic, cardiotonic, expectorant, abortifacient and tonic.
How we use it—
In
vomiting—Boil a cardamom fruit and some ginger pieces in a glass of water and allow to cool. Take this water in doses of an ounce thrice a day to drive away and vomiting.
To
stimulate appetite-—Add a few cardamom seeds and some ginger pieces to your tea as an appetiser and to improve taste perception.
In
headache—Paste the skin of a large cardamom and apply it to the forehead. You can also add a clove and the stalk of a betel leaf to this application
In
thirst/hiccups—Boil a few cardamom seeds in a glass of water and drink to quench long standing thirst especially due to a fatty meal. The same water can be used for relief from
hiccups too.
In
flatulence—To relieve discomfort due to gaseous distension of the abdomen, just chew a few cardamoms.
In
urinary disorders—For an excellent diuretic, mix a tsp of cardamom seed powder and amla juice and drink twice a day.
In
heart disorders—In Ayurvedic classics, cardamom is held to be an excellent cardiac tonic. You could paste the roots of cardamom with some ghee and take everyday to tone your heart.
v
In
throat irritation—Chewing on cardamom soothes the throat and clears any obstructing phlegm.
Modern Study
Anti-inflammatory activity of the essential oil of cardamom was found in experimental studies on rats
.
In experimental studies on mice, the oil exhibited analgesic properties.