Free Video Newsletter

Ancient Wisdom & Modern Science

Learn more ...
3 emails a week
  • 1.866.227.9843
  • About LifeSpa
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Newsletter

John Douillard's LifeSpa

Ancient Wisdom meets Modern ScienceAyurveda + Natural Health News

Menu 
  • HOME Back to front page
  • STORE Health Products
    • SHOP NOWTake me to the store
    • Shop Health TopicTake me to products by health topic
    • Shop Body Type (dosha)Take me to products by body type
      • Take the Body Type Quiz
      • Kapha (Spring)
      • Pitta (Summer)
      • Vata (Fall / Winter)
    • Read the Catalog
  • LEARN Articles & Videos
    • Libraries
      • Videos
      • eBooks
      • Podcasts
      • Recipes
      • Health Quizzes
    • Article Library
      • Recent Articles
      • Browse by Category
      • Article Index A-Z
    • Own It
      • eCourses
      • Books
      • DVDs
    • Events
      • Podcasts
      • Cleanse Events
      • Events & Workshops
  • CLEANSE Ayurvedic Detox
    • Colorado Cleanse – 14-Day, At-Home Digestive Detox and Lymph Cleanse
      • Group Colorado Cleanse
      • Anytime Colorado Cleanse
    • Your Favorite Ayurvedic Cleanse: LifeSpa’s Short Home CleanseFree Instructional eBook
    • Safe Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse
      • Free Instructional eBook
      • Watch the Podcast “Safe Liver Cleansing”
    • 6-Step Lymph Detox Plan
      • Create-Your-Own Lymph Detox Kit
      • Learn More
    • Kaya Kalpa Cleanse
  • CONSULT Ayurvedic Medicine
    • More Information
      • Hours & Location
      • Testimonials
      • New Patient Paperwork
    • Ayurvedic Consultations with Dr. John Douillard, DC, CAPConsultations In-Person, via Phone or via Skype
      • About Dr. John Douillard DC, CAP
    • Ayurveda
      • What is Ayurveda?
You are here: Home / Other Health Topics / Herbs + Supplements / Cardamom: The King of Chai

Cardamom: The King of Chai

by John Douillard on August 19, 2012 | 16 Comments

cardamom pods imageI like to call cardamom the King of Chai, not only because much of that chai tea taste comes from cardamom, but because of the way it transforms a simple cup of tea into a medicinal chai. In the same way it transforms your chai, it can transform your food, making cardamom a prince for digestion. As a member of the ginger family, its ability to help us digest seems to be an inherited trait, and it has thousands of years of experience as a digestive aid. Ayurvedic texts going back 5000 years celebrated cardamom’s ability to make hard-to-digest foods easier to digest, and to enhance the taste of most ordinary foods.

Black tea, the running back of chai, has its fair share of beneficial antioxidants but is still a stimulating caffeinated beverage. Sadly, what goes up from using stimulants such as caffeine must come down, but not so when brewed with cardamom. Cardamom neutralizes the stimulating effects of caffeine, allowing the chai to boost the digestive process without boosting the nervous system.

Throughout the Middle East, coffee is brewed with cardamom. Though they say it is for the taste, the numerous medicinal benefits of this brew indicate that it was traditional herbal wisdom that brought these two together. Cardamom reduces the acid in coffee, while neutralizing the effects of caffeine.

Acidic foods like tea, coffee, and spicy foods irritate the intestinal mucosa, producing an excess of gas-producing mucus that makes congestive foods like milk, cheese and wheat much more difficult to digest. Cardamom makes these foods much more digestible by protecting the mucus membranes from these acids, while liquefying the mucus in the heavy, harder-to-digest mucus-forming foods.

Traditionally, cardamom pods were also taken as a lozenge after meals to enhance digestion and assimilation. Cardamom is also one of the richest sources of cineole, a potent antiseptic for bad breath, gum disease, sore throats and many respiratory conditions.

Ayurvedic Use:
Reduces vata and kapha
In excess, may increase pitta


Related Articles

micah mortali rewilding
094: Mindful Rewilding with Micah Mortali

What is Rasayana? Ayurvedic’s Sacred Longevity Therapies
lifespa image, man fighting sugar cravings
Stop Sugar Cravings with Gymnema
lifespa image, uric acid, lemons and limes, vitamin c
Vitamin C with Full-Spectrum Bioflavonoids: Surprising Benefits

Categories: Digestion & Elimination, Herbs + Supplements Tagged: digestive health

Comments

  1. Teresa says

    October 23, 2018 at 5:43 pm

    John, Thank you for the background, the insight, and for taking the time to post the information. Kindest regards.

