Cardamom - Elettaria cardamomum

Perennial reed like herb, growing up to 4 metres high, with long, silky, blade-shaped leaves, and ling sheathing stems which bear small yellowish flowers with purple tips, followed by reddish-brown seeds.

Claimed to detoxify the caffeine in coffee, Cardamom is known to stimulate the heart and the mind, relief mental fatigue, calm nerves and promote clarity of thinking. It is also effective at clearing damp and phlegm from the system, stimulates the digestive function, eases colic, cramp, heartburn, indigestion, and flatulent dyspepsia. Can be taken in pregnancy to ease morning sickness and threatened miscarriage.

Cardamom pods can be chewed as an effective remedy for bad breath.

Used extensively as a domestic spice - especially in Europe, India, Latin America, and Middle Eastern countries - and has been used for thousands of years in traditional chinese and indian medicine, namely in treatments of fever, and digestive and urinary complaints.