Small green cardamom, used in Indian kitchens for centuries, is not limited to just enhancing the aroma of spices or the taste of tea, but it is considered to have a treasure trove of medicinal properties in both Ayurveda and modern medicine. There has been a healthy tradition of eating fennel and cardamom as a mouth freshener after lunch or dinner in our country for centuries. However, in today's busy life, people are forgetting this simple but miraculous habit. By starting to regularly chew one or two small green cardamoms immediately after meals, you will see remarkable and positive changes in your body from the very next day. Its bioactive compounds, natural essential oils and antioxidants help in keeping your stomach and metabolism completely healthy.
After eating heavy, fried or spicy food, people often complain of bloating, sour belching and heaviness in the stomach. Cardamom has powerful carminative (gas eliminating) properties. Key ingredients present in its grains, such as cineole and terpinyl acetate, rapidly activate the secretion of gastric juice and digestive enzymes in the stomach. When you chew it thoroughly after meals, it helps in digesting the food faster and prevents gas formation in the intestines. If you chew it after dinner, the next morning your stomach feels light and clean.
Acid reflux i.e. hyperacidity has become a very common problem in today's time due to wrong eating habits and stress. After a meal, when excess acid from the stomach rises towards the food pipe, a severe burning sensation is felt in the chest and throat. Although the effect of cardamom speeds up digestion, its natural oil works to protect the inner mucus lining of the stomach. It instantly soothes the symptoms of stomach ulcers and acidity by balancing the pH level of stomach acid. Instead of relying on chemical antacid pills, chewing cardamom after meals proves to be a natural and no side-effect solution.
Bad breath after using garlic, onion or excessive spices in food is a common problem, which sometimes causes discomfort during social interactions. Cardamom is not only an aromatic mouth freshener, but it is also packed with powerful anti-microbial properties. When you chew it, its secretions eliminate harmful oral bacteria (such as Streptococcus mutans) that are responsible for gum decay, plaque and bad breath. This not only keeps the breath fresh and fragrant for 24 hours, but also strengthens the health of the gums and teeth.
Diuretic and detoxifying properties are found in cardamom. When its extract gets into the bloodstream after meals, it speeds up the process of expelling excess sodium, urea and toxins accumulated in the body through urine through the kidneys and bladder. Removal of toxins from the body eliminates the problem of water retention and helps in keeping blood pressure balanced. Its antioxidants reduce oxidative stress in the body cells, due to which a new freshness and energy is felt in the body the very next day.
To get the full medicinal benefits of cardamom, it is very important to eat it in the right way:
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Eat by chewing directly: Just 5 to 10 minutes after lunch and dinner, put a green cardamom in your mouth, chew it slowly and swallow its juice. When all the extract is removed, the remaining fibers can also be chewed and swallowed with water.
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With lukewarm water: If you have constipation or severe indigestion, drink half a glass of lukewarm water 15 minutes after chewing cardamom.
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Avoid extremes: Consumption of cardamom is beneficial only in limited quantities. Consuming 2 to 3 small cardamoms a day is considered completely safe and sufficient for a normal adult.