    Reply
  2. Vivian says

    June 9, 2018 at 3:00 pm

    Do you have a Chai recipe?
    Would you please share it?

    Reply
  3. Rajsekhar guha says

    November 5, 2017 at 10:47 am

    How many cardamom should be eaten up a day

    Reply
  4. Tapashi Sarkar says

    October 22, 2017 at 6:56 am

    I want to know how many pods of cardamom can be cinsumed in a day…

    Reply
  5. Mahalakshmi says

    October 21, 2017 at 8:50 pm

    Please explain how and what is the dosage of cardamom one should take per day .coz u have mentioned it but not explained.

    Reply
    • LifeSpa Staff says

      November 13, 2017 at 2:48 pm

      Thank you for your question Mahalakshmi.
      Generally we recommend cardamom as an ingredient in foods such as chai. One option is to simply increase the cardamom flavor to taste. If using as a digestive after a meal, the typical dosage is up to 1.5 grams of crushed cardamom seed per day. Therefore, you could have 0.5 grams after each meal as a digestive.
      Be well.

      Reply
  6. Rupinder Kaur says

    April 17, 2017 at 2:46 am

    Pls suggest how many green cardamoms one should consume in a day….

    Reply
  7. puja sahare says

    April 4, 2017 at 2:18 am

    what is the effect of eating the 10 cardamoms in a day or 1 does of 10 cardamoms eat in a day

    Reply
  8. frankie tanki says

    April 1, 2017 at 6:09 am

    I came here looking for the daily dosage of cardamom.
    I don’t see the daily dosage of cardamom, thanks.
    help me understand I want to eat cardamom and am aware of the side effects. thank you

    Reply
    • carda says

      August 14, 2017 at 9:26 am

      Same here.

      Reply
  9. Julie says

    January 19, 2017 at 12:41 pm

    This is good information, as I am interested in using cardamom for several beneficial reasons, but you do not state how much to consume for which purpose, how to make it in different things, i.e. coffee/tea, etc.

    Could you please provide these types of specifics?

    Thank you,
    Julie

    Reply
    • frankie tanki says

      April 1, 2017 at 6:10 am

      yes, thank you Julie. I’m with Julie, can you please specify, Mr John Douillard

      Reply
  10. michelle says

    August 11, 2016 at 11:39 am

    How much cardamom should be consumed in a day?

    Reply
    • Veerender Singh khanodia says

      August 16, 2016 at 9:21 pm

      I would like to know how much and what is the best way to consume green cardamom

      Reply
    • anangamohan mandal says

      February 9, 2018 at 8:07 am

      How much cardamom should be consumed in a day.

      Reply
  11. elizabeth scoggins says

    October 21, 2015 at 6:20 am

    iwould like to know all about cardamom

    Reply

Speak Your Mind Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

9 million+ YouTube views
youtube video

Website Search

Store Search

Upcoming Events

lifespa image, silhouette growth heart light beams
Tue 10

Ayurveda 201: Six-Week Psychology eCourse

May 27, 2019 - May 27, 2021
Feb 28

Balancing Weight, Energy + Emotions @ Kripalu

February 28, 2020 - March 1, 2020
Mar 24

Colorado Cleanse

March 24, 2020 - April 6, 2020
john douillard sivananda
May 28

Ayurvedic Longevity @ Sivananda Bahamas

May 28, 2020 - May 31, 2020

View More…

Categories

  • Ayurvedic Beauty + Fitness
  • Circadian + Seasonal Lifestyle
  • Diet + Detox
  • Digestion + Lymph
  • Men + Women + Family Health
  • Mental Health + Mood
  • Other Health Topics

Media

Media-sidebar-button More>>

Sidebar IIN

Social

Inside Lifespa.com

  • 2018 LifeSpa Catalog
  • John in the News
  • New to Ayurvedic Body Types?
  • New to Ayurvedic Herbs?
  • New to the Ayurvedic Diet?
  • New to the Emotions of Ayurveda?
  • What is Ayurveda?

Support

  • Careers
  • Citations Policy
  • LifeSpa Gives Back!
  • Press Kit – Speaking Engagement Info
  • Online Affilate Program
  • Wholesale Partner Program

Contact us

John Douillard’s LifeSpa®
6662 Gunpark Dr E, Suite 102
Boulder, CO 80301

toll free: 1.866.227.9843
main: 303.516.4848
email: [email protected]

Online Scheduler

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of John Douillard. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of John Douillard and his community. John Douillard encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

lifespa image, Top 50 Natural Health Websites 2013 Award Seal lifespa image, Top 100 Trailblazers in Yoga and Ayurveda
Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Copyright © 2019 John Douillard's LifeSpa
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2019 John Douillard's LifeSpa Top