7 Best Health Benefits of Green Cardamom | Elaichi | Elakai

Types Of Cardamom:

Cardamom is available in different forms and green cardamom is the most popular and widely used variety. Green cardamoms are also the ones that are used extensively in home remedies too.

Black cardamom is another variety that is available, though it has some similar medical properties like green cardamom, it is not quite used like green cardamom. Cardamom-decot or cardamom seeds are also sold in the markets. They are shelled out seeds of mature cardamom pods and they are called elarisi in Tamil.

Then there is ground cardamom, where the seeds are ground for using it instantly and the last variety, white cardamom is got by bleaching the regular green cardamoms. Though there are many varieties of cardamom, nothing beats green cardamom.

Green Cardamom Traditional Uses:

Last time when went on a holiday to Kerala, I enjoyed collecting fresh cardamom pods from the plant and my son who is an avid gardener, even got some plants to be planted in the farm.  For external use, homemade cardamom oil is one of the best massage oils that keep the skin supple and glowing.

Green cardamom pods also treats digestive disorders, depression (the aroma of cardamom has been proven to improve the mood, which I strongly agree), mouth odor, hiccups and dryness of the skin. When buying cardamom seeds, make sure to buy mature pods, as they have maximum aroma.

It can be safely consumed by old and young, pregnant and lactating mothers. However, people who are taking medications and who consume green cardamom pods regularly, like in tea should be careful, as it might interfere with certain medications, but that only happens if we consume cardamom pods regularly.

1. Green Cardamom  | Elaichi for Bad Breath:

It is a common practice in India to serve green cardamom pods after eating spicy dishes to freshen the breath. The aromatic flavors of cardamom pods fights off odor causing bacteria very effectively.

If you are a person who suffer from bad breath constantly, start carrying green cardamom pods in your pocket. Once or twice in a day, open the pod and chew on the seeds or you can have a green cardamom in your mouth for some time like candy.

When the juice of the green cardamom enters the stomach, it treats acidity, You can also try mouth fresheners that have cardamom pods as the main ingredient.

2. Green Cardamom | Elaichi For Weight Loss:

When I say weight loss, it does not mean cardamom pods will magically reduce the fat from our body. But if coupled with exercise and a traditional diet, consuming certain herbs and spices keeps the digestion and assimilation of food in peak order, thus resulting in natural weight loss.

Cardamom is one such ingredient that we should include in our diet and the simplest way to include it in our diet often is by consuming it as a tea.

To make cardamom tea boil water and once it comes to a rolling boil, switch of and add a green tea bag and 1 cardamom pod slit open and let it infuse. After a few minutes strain and if desired sweeten with honey.

3. Green Cardamom | Elaichi For Skin:

This homemade cardamom oil is very good for keeping the skin supple and free from wrinkles. This oil is used as a massage oil before bath and if you like the smell of cardamom then you will greatly love this homemade massage oil. To make the massage take 1 cup unrefined sesame oil in a transparent glass bottle.

Now take 15 green cardamom pods and mash it slightly in a mortar and pestle, but don’t crush it finely, just pound it once to open the pod and crush the seeds slightly to release the oils. Add the pounded cardamom pods and a small bunch of vetiver into the oil and keep it under hot sunlight till the whole oil is infused with the smell of green cardamom and vetiver.

You can either leave it as it is or strain before using. This oil is especially useful during winter time when our skin tends to get dry, take this oil and massage it well all over the body before having your bath with homemade bath powder.

You will see a nice difference in skin tone, if this is done on a regular basis. Try to make the oil during summer, as you need hot sunlight for heating up the oil. This oil keeps the skin supple, prevents skin aging and is very easy to make.

4. Green Cardamom | Elaichi For Gas Relief & Acidity:

Green cardamom is wonderful in treating many disorders of the stomach. It increases appetite and relieves gas and heart burn. A powder made by mixing green cardamom, cumin seeds and carom seeds is very good for treating indigestion and gastritis.

Some people always complain that they are never hungry, for them this mixture will give good results. To make this home remedy, take equal quantity of cardamom seeds, cumin seeds and carom seeds in heavy bottomed roasting pan.

Roast till a slight aroma comes and powder it well in a dry mixer, cool and store in an airtight jar. To use, take a cup of hot water and mix about half a tsp of this mixture and drink. This remedy can be used for children too. Make sure to store the powder in an airtight box to prevent it from spoiling.

5. Green Cardamom | Elaichi For Children to Cure Diarrhea:

This is a home remedy that my husbands grandmother taught us. This home remedy is used to treat diarrhea in babies. For this home remedy, a single cardamom pod is taken and the seeds are alone ground finely in a sandalwood stone along with little boiled water to get a smooth paste.

Sandalwood stone is smooth, round stone that is used to rub sandalwood bark to get sandalwood paste. We also use it to make pastes for using it in home remedies.

The mixture is usually taken in sangu (Indian feeding cup) and fed to the child and we usually give it to children above 3 months. When making this remedy, make sure not use more than 1 pod of cardamom.

6. Green Cardamom  | Elaichi For Headache:

This homemade poultice is widely used for treating headache. To make the poultice, take caradamom-decort or elarisi and grind to a fine paste along with little boiled milk and apply as a poultice on the head.

This is a very effective home remedy for headache. Some people keep a thin white cloth and apply the poultice over it. You can do either way.

7. Green cardamom | Elaichi for Vomiting Sensation:

This homemade green cardamom milk is very good for preventing vomiting sensation. To make cardamom milk, Break open 2 pods of cardamom and crush it in a mortar and pestle.

Add it to the boiling milk and once it boils, remove and add honey. You can also sweeten with palm candy. This milk is also is very comforting to drink on cold days  and this milk is best made fresh and consumed hot.