Cardamom: The Queen of Spices

     I have a not-so-secret I'd like to share. I love Indian food! Seriously. Nothing tastes better than Paneer Masala served with Basmati Rice. Especially if I can enjoy it with a warm cup of Chai Tea. I was making my very own blend of Chai Tea a while back and realized that every spice I added was an amazing powerhouse of herbal potential. From the ginger, to the black pepper, and even to the tea itself. So I pulled out my Garam Masala seasoning and looked at the ingredients, sure enough all of those spices are amazingly beneficial herbs as well. There is one herb that both of these blends have in common that lends it's distinctive flavor to both food and drink, and it works extremely well to help aid digestion and sooth the stomach, which is very important when talking about Indian food.

     Often called “The Queen of Spices,” Cardamom is the third most expensive spice in the world, only after Saffron and Vanilla. Elettaria cardamomum is it's scientific name and it belongs to the same family as Ginger and Turmeric, the Zingiberaceae family. Originating in India, it's been used both medicinally and culinarily for thousands of years. It was even commonly used in Ancient Egypt. However, it remains one of the more distinctive spices in Indian cuisine.

Medicinal Uses:

Summary of Actions-

Carminative, stimulant, aromatic, diuretic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic, and aphrodisiac.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)- Known as Sha Ren, the use of Cardamom in Traditional Chinese Medicine goes back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) where it was written about in an ancient book named Yao Xing Lun. This book is devoted to the pharmacological uses of herbs. According to TCM practitioners, Cardamom is spicy, warm, and aromatic. It is associated with the meridians of spleen, stomach, and kidney. It helps to resolve dampness, promote appetite, activates qi to resolve stagnation in the middle burner, warm the spleen, stop diarrhea, and prevent miscarriage.

Ayurveda- Cardamom pacifies all three doshas and is most commonly used for diseases where there is an imbalance in all three doshas. It's also one of the ingredients in Chyawanprash, a traditional Indian jam used for it's nutritive and health properties. It also regulates digestion and improves urine output, so that it is commonly used in Ayurvedic weight loss formulas. People looking to balance Pitta should consume Cardamom in smaller amounts. However, it works well to balance Kapha, especially in the stomach and lungs. It also is excellent at pacifying Vata.

Digestive Aid and Appetite Enhancement-

The volatile oils in Cardamom help to soothe the stomach and intestines. This helps to prevent and reduce a whole host of digestive complaints including constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, and flatulence. Aromatically, it can also be used to increase appetite.

Cardiovascular Health-

Cardamom is high in fiber which helps to enhance heart health in general, but specifically helps to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Combined with the levels of heart healthy antioxidants present in this herb, Cardamom is an excellent heart herb. Many heart experts around the world even go to far as to add Cardamom to their meals.

Depression-

The volatile oils in Cardamom are uplifting and soothing, helping to relieve stress and reduce depression. It can be used in a tea or aromatically to help in this manner.

Diabetes-

Cardamom is high in manganese, a mineral found to lower the risk of diabetes.

Dental Health and Bad Breath-

Cardamom is well known for it's ability to combat bad breath, simply by chewing on the seeds. It also helps to fight the bacteria that cause tooth and gum disease and decay.

Asthma-

Cardamom has been shown to have bronchodialatory effects, meaning that it dialates the bronchi and bronchioles in the lungs. Literally, Cardamom makes breathing easier. Especially in the cases of asthma patients.

Nausea, Sore Throat, Vomiting-

Cardamom has an amazing ability to sooth a sore throat, reduce inflammation, reduce nausea, and prevent vomiting.

Aphrodisiac-

Cardamom is rich in cineole, which helps to increase and release your passions. Just a tiny pinch of Cardamom can go a long way.

Urinary Disorders-

Cardamom is useful to help with the discomfort associated with passing kidney and gall stones. It can also act as a diuretic to sooth a wide variety of kidney, bladder, and urinary problems.

Hiccups-

Cardamom is one of the few herbs that is really helpful in most cases of hiccups. It has muscle-relaxing properties that help sooth the muscles that contract to cause the hiccups. It also helps reduce indigestion which can be another cause of hiccups. Simply add 1 teaspoon of powdered Cardamom to a glass of hot water, let steep 15 minutes, then consume slowly.

Contraindications and Warnings- Generally considered safe, but some people do have allergies to the volatile oils. Cardamom has anti-platelet actions and could possibly cause problems in people taking certain anti-platelet or anticoagulant medicine.

     I only included a basic introduction to this amazing herb. I hope you have learned a new appreciation for how amazing cardamom is. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.

Refrences:

11 Amazing Benefits of Cardamom: Organic Facts: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-cardamom.html

15 Health Benefits of Cardamom: Healthhub: https://sunwarrior.com/healthhub/15-health-benefits-of-cardamom

24 Amazing Benefits of Cardamom: Style Craze: http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/health-benefits-of-cardamom/

Ayurveda Health Benefits of Cardamom: AyurHelp: http://www.ayurhelp.com/articles/ayurveda-health-benefits-cardamom#.WlODCd-nG01

Black Cardamom (Sha Ren): Chinese Herbs Healing: http://www.chineseherbshealing.com/black-cardamom/

Cardamom: Herb Wisdom: https://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-cardamom.html

Cardamom: Maharishi Ayurveda: http://www.mapi.com/ayurvedic-recipes/spices/cardamom.html

Cardamom Essential Oil: Sustanable Baby Steps: http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/cardamom-essential-oil.html

Cardamom Helps Prevent Bad Breath, Cavities, & Cancer: Dr Axe: https://draxe.com/cardamom/

