Kitchen Spice

Cardamom

SanskritEla, SukshmailaBotanicalElettaria cardamomumAlso calledGreen cardamom, Elaichi, Small cardamom

The fragrant green pod Ayurveda adds to milk, coffee and sweets to make them lighter, easier to digest and a little more joyful.

Cardamom, seed

Split a green cardamom pod with your thumbnail and the smell rises up right away, bright and almost floral. It is one of the most loved spices in Ayurveda, and one of the most generous.

Cardamom has a special job in the Ayurvedic kitchen. It is the spice you add to heavy or mucus-forming foods, like milk, sweets and grains, to make them easier to digest. A pod in your coffee is said to soften its jittery edge. Chewed after a meal, it freshens the breath and settles the stomach.

Ayurvedic Properties

RasaTastes
  • Sweet
  • Pungent
ViryaHeating or cooling
Heating
VipakaPost-digestive effect
Sweet
AgniEffect on digestion
Kindles agni

Aromatic and warming, it kindles digestion while lightening heavy foods.

GunaQualities
  • Light
  • Dry
TridoshaEffect on Vata, Pitta and Kapha
  • Vata: decreases
  • Pitta: decreases, in moderation
  • Kapha: decreases
  • decreases (calms that dosha)
  • increases (can aggravate it)
  • neutral or balancing
  • not known
  • V Vata · P Pitta · K Kapha

Cardamom is often called tridoshic. It is gentle enough for pitta in normal amounts, though very large amounts can add heat.

Traditional Uses

  • Traditionally used to support easy digestion of milk, sweets and heavy foods.
  • Traditionally used to support fresh breath and a comfortable mouth and throat.
  • Traditionally used to support clear breathing in cold and damp seasons.
  • Traditionally used to support a calm stomach and a light, uplifted mood.

How People Use It

  • MilkSimmer one or two crushed pods in warm milk with a pinch of turmeric, then sweeten lightly once it cools a bit.
  • TeaAdd a crushed pod to black tea, chai or coffee as it brews.
  • FoodStir freshly ground seeds into oatmeal, rice pudding, stewed apples or baked goods. After a meal, chew a few seeds from a single pod for fresh breath.
  • PowderA pinch of freshly ground cardamom stirred into warm water or a little honey is a simple after-meal habit.
Try This

Simple Cardamom Milk

A soft, fragrant cup for a cold evening.

  • 1 cup whole milk or oat milk
  • 2 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 small pinch ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
  1. Warm the milk with the crushed pods and turmeric over low heat.
  2. Let it barely simmer for 3 to 5 minutes so the cardamom can infuse.
  3. Strain into a mug and let it cool a little before stirring in honey.
  4. Sip slowly, ideally away from screens.

Pairs Well With

Cautions

  • Cardamom in normal cooking and tea amounts is generally considered safe. These cautions apply to larger, concentrated amounts such as supplements and essential oil.
  • Safety research on concentrated cardamom is limited, and major U.S. health references (NCCIH, Memorial Sloan Kettering) do not have a cardamom monograph.
  • During pregnancy and breastfeeding, keep to food amounts unless your healthcare provider advises otherwise.
  • Do not take cardamom essential oil internally.
  • If you take medication or have a health condition, check with your doctor before using cardamom in more than culinary amounts.
  • Please consult a qualified practitioner or your doctor before using cardamom therapeutically.

In Our Shop

Organic Cardamom Pods

Organic Cardamom Pods, from $8.50. Weighed and packed by hand at our Rockville Centre studio.

Shop Cardamom →

From the Journal

Sources and Further Reading

This page shares how herbs are traditionally used in Ayurveda and other herbal traditions. It is for general education only and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Please talk with your doctor or a qualified practitioner before using herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication or managing a health condition.