Cardamom which is small in size and green in color normalizes digestion, mitigates Kapha, increases urine output, and helps to reduce cholesterol, it acts as a potent fat burner in obesity and helps in weight loss and PCOS or PCOD.
Related article Five Effective Ayurvedic Tea Recipes for Weight Loss
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Helps in the Management of Diabetes, and Cholesterol
Ayurveda Health Benefits and Uses
This spice has a botanical name Elettaria cardamomum and is used globally. It belongs to zinziberaceae family. It is also known as lesser cardamom for its small size. It’s a shrub with lots of leaves. The plant of this spice is a perennial herb containing a reed-like structure. It is 3-4 meters in height and a three to four years old plant bears fruits.
The health benefits of this spice are as follows
Helps in the Management of Diabetes, and Cholesterol
Research has shown that this spice helps to reduce body weight, cholesterol, and diabetes (1). Since it normalizes digestion, mitigates Kapha, increases urine output, and helps to reduce cholesterol, it acts as a potent fat burner. It has been used in ayurvedic weight Loss Tea as an important ingredient. It also helps to reduce blood sugar levels. It is known as a heart-healthy spice.
Cardamom tea recipe for diabetes and cholesterol
Take 2 cardamoms and pound them in mortar and pestle. Boil a glass of water and turn off the stove. Add pounded elaichi and cover the glass with a plate. Allow it to steep for 5 minutes. Stir well and consume daily on an empty stomach. This tea not only helps with diabetes and cholesterol but also relieves the burning sensation and acts as a body coolant.
Benefits in Weight Loss
This spice is eulogized as a fat-burning herb in Ayurveda since it accelerates Agni or metabolism and removes clogs from srotas or minute channels. Hence it is recommended for weight loss.
Of late we are hearing naturopaths praising this spice for its properties which aid in weight loss. But our Ayurveda acharyas have already explained the properties of ela or elaichi which help to burn body fat.
According to Ayurveda acharya Bhavaprakasha sukshma ela is spicy to taste (katu rasa). It has body-cooling properties (sheeta veerya) and is very light to digest (laghu). It balances vitiated Vata and Kapha.
Doctors opine that indigestion of food leads to weight gain. According to the principles of Ayurveda indigestion leads to the production of “ama” – a sticky toxin that blocks microchannels of the body and slows down metabolism. This spice helps to digest “ama” and clear the blockage. Since it possesses the quality “laghu” or lightness, it fans the metabolism and increases its rate just like a supply of air increases the intensity of the fire.
“Kapha” is one of three main doshas is the reason for weight gain. Vitiated Kapha increases body fat, slows down metabolism, and impairs digestion. All these facts contribute to weight gain. This spice has the property of normalizing Kapha and reverses all the above-mentioned processes. This contributes to weight loss.
Excess accumulation of water in body cells leads to weight gain. Cardamom helps to get rid of water retention by increasing urine output. Hence this spice is grouped under “mutrala” dravyas (mutrala= A herb or medicine which increases urine output).
Scientists praise the cholesterol-reducing properties of this herb. Since it normalizes digestion and helps to burn off excess fat, it can aid in lowering blood cholesterol.
Small Cardamom Weight Loss Tea Recipe
This fragrant herb is usually used in sweets to improve their flavor. This does not mean that eating sweets with cardamom flavor can help in weight loss. This does more harm than good. How to use this magic fruit for weight loss?
Preparing its tea is the best way to use it as a weight loss aid. Mixing crushed fruits of elaichi with regular tea leaves is the best way for weight loss. But do not add sugar or cream to this tea. A light refreshing tea with low-fat milk is very ideal.
Mixing small ilaichi with other weight loss herbs of your choice, like cinnamon, black cardamom, amla, haritaki, vibhitaki, vidanga, ginger, etc, while making tea, boosts the effectiveness this weight loss tea.
While preparing Ayurvedic weight Loss Tea for our customers we add the required quantity of cardamom to its formulation. The combination of these powerful fat burners helps to reduce obesity and aid in weight loss.
Improves digestive health
When chewed chota elaichi reduces nausea and vomiting sensation. Chewing this dry fruit reduces bad odor from the mouth and helps to clear taste buds. Its powder helps in relieving indigestion flatulence and bloating of the stomach. It is the best liver detoxifying agent and balances pitta dosha. Hence it is very useful in digestive system-related problems.
Chota elaichi is used as “mukhashuddhi dravya” the one which is used after meals to keep digestion healthy. It is mixed with dry coconut, betel nuts, and sugar to be chewed together to avoid the foul odor in the mouth.
Helps in PCOS or PCOD
Since this spice helps in body weight and blood sugar management, it can be used effectively in PCOS or PCOD. Cardamom tea is the best ayurvedic home remedy for PCOS or PCOD. This has to be used regularly. This is the best kitchen herb for PCOS.
Useful In Cough and Cold
Seeds of this spice when chewed slowly help to relieve cough and cold as they reduce kapha and also balance vata. It acts as a good expectorant and helps to remove excess phlegm from the respiratory system. It can be used as the best remedy for cough and cold. It is used in ayurvedic preparations which are recommended for colds and coughs.
Helps in Cystitis and UTI
This spice has been praised as “mutra kruchra hara” in Ayurveda. It relieves painful urination and is recommended for Cystitis and UTI. It also increases urine output.
It is usually added to enhance the flavor of sweets. Powder of this spice is regularly used in Indian desert preparations as it enhances the flavor. This spice can be added to chai tea to enhance its health benefits.
Ayurveda Health Benefits and Uses
The health benefits and uses of this herb are explained as follows in Ayurveda.
Ayurvedic Pharmacology:
Sukshma yela or green-coloured one balances kapha dosha and Vata dosha. This spice is laghu (light to digest ) and rooksha (reduces moistness of tissues). It has Madhura rasa or sweet taste and Katu rasa or pungent taste. It acts as a body coolant (Sheetha Veerya )
Various Sanskrit names have been coined which represent its features and origin. They are as follows
- Triputa – It has three faces
- Draavidi – it is available in dravida region or south India
- Sookshma ela – small cardamom.
It also has many local names
Hindi : choti ilaichi
Gujarati– chota elacha
Marathi – veldoda, belachi
Tamil– yelakka
Telagu – elakkapaalu
Malyalam – yelam
Kannada – yaalakki
Nutritional Value
One tablespoon of ground cardamom contains the following nutrients:
calories: 18
total fat: 0.4 grams (g)
carbohydrates: 4.0 g
fiber: 1.6 g
protein: 0.6 g
potassium: 64.9 milligrams (mg)
calcium: 22.2 mg
iron: 0.81 mg
magnesium: 13.3 mg
phosphorus: 10.3 mg
(WhatsApp Dr.Savitha Suri @+ 91 6360108663/ to know more about ayurvedic treatments and remedies )
Author: Dr.Savitha Suri , Consultant Ayurvedic Physician
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