Cardamom Seed (sha ren): Acupuncture Today: http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral/cardamon_seed.php

Chinese Herb Sha Ren: Sacred Lotus: https://www.sacredlotus.com/go/chinese-herbs/substance/sha-ren-Cardamom-grains-of-paradise-fruit

Cardamom Uses: Easy Ayurveda: https://easyayurveda.com/2014/12/26/cardamom-uses-research-home-remedies-side-effects/

Sage, the Scent of Thanksgiving

     November is a month of gatherings.  When we gather together this month, we are asked to think about things we are thankful for (at least that’s always been my family’s tradition).  Even though the origin of Thanksgiving may not have happened the way we have all been taught in school, it has come to represent a time of family and friends, of thankfulness and of blessings.  What the holiday has become is a wonderful tradition for families and a great celebration of the things in life that we may take for granted throughout the year. 

     As we do gather together over a bountiful table, certain aromas tend to be present.  The smell of the turkey and dressing are, of course, the most prominent.  Now, each family has their own recipes.  Being from the South, I don’t believe oysters have any business in my dressing (supposedly this is common in certain areas, and is even supposed to be an ingredient in the first Thanksgiving dressing recipe).  However there are certain spices that make themselves into every dressing recipe I have ever encountered.  One of these is sage.

     Sage Salvia officinalis is one of the many, many cooking herbs that are also amazingly beneficial to our health.  It’s in the Lamiaceae family, which is commonly referred to as the Mint family.  Plants in this family are characterized by a square stem and distinctive flowers that have petals fused into an “upper lip” and “lower lip,” which is why this family was originally referred to as the Labiatae (labia is Latin for lip).  The Lamiaceae family is also where you find Basil, Mint, Lavender, Thyme, Rosemary, and Savory, so this is a family known for its culinary delights.  When it comes to culinary herbs, I have a pet theory that they were originally added to food because most of them help aid digestion in some way.  However, it may be a “chicken and egg” situation.  Do we know that they help with digestion because they were added to food? Or were they added to food to aid with digestion?  Hmm… 

     Sage has been used in most cultures as a medicinal and culinary favorite (I use it in my Pumpkin Sage bread).  The ancient Romans actually revered this herb so much that they created a special ceremony just for the gathering of sage.  The Greeks and Romans both used this herb to help preserve meat (science believes that this is due to its high level of antioxidants).  Arab physicians in the 10^th century believed that sage promoted immortality.  14^th century Europeans used sage to protect themselves from witchcraft.  It was also prized in 17^th century China for the flavorful tea it makes.  Today, sage has become one of the most commonly burnt herbs for smudging, which is a practice that comes from the Native American use of burning herbs to cleanse one’s self and space, as well as to connect to nature and spirits.  The actual herbs used in this way by Native Americans varied among the tribes (some of them are very secretive about what herbs the used) and were typically not burnt in a bundle, but instead in a bowl or shell.  But the current practice is beneficial (even for you healthy skeptics), as sage smoke helps us to de-stress and fights the bacteria in the very air we breathe.

     I have used a strong sage tea as a mouthwash and gargle to fight gingivitis and heal a sore throat.  Sage tea can also be used to fight fevers, to calm nervous anxiety, to stimulate digestion, improve liver and kidney function, as a wash for the skin (makes a great toner and helps fight acne), as a hair rinse (makes hair super shiny and helps to darken hair if left on for an extended time), helps reduce excessive sweating, is a natural deodorizer (great for body and home), helps relieve hot flashes in menopausal women, helps deal with feelings of grief and depression, helps protect against cardiovascular diseases, and can help improve brain function and memory.  You can also use sage as a steam inhalation to help with asthma.  Sage poultices can also be beneficial in first-aid situations where antibacterial action is needed.  There are many more benefits of sage and I could probably write a small book on the subject! 

     For all of you new moms, and mom-to-be’s out there, you should avoid taking this herb in medicinal doses, or even at all.  It stimulates menstrual flow which could cause complications in the early stages of pregnancy.  It also dries up milk flow, so breastfeeding moms should avoid this herb until it’s time to wean your baby (at which point it could be very helpful).  It could also cause a minor allergic reaction in people who are allergic to other plants in the Lamiaceae family.  You should also use caution with this herb if you are prone to epileptic seizures. 

    

Parts Used: Leaves, small stems, flowers

Medicinal Actions: Analgesic, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antifungal, Antihydrotic (refrigerant), Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antiviral, Aromatic, Astringent, Carminative, Depurative, Emmenagogue, Estrogenic, Nervine, Vermifuge

    Thank you all for reading this.  I hope you enjoy sage as much as I do and if you have any questions or comments, please leave them down in the comments below!

Resources:

Annie’s Remedy – Sage: http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail52.php

Botanical.com/A Modern Herbal – Sages: http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sages-05.html

Health Beckon – 20 Amazing Benefits of Sage Herb for Skin, Hair, and Health: http://www.healthbeckon.com/sage-herb-benefits/

Herbalpedia – Sage, Not Just for Thanksgiving: http://www.herbalpedia.com/blog/?p=156

Herb Wisdom – Sage Herb: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-sage.html

History – The History of Thanksgiving: http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving

Manataka American Indian Council – The Real Story of Thanksgiving: https://www.manataka.org/page269.html

Organic Facts – Health Benefits of Sage: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/sage.html

Spirituality and Health – The Ancient Art of Smudging: http://spiritualityhealth.com/articles/ancient-art-smudging

World’s Healthiest Foods – Sage: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=76