Cardamom: an all-around godsend!
The third most expensive spice in the world after saffron and vanilla, cardamom has a wealth of health benefits - especially when infused with other health giving spices, such as in our chai!
1. It has great antioxidant properties. This helps to help detoxify the body and improve blood circulation.
2. It may protect heart health. Studies report that cardamom lowers heartbeats and controls rhythm and hypertension. It is thought the results of these studies are due to the high levels of antioxidants in cardamom. In one study, participants’ antioxidant status had increased by 90% by the end!
3. It has been used for thousands of years to promote digestion. The best researched side effect is that of it's ability to heal stomach ulcers. A study in rats found that cardamom extract alone could completely prevent or reduce the size of gastric ulcers by at least 50%. In fact, at high doses, cardamom extract was more effective than a common anti-ulcer medication! Test-tube research also suggests that cardamom may protect against Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria linked to the development of many stomach ulcers.
4. It's an ancient remedy for bad breath. Even Wrigley's uses cardamom in some of their gum products! Cardamom has been shown to fight bacteria that causes cavities, by reducing the bacteria in saliva.
And that is just the start - cardamom has been used in remedies all around the world since ancient times - and, it tastes incredible! All of our chai blends contain whole cardamom pods. We crush some a little to help release the flavours and properties. Why not try our Original Masala Blend, which blends cardamom with other healthy spices such as cinnamon, star anise and clove?
