CHAPTER 7: Cardamom – Small Cardamom, Green Cardamom, True Cardamom, Ceylon Cardamom, Malabar Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) Check Access

Cardamom is a sweet warm aromatic spice from India used as a flavoring agent in spice mixes in food and cosmetics, and for oral hygiene. It has been used since ancient times and is still present in modern practices. The green seed capsule is not to be confused with black cardamom, Amomum subulatum Roxb, (false cardamom) which has a strong camphor flavour. Research on cardamom, particularly from the Middle East and India, highlights its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, glucose lowering, anti-diabetic, lipid lowering, chemopreventive/anti-cancer, hepato, gastro-, neuro-protective and anti-microbial properties. Evidence suggests that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties contribute to its chemopreventive/anti-cancer effects, as well as its glucose and lipid lowering properties reported in vivo in relation to prevention and/or management of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.