Cardamom
In short
Summary of findings for quick reference
Cardamom combines a long South Asian tradition of use with widespread culinary use. The Charaka Samhita names small cardamom for oral care. Later trade accounts and dispensatories document the spice’s distribution. Arabic coffee and Nordic and central European baking demonstrate its present cultural importance. Historical plant names and uses need individual examination; they establish neither uninterrupted continuity nor clinical efficacy.
The German Commission E positively assessed cardamom fruit for dyspeptic complaints. This historical monograph assessment does not establish efficacy for every current product. Laboratory and animal studies provide signals involving intestinal muscle and certain bacteria. Small human trials also examine metabolic measures, but do not automatically answer whether cardamom helps bloating or oral malodor.
In everyday Austrian use, cardamom is mainly a cooking and baking spice, for example in gingerbread or coffee. This entry concerns green or true cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum from southern India. Black cardamom belongs to another genus and has a much stronger, often smoky flavour. The two spices are not flavour equivalents. Concentrated essential oil is not equivalent to spice or tea and should not be taken internally on one’s own.
Clinical evidence ↔ Historical significanceWe display two separate evidence categories: clinical evidence from modern trials and historical significance from documented healing tradition. Both are valuable, but they answer different questions.Read more
In every encyclopedia entry we evaluate two distinct categories of evidence. Clinical evidence as used in trials meets a narrower but scientifically essential bar. At the same time, the hundreds of thousands of plant species worldwide have only partially been captured and tested in modern studies.
Alongside the trial picture our researchers compile a comprehensive overview of where and since when a plant has been used across different traditions of natural medicine. When a plant has been used as a medicinal plant in many cultures across many generations, that historical significance deserves to be visible too.
Our position: a truly informative overview emerges only when both categories sit side by side. We communicate transparently what counts as what.
Overview
Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum), also called green or true cardamom, is a tropical perennial in the ginger family. It originates in the moist mountain forests of southern India and is cultivated in countries including India and Guatemala. Green, three-chambered fruit capsules are harvested before full ripeness. Their small brown seeds contain the aromatic essential oil, whose important constituents include 1,8-cineole and alpha-terpinyl acetate.
In Western herbal medicine, cardamom is traditionally used for digestive complaints. The German Commission E positively assessed cardamom fruit for dyspeptic complaints. In South Asia, the spice is also known as an aromatic ingredient for oral care, while in Arab countries it flavours coffee. Modern research includes laboratory and animal experiments and small human trials. Direct clinical evidence for the traditional digestive use remains limited.
History
Cardamom has a long South Asian history as a spice and medicinal ingredient. The Charaka Samhita names small cardamom among aromatic ingredients used in oral care. Greek and Roman texts also describe spices with similar names, but it is uncertain whether these always meant Elettaria cardamomum. Green cardamom is now used in masala chai, spice mixtures, rice dishes and Arabic coffee, among other preparations.
Cardamom also reached Europe through the spice trade. In the sixteenth century, Garcia da Orta described an already developed international trade. In Nordic countries it became an important baking spice, for example in Swedish cardamom buns and Finnish pulla. In Austria and Germany it appears in gingerbread, stollen and other spiced baking. It also has a history as an aromatic ingredient in pharmacy preparations, documented in the 1918 US Dispensatory.
Mechanism
Important constituents of cardamom essential oil include 1,8-cineole and alpha-terpinyl acetate. Their proportions vary with origin and preparation. Experiments with cardamom oil show relaxation of isolated intestinal muscle; effects on calcium channels are among the proposed mechanisms. Such findings do not establish whether culinary amounts or a cup of tea relieve human symptoms.
Antimicrobial properties have also been investigated in the laboratory. One study of oils from Indian and Guatemalan cardamom reported inhibition of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, for example. This does not demonstrate treatment of infection or oral malodor. The spice’s pleasant aroma and traditional use in oral care are separate matters.
Modern research includes laboratory and animal experiments as well as small human trials, using different preparations and research questions. One randomized trial in 80 overweight or obese women with prediabetes tested 3 g of green cardamom daily for two months. Blood pressure, glycemic measures and lipid values showed no clear advantage over placebo. This study concerned metabolic measures, not traditional use for digestive symptoms.
Clinical evidence for everyday use as a digestive spice remains limited. The positive Commission E monograph for dyspeptic complaints and the long culinary and medicinal tradition are different kinds of evidence from controlled efficacy trials. Laboratory findings on the essential oil cannot be directly transferred to the spice or treated as a treatment recommendation.
