Botanical name: Elittaria cardamomum
Other names: Cardamom, Elaichi, Ela
Family: Zingiberaceae
Part used: fruit
Taste (rasa): pungent (katuk), sweet (madhur)
Characteristic (guna): light and dry
Energy (veerya): cooling (sheeta)
Post digestive effect (vipak): sweet (madhur)
Dosha effect: decreases vatta, pitta, kapha.
Action (karma): appetizer, digestive, antitussive, stops hiccup, prevents nausea, aphrodisiac, aromatic, diuretic, redirects the flow of vata downwards (laxative).
Dose: Up to 5 grams a day.
Contraindications: Aggravated pitta
Cardamom is one of the spices used in chai, it can be used as an anti-mucous agent in diary products. Cardamom is a useful herb children’s digestive upset and respiratory congestion.
Ref: ‘Ayurvedic Medicine’ by Sebastian Pole; ‘Ayurvedic Pharmacology & Therapeutic Uses of Medicinal Plants’ by Vaidya V.M. Gogte; ‘Yogi of Herbs’ by V. Lad & D. Frawley; ‘Herbs Are Special’ by Isabel Shipard.
