Cardamom Tea Benefits
Cardamom tea benefits have long been acknowledged in the annals of folk medicine and in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for a long time. The spice is believed to possess anti-microbial, anti-depressive, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-asthmatic and even aphrodisiac properties.
Cardamom is an evergreen plant belonging to the family Zingiberaceae. It is typically grown in plantations in Guatemala, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. The plant possesses thick rhizomes and erect stems bearing pointed leaves. The plant has white-colored flowers with pinkish-violet striped lip and normally stay for up to eight to nine months per year. The cardamom plant has three-celled capsules, usually colored pale green to beige, and contain about 15 to 20 sweetly aromatic seeds.
With its warm, pungent and intensely aromatic flavor, cardamom seeds are often used to flavor baked goods, coffee, curries, pickles, desserts and mulled wine. It has a distinctly smoky but non-bitter flavor. Cardamom is one of the basic ingredients in Middle Eastern and Scandinavian cuisines. Cardamom is typically combined with cloves and cinnamon. Cardamom also lends its flavor to chai tea.
Components of Cardamom
Cardamom contains the following constituents:
As with the use of any other herb, consultation with medical practitioners is recommended before using cardamom to treat ailments and other disorders.
How to make Cardamom Tea
Cardamom tea is typically made by infusing about 3 teaspoons of black tea leaves, 3 pods of peeled cardamom pods in about 6 cups of boiling water. About 1 cup of milk and some sugar are typically added. However, it is customary to leave out the milk and sugar if the full effects of the cardamom tea infusion are to be derived.
Among the health benefits attributed to cardamom tea are the following:
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