Cardamom: Benefits, Uses, Nutrition, Recipes & Side Effects

Dr. Josh Axe Vitamin Advisor · 4–5 questions

Which supplements belong in your top 5?

What's your biggest goal right now?

Immunity & getting sickEnergy & fatigueGut & digestionSleep & stressHormones & thyroidJoints & inflammationBlood sugar & weightBrain, focus & moodHeart healthSkin

Cardamom is the aromatic seed pod of Elettaria cardamomum, a plant in the ginger family, and its small green pods hold the fragrant seeds that flavor tea, coffee and sweets from India to the Middle East.78 Cardamom has major benefits for digestive health, and it's one I'd encourage you to use when you're eating more food around the holidays, because it reduces gas and bloating and also has blood sugar benefits.9

Those two benefits, digestion and blood sugar, are more closely tied than they look, because everything you eat passes through your gut on its way to your liver, and when insulin stops doing its job well, the liver starts holding on to fat while triglycerides and inflammation climb. Cardamom works along that whole path, which is why one kitchen spice has a long history of use for the gut and shows up in trials for the liver and blood sugar at once.142

People in India chew the pods to freshen their breath and use them for stomach aches, and cardamom is often called the queen of spices for its aroma and taste.8 Germany's Commission E, the country's expert panel on herbal medicines, lists it for indigestion, especially bloating.1

Did you know?

• Cardamom is one of the main ingredients of Arabic coffee, boiled right into the pot with the grounds.10

• The seeds hold far more of cardamom's aromatic oil than the husk around them: 6.0% of the seeds' weight against 1.4% of the husk's in one analysis.7

• Cardamom is a staple of Indian kitchens, yet Guatemala is one of the world's leading cardamom exporters.811

Advertisement

What is cardamom?

Each papery pod holds a cluster of small, dark, sticky seeds, and that's where the flavor lives. Bite into one and you'll taste something sweet, floral and a little like eucalyptus, which comes from the two compounds that make up most of the seeds' oil: in the batch of cardamom used in the fatty liver trial on this page, α-terpinyl acetate made up 41% of the oil and 1,8-cineole 30%.4 Those compounds give green cardamom its pleasant aroma, and the oil is also distilled on its own as cardamom essential oil.7

Cardamom's oils and polyphenols give it antioxidant power,7 and in mice exposed to a chemical that triggers skin tumors, cardamom powder given by mouth lowered the number of tumors and raised glutathione, one of the body's own antioxidants, in the liver.13

A short history of cardamom

Cardamom has been a medicine for as long as it's been a kitchen spice: in India, the pods have been used for asthma, teeth and gum infections, nausea, diarrhea, and heart, digestive and kidney complaints,14 and in Unani medicine, where it's called heel khurd, cardamom is a remedy for the stomach and gut.15 Traditional Chinese medicine works with cardamom's close relatives in the Amomum genus, which its traditional texts describe mainly for digestive complaints.16 In Sri Lanka, cardamom is a postpartum tonic, and nursing mothers have used it for babies with colic.17

On my show, I've described cinnamon and cardamom as herbs that have been used for thousands of years for their medicinal benefits.9 When people in that many places keep reaching for the same spice for the same stomach complaints, it's worth asking why, and modern research has started to answer, beginning with the gut and the liver. Research has even looked at the old kidney use: in rats, a cardamom extract worked as a mild natural diuretic, increasing urine flow.18

Green vs. black cardamom: pods, seeds and powder

There are two main cardamoms, green and black, and both belong to the ginger family.7 They come from different plants and taste quite different, so they aren't swapped one for one in recipes.

Other relatives in the Amomum genus are used the same way in Asian cooking and in Chinese medicine, and some are sold as cardamom too.1216

Inside each green pod, the seeds hold far more of the oil than the husk,7 which is why whole pods keep their aroma longest, and why seeds you grind yourself taste brighter than a jar of pre-ground powder. The powder is still the real thing, and it's the form the trials used: the fatty liver trial gave whole green cardamom ground into powder and packed into capsules, so a jar of ground cardamom in your spice drawer is the same spice the research tested.4

Cardamom nutrition facts

Values from USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 170919 (spices, cardamom). Per-teaspoon and per-tablespoon amounts are calculated from the per-100-gram values; % Daily Value uses FDA label reference values.6

Manganese is the standout nutrient: at the 3 grams a day used in the trials, about 1½ teaspoons, you'd get about 0.84 milligrams, 37% of the daily value.6 Beyond that, cardamom's value lies less in its vitamins and minerals than in its aromatic oils, which is true of most spices you use by the pinch.