Evidence
| Outcome | Class | Grade | Effect | Studies | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dyspeptic complaints and traditional digestive useCommission E positively assessed cardamom fruit for dyspeptic complaints. This monograph and traditional use do not establish a specific effect of current products. Direct clinical evidence for this use is limited.Adults with digestive complaints (traditional use) | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | CEvidence quality grade C. Mixed or limited evidence. Small trials, signals, or traditional use under an EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | ||
| Carminative effect (post-meal bloating and flatulence)Cardamom is traditionally used for bloating and flatulence. Laboratory experiments with essential oil show effects on isolated intestinal muscle. These findings do not establish an effective culinary or tea dose in humans.Traditional use in adults | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | CEvidence quality grade C. Mixed or limited evidence. Small trials, signals, or traditional use under an EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | [1] | |
| Traditional breath-freshener useCardamom is traditionally chewed to give the breath a pleasant aroma. The Charaka Samhita names small cardamom as an aromatic ingredient in oral care. This documents a historical practice, not clinically established treatment of oral malodor.Adults in general population | TraditionalTraditional use. Long-standing folk practice or EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. | CEvidence quality grade C. Mixed or limited evidence. Small trials, signals, or traditional use under an EMA HMPC traditional-use monograph. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Traditional Use | ||
| Antimicrobial activity of essential oil (in vitro)Cardamom essential oil inhibited Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in laboratory experiments, among other findings. Results concern the tested oils and concentrations and do not establish efficacy against human infections.Bacterial cultures (laboratory experiments) | InsufficientInsufficient data. No reliable trials or traditional sources available. | DEvidence quality grade D. Preliminary signal. A single small trial, pilot result, or laboratory or animal model. Clinical relevance unclear. This is an evidence rating, not a product endorsement. | Laboratory Signals | [1] |
Usage
Forms and preparation
For a strong aroma, open the pods shortly before use. Seeds retain their fragrance better inside the capsule than after grinding. Lightly cracked pods can steep in rice dishes, braises or coffee. For baking, remove and crush or grind the seeds. For a simple infusion, pour hot water over one or two lightly crushed pods, cover the cup and strain after five to ten minutes. Coffee can also be flavoured with cardamom: boil a small amount of cracked pods with it or grind a little seed into the coffee mixture. Ground cardamom is commonly used in gingerbread, stollen and sweet yeast dough. Follow the administration instructions for tinctures and other medicinal preparations. Do not add essential oil to a homemade drink without professional assessment.
Dosage
Use cardamom in cooking and baking according to the recipe and taste. One or two lightly crushed pods per cup make a simple infusion. This is a culinary preparation, not a clinically tested treatment dose. Follow the instructions for any medicinal product; capsules, tinctures and essential oil are not freely interchangeable. Do not take cardamom essential oil internally on your own. Even diluted, it is not a substitute for the spice or tea. Medicinal use in children requires separate assessment; ordinary seasoning amounts do not establish a treatment dose.
Safety
Look-alikes
Similar plants and look-alikes
Schwarzer Kardamom (Amomum subulatum)
Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum) also belongs to the ginger family but is a different species and genus. Its larger, dark capsules are often dried over fire and have a strong, smoky flavour. They are used mainly in savoury dishes. Green cardamom is more often used in sweets, coffee and baking. Substitution changes the flavour considerably.
FAQs
What is the difference between true cardamom and black cardamom?
Green or true cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) has small, usually green capsules and a sweet, spicy aroma. It is used in Indian sweets, Arabic coffee, Nordic baking and gingerbread, for example. Black cardamom (Amomum subulatum) also belongs to the ginger family but is a different species and genus. Its larger, dark capsules are often dried over fire and have a strong, smoky flavour. They are used mainly in savoury dishes. Green cardamom is more often used in sweets, coffee and baking. Substitution changes the flavour considerably.
Cardamom in coffee or in tea, which works better?
Both work. In Arabic coffee, cardamom adds a spicy, slightly eucalyptus-like note. A small amount of cracked pods can be boiled with the coffee. In masala chai, cardamom is brewed with black tea and other spices, often with milk and sugar. For a simple cardamom infusion, crush one or two pods per cup and add hot water. Choose according to taste; this does not establish superior medicinal effects of tea over coffee.
What role does cardamom play in the Lebkuchen spice mix?
Cardamom is one possible ingredient in gingerbread spice alongside cinnamon, cloves, anise, nutmeg and allspice. It adds a warm, slightly sweet note. The amount depends on the recipe. For a strong aroma, remove the seeds from their capsules shortly before baking and grind them fresh. Some stollen and gingerbread recipes also contain cardamom.
How do I prepare cardamom tea?
For a simple cardamom infusion, lightly crush one or two green pods with a mortar or spoon until they open. Add hot water in a cup, cover and steep for five to ten minutes, then strain. Add milk or a little honey to taste. This is a culinary preparation, not a clinically tested dose for digestive symptoms.
2 sources.
- Alam A, Rehman NU, Ansari MN, Palla AH. Effects of Essential Oils of Elettaria cardamomum Grown in India and Guatemala on Gram-Negative Bacteria and Gastrointestinal Disorders. 2021. doi:10.3390/molecules26092546
- Fatemeh Yaghooblou, Fereydoun Siassi, Abbas Rahimi, Fariba Koohdani, Farideh Doostan, Mostafa Qorbani, Gity Sotoudeh. The effect of cardamom supplementation on serum lipids, glycemic indices and blood pressure in overweight and obese pre-diabetic women: a randomized controlled trial. 2017. doi:10.1186/s40200-017-0320-8
Legal notice: The depiction of historical significance and traditional use is context within our encyclopedia and not a health claim for any product, not a treatment promise, and not a substitute for medical advice. What may be stated on product labels, product pages, or in advertising is governed by the applicable legal requirements.