1. May Lower Blood Pressure, 2. May Contain Cancer-Fighting Compounds, 3. May Protect from Chronic Diseases, 4. May Help with Digestive Problems, 5. May Treat Bad Breath and Prevent Cavities, 6. May Have Antibacterial Effects and Treat Infections, 7. May Improve Breathing and Oxygen Use, 8. May Lower Blood Sugar Levels, 9. Other Potential Health Benefits. Cardamom is a spice with a strong, slightly sweet flavor that some associate with mint. It originated in India but is now available globally and is used in both sweet and savory cuisines. Cardamom seeds, oils, and extracts are regarded to have powerful therapeutic effects and have been used for generations in traditional medicine. Here are the best health benefits of cardamom, backed by science.
May Lower Blood Pressure
Cardamom may be beneficial to persons who have high blood pressure. In one trial, 20 adults with newly diagnosed high blood pressure were given three grams of cardamom powder daily. Blood pressure levels had dropped greatly to the normal range after 12 weeks. The high quantities of antioxidants in cardamom may be responsible for the encouraging results of this study. By the end of the trial, the antioxidant status of the subjects had increased by 90%. Blood pressure has been linked to antioxidants.
Researchers believe the spice may lower blood pressure because of its diuretic impact, which means it can encourage urination to remove water that accumulates in your body, such as around your heart. In rats, cardamom extract has been proven to stimulate urination and lower blood pressure.
May Lower Blood Pressure
May Contain Cancer-Fighting Compounds
Cardamom chemicals may aid in the battle against cancer cells. Cardamom powder has been demonstrated in animal studies to improve the activity of specific enzymes that help fight cancer. The spice may also improve natural killer cell abilities to assault cancers. In one study, researchers subjected two groups of mice to a skin cancer-causing chemical and fed one group 500 mg of powder cardamom per kg (227 mg per pound) of body weight every day. After 12 weeks, only 29% of the cardamom-eating group developed cancer, compared to more than 90% of the control group.
Human cancer cells and cardamom research have yielded similar results. One study found that a component in the spice inhibited the growth of oral cancer cells in test tubes. Despite the promising results, this research has only been conducted on mice or in test tubes. The human study is required before making more definitive claims.
May Contain Cancer-Fighting Compounds
May Protect from Chronic Diseases
Cardamom has chemicals that may help combat inflammation. When your body is exposed to foreign chemicals, inflammation occurs. Although acute inflammation is important and useful, chronic inflammation can result in chronic illnesses. Antioxidants, which are abundant in cardamom, protect cells from harm and prevent inflammation. Cardamom extract in levels of 50-100 mg per kg (23-46 mg per pound) of body weight was found to be beneficial in suppressing at least four distinct inflammatory chemicals in rats in one research.
Another study in rats found that ingesting cardamom powder reduced liver inflammation caused by high carbohydrate and fat diet. Though there haven’t been as many studies on cardamom’s anti-inflammatory effects on people, evidence suggests that supplements can boost antioxidant capacity by up to 90%.
May Protect from Chronic Diseases
May Help with Digestive Problems
Cardamom has been used to aid digestion for thousands of years. It is frequently combined with other medicinal spices to alleviate discomfort, nausea, and vomiting. The most explored attribute of cardamom in terms of gastrointestinal ailments is its potential capacity to cure ulcers. In one study, mice were given hot water extracts of cardamom, turmeric, and sembung leaf before being given large doses of aspirin to produce stomach ulcers. These rats developed fewer ulcers than animals given simply aspirin.
In a comparable trial with rats, cardamom extract alone was found to totally prevent or reduce the size of stomach ulcers by at least 50%. Cardamom extract was found to be more effective than a typical anti-ulcer medicine at levels of 12.5 mg per kg (5.7 mg per pound) of body weight. Cardamom may also protect against Helicobacter pylori, a bug connected to the formation of most stomach ulcers, according to in vitro research. More research is needed to determine whether the spice has the same effect on ulcers in humans.
