Health Benefits of Elaichi

Elaichi or cardamom is one of the most common spices seen in an Indian household. Popularly known as “Elaichi” in Hindi, “Aelakka” in Malayalam, “Elakkai” in Tamil, “Yelakulu” in Telugu, “Yalakki” in Kannada, and “Ilaychi” in Gujarati – cardamom is a spice made from the seeds of several plants belonging to the family Zingiberaceae.

The use of cardamom dates back to at least 4,000 years. Considered one of the world’s oldest spices, it was used in ancient Egypt for its medicinal properties – and even as a part of rituals and embalming. And the Romans and Greeks used this spice for its pungent aroma. The Vikings discovered it during their travels and brought it back to Scandinavia. As of today, Guatemala is the largest producer of this spice in the world.

There are two main types of cardamom- green cardamom (chhoti elaichi) and black cardamom (badi elaichi). You can recognize them by their small seed pod. Green cardamom has a thin papery outer shell of green color whereas black cardamom has a thin papery outer shell of dark brown color. Both forms of cardamom have seeds in pod and these seeds are used for flavoring of food and drink. Generally, green cardamom seeds (chhoti elaichi dana) are used in Ayurvedic medicines and also in traditional natural remedies. Use of black cardamom (badi elaichi) is also popular in traditional and Ayurvedic medicines for some extent.

Cardamom (elaichi) is a good source of potassium, magnesium and vitamin-C. It is excellent in anti-oxidants properties. The seeds of the cardamom contain a variety of important minerals such as calcium, sulfur, and phosphorus. They also contain dietary fiber, protein and carbohydrates.

Here are  Health Benefits of Elaichi:

Improves digestion

Elaichi is carminative in nature and helps speed up digestion. It also reduces inflammation of the stomach lining, fights heartburn and nausea. Another added advantage of this spice is that it soothes the mucous membrane, making it function better thereby relieving the symptoms of acidity and an upset stomach.

Aids In Cancer Prevention
Cardamom has exhibited its potential as a natural cancer treatment. Several animal studies have shown that the spice can be used to prevent, delay, and even reverse cancer formation. As per one Saudi Arabian study, administration of cardamom powder had reduced the occurrence of tumors. Cardamom also decreases general inflammation, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells and encourages their death.

Helps Fight Depression
According to a health report, cardamom can indeed help people cope with depression. Just powder a few seeds of cardamom and boil them in water along with your everyday tea. Take the tea regularly for better results.

Cures Cough & Cold:
Cardamom is a supportive natural medicine of curing cough and cold. Take one cardamom, one small piece of ginger (adrak) one clove (laung) and five Basil (Tulsi) leaves and eat them with betel (Pan) leaf. It is a good natural remedy to control cough and cold related health problem immediately.

Controls Bad Breath:
Use of green cardamom (chhoti elaichi) is a very popular natural remedy for the treatment of the most common problem of bad breath. Its seeds have an aromatic and sweet flavor. Simply by chewing the seeds of cardamom, you can control bad breath. Its anti-microbial effects kill the oral bacteria and remove bad breath. Therefore, chew a pod of cardamom after every meal or whenever you need to control bad breath.

Improves your sex life
Not many people know that elaichi in reality acts as a potent tonic and stimulant. It not only helps to strengthen the body but also works wonders in treating sexual dysfunctions like premature ejaculation and impotency. Additionally, it also helps you feel energetic and last longer in bed. 

Nourishes Your Scalp
The antioxidant properties of cardamom, and especially the black type, nourish your scalp and improve its health. The spice also nourishes the hair follicles and enhances hair strength. You can wash your hair with cardamom water (mix the powder with water and use before shampoo) to achieve the desired results.

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