Due to its beneficial properties, cardamom has been used not only as a seasoning, but also in perfumery, cosmetology and folk medicine for a long time.
Cardamom is more often used in oriental cuisine, this plant from the ginger family has a spicy bitter smell and a pungent taste with a specific aftertaste. Cardamom seeds have good medicinal properties, since they are rich in essential and fatty oils, trace elements, B vitamins and biologically active substances: they contain midon, rubber, cineole.
The use of cardamom has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the nervous system, relieves internal stress, and stimulates the brain. Due to its expectorant properties, the infusion of cardamom seeds is effective for bronchitis and bronchial asthma. Gargling with a decoction of its seeds brings relief from toothaches, freshens breath. Infusion of cardamom, taken internally, relieves headaches, stimulates the work of the heart muscle.
The aroma of cardamom is classified as an aphrodisiac, it is believed that its use increases masculine strength and feminine charm.
The aroma of cardamom is successfully used in aromatherapy to relieve spasms of the cerebral vessels and the expansion of peripheral blood vessels, and a decoction of cardamom before bedtime will allow you to forget about insomnia. You can use hot milk for this purpose, to which ½ tsp is added. ground cardamom. A pinch of cardamom added to coffee will give it a delicious taste and remove the negative effects of caffeine on the body.
Cardamom is a fairly high-calorie spice. 100 g of product contains 311 kcal. However, due to the fact that it is used in limited quantities, it can be ignored when calculating the calorie content of dishes. In addition, it activates the metabolic process, therefore it is often used as a means for losing weight.
To achieve the best effect from the use of cardamom, you need to buy only whole fresh grains, grind them just before preparing meals and decoctions.
To get rid of extra pounds and slag the body, you can use the following recipe with cardamom:
- 1 tsp. crushed dry pharmacy chamomile;
- 1 tbsp. l. linden blossom;
- 1 tbsp. l. dry herb St. John's wort;
- 0.5 tsp chopped ginger root;
- 0.5 tsp crushed cardamom seeds.
All ingredients must be mixed well, brewed in 0.5 tbsp. l. collection in 250 ml of boiling water. Then infuse the mixture for 2 hours, strain and drink 1/3 of a glass 2 times a day. You can dilute the infusion with boiled water. Using cardamom for medicinal purposes, one should not forget about its property to stimulate appetite and metabolism, you need to control nutrition and not allow yourself too much, otherwise the effect may be the opposite.
Cardamom has the ability to irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract and can cause an exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease, so it should not be used for gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, pregnant and lactating women, as well as with intolerance to this product.
