Cardamom is the world’s most expensive spice; it costs more than the vanilla, saffron, or even truffles. This is primarily due to its unique and intense flavor. In India, cardamom is considered the queen of spices, because it turns every tasty dish even more delicious.
The tiny seeds of the plant are the most valuable, or more precisely the essential oils that they contain, and which are considered a real treasure. Green and black cardamom are the best known, the green version having a slightly stronger flavor. In the Arab world, coffee flavored with cardamom is a very special delicacy: a few cardamom seeds are ground along with the coffee beans.
In South Asia, Green cardamom is often used as medicine, as it helps prevent gingivitis, improves digestion and protects from gallstones and kidney stones. Besides, it improves appetite, and is effective against bloating.
The Universities of Hamburg and Berlin are working to demonstrate that cardamom helps in weight loss. Cardamom-cinnamon tea helps relieve sore throat and hoarseness.
Cardamom contains antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agents as well as a high amount of antioxidants.
Chewing a few cardamom seeds refreshers the breath, helps with breathing difficulties, asthma and lung diseases, and it detoxifies the body very effectively.
Cardamom also energizes the body and acts as an aphrodisiac. Ulcerative diseases can be effectively treated with these seeds, as well as urinary tract troubles. The recommended daily consumption is ten seeds.
How to make cardamom tincture
Grind120 grams of cardamom seeds and add 550 ml, 52% alcohol. Allow the mixture to ripen for a week, shaking up the bottle from time to time. A week later, filter the alcohol and store it in a small, dark-colored bottle. Cardamom tincture is helpful for men suffering from impotence, women who struggle with frigidity and fatigue, and persons who complain about the digestion.
Attention!
Whenever a recipe requires the use of green cardamom, never replace it with black cardamom or vice versa.