May Help with Digestive Problems
May Treat Bad Breath and Prevent Cavities
Cardamom has long been used to alleviate foul breath and enhance dental health. After a meal, several cultures recommend eating whole cardamom pods to refresh your breath. Wrigley, a chewing gum company, utilizes spice in one of its products. Cardamom’s ability to prevent common oral bacteria may explain why it can cause minty fresh breath. According to one study, cardamom extracts were efficient in combating five germs that cause tooth cavities. In certain test-tube settings, the extracts inhibited bacterial growth by up to 0.82 inches (2.08 cm).
According to additional studies, cardamom extract can lower the number of bacteria in saliva samples by 54%. However, because all of these investigations were conducted in test tubes, it is uncertain how the findings may relate to humans.
May Treat Bad Breath and Prevent Cavities
May Have Antibacterial Effects and Treat Infections
Cardamom has antibacterial properties outside of the mouth and may be used to treat infections. According to research, cardamom extracts and essential oils have components that fight various common kinds of bacteria. One test-tube investigation looked at the effect of these extracts on drug-resistant Candida strains, a yeast that can cause fungal infections. Some strains’ growth was inhibited by the extracts by 0.39-0.59 inches (0.99–1.49 cm).
The additional test-tube study discovered that cardamom essential oils and extracts were just as powerful, if not more so than traditional medications against E. coli and Staphylococcus, germs that can cause food poisoning. Cardamom essential oils have also been demonstrated in test tubes to fight the bacterium Salmonella, which causes food poisoning, and Campylobacter, which causes stomach irritation. Existing research on cardamom’s antibacterial powers has only looked at isolated strains of bacteria in labs. As a result, the evidence is currently insufficient to conclude that the spice would have the same impact on humans.
May Have Antibacterial Effects and Treat Infections
May Improve Breathing and Oxygen Use
Cardamom compounds may assist boost airflow to your lungs and improve breathing. Cardamom has an energizing odor that improves your body’s ability to use oxygen during exercise when used in aromatherapy. In one trial, participants were advised to inhale cardamom essential oil for one minute before jogging on a treadmill for 15 minutes at a time. This group consumed substantially more oxygen than the control group. Cardamom may also increase respiration and oxygen utilization by relaxing your airway. This could be especially beneficial in the treatment of asthma.
Injections of cardamom extract were found to relax the neck air channel in rats and rabbits in a study. If the extract has a comparable impact on asthma patients, it may keep their inflamed airways open and help their breathing.
May Improve Breathing and Oxygen Use
May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Cardamom powder may help reduce blood sugar levels. One study discovered that giving rats a high-fat, high-carb (HFHC) diet caused their blood sugar levels to remain raised for a longer period of time than feeding them a regular diet. When rats on the HFHC diet were given cardamom powder, their blood sugar levels did not remain raised any longer than rats on a normal diet. However, in persons with type 2 diabetes, the powder may not have the same impact.
Over 200 persons with this condition were divided into groups that consumed only black tea or black tea with three grams of cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger every day for eight weeks of research. Cinnamon, but not cardamom or ginger, improved blood sugar control, according to the findings. More research is needed to better understand the effect of cardamom on blood sugar levels in humans.
May Lower Blood Sugar Levels
Other Potential Health Benefits
Cardamom may be beneficial to your health in various ways besides the ones described above. Studies in rats have found that the high antioxidant levels in the spice may prevent both liver enlargement, and anxiety and even aid weight loss:
- Liver protection: Cardamom extract may lower high levels of liver enzymes, triglycerides, and cholesterol. They may help minimize the risk of fatty liver disease by preventing liver enlargement and weight gain.
- Anxiety: According to one mouse study, cardamom extract may help to avoid nervous behaviors. This could be because low antioxidant levels in the blood have been linked to the development of anxiety and other mood disorders.
- Weight loss: Cardamom was linked to a slightly lower waist circumference in a sample of 80 overweight and obese prediabetic women. However, no substantial outcomes have been discovered in rat trials on weight loss and the spice.
Other Potential Health Benefits
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