What is cardamom good for?

How cardamom works in your body

If big meals leave you bloated and your triglycerides and blood sugar have been creeping up, the liver and the way your body handles insulin are what tie those two problems together, and cardamom works along that same line, from the first aromatic bite to the liver, step by step:

Cardamom benefits

Cardamom's benefits start with digestion, its oldest use, and reach from there to the liver, blood sugar, blood fats and inflammation, with nausea and fresher breath close behind.

Cardamom for digestion, gas and bloating

Cardamom works on digestion in more than one way. In gut tissue in the lab, one part of a cardamom extract stimulated the gut's muscle to contract while another part relaxed its spasms, which fits the way people use it both for a sluggish stomach and for cramping.18 In rats, cardamom extracts protected the stomach lining against damage from aspirin and alcohol, and one fraction did better against aspirin damage than ranitidine, a common acid-reducing drug, at the doses tested.15

Coffee is a good place to put that to work. Outside of the stimulant effect, the biggest problem I've seen coffee cause in patients is disruption of the stomach and small intestine.31 With my own coffee, I need it to be low-acid, or I'll add a little baking soda and things like cardamom, because otherwise it really bothers my digestive system and I get jittery and anxious.31

After a heavy meal, chew a few seeds or sip a cup of cardamom tea, and keep a little ground cardamom in the meals that tend to leave you full, such as beans, rich holiday dishes and creamy desserts. Our guides to getting rid of bloating and getting rid of gas cover the rest of the plan, and cardamom pairs naturally with fennel and ginger, two of the other classic digestive spices.

Cardamom for nausea

Nausea is another traditional use of cardamom in India,14 and three trials have tested it. In a placebo-controlled trial of 70 women having a planned cesarean birth under spinal anesthesia, breathing in cardamom oil from a gauze pad at the first wave of nausea cut nausea episodes compared with a plain saline pad, and fewer of the women needed an anti-nausea drug.24

In a trial of 105 adults recovering from gallbladder surgery, in which neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what, the group given ice chips holding a few drops of cardamom extract under the tongue had less nausea than the plain-ice group.25 And in a trial of 301 adults with nausea after outpatient surgery, the group that breathed in a blend of ginger, spearmint, peppermint and cardamom oils had less nausea than the saline group and asked for fewer anti-nausea drugs.26 Our guides to getting rid of nausea and essential oils for nausea cover how to use oils safely at home.

Is cardamom good for your liver?

Non-alcoholic fatty liver happens when the liver stores more fat than it can clear, and it travels with insulin resistance and high triglycerides. The trial that tested cardamom for it enrolled 87 overweight or obese adults in Tehran with fatty liver confirmed on ultrasound. They took two 500 mg capsules of ground green cardamom three times a day with meals, 3 g in all, or identical capsules of toasted flour for 3 months, and neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what. Both groups got the same lifestyle advice: lose about 5% of their weight and get aerobic exercise three times a week.4

By the end, 41.8% of the cardamom group had no fatty liver left on ultrasound, against 4.5% on placebo, and moderate fatty liver fell from 37.2% to 7.0% of the cardamom group, against 22.7% to 18.2% on placebo.4

ALT, the liver enzyme that rises when liver cells are under strain, fell from 44.5 to 31.8 U/L on cardamom and stayed level on placebo, going from 41.8 to 41.3. AST, a second liver enzyme, didn't change significantly in either group.4

Inflammation came down at the same time. hs-CRP fell from 5.5 to 3.7 mg/L on cardamom, against 5.4 to 5.3 on placebo, and IL-6 and TNF-α, two inflammatory messengers, dropped by about half on cardamom.4 That moved hs-CRP toward its optimal range, which is under 1.0 mg/L, where lower is better. Weight changed little in either group, down about 1 kg on cardamom and 0.4 kg on placebo, and fasting blood sugar didn't differ significantly from placebo.43

Cardamom fits naturally into the habits that help a fatty liver most: fewer refined carbs, more vegetables and protein, and regular movement. Our guide to liver function covers the rest of a liver-friendly plan.

Can cardamom lower blood sugar and triglycerides?

The type 2 diabetes trial gave 83 overweight or obese adults either 3 g of green cardamom or a placebo powder every day for 10 weeks, and neither the people nor the researchers knew who got what. Some were taking gliclazide, a diabetes drug, and the researchers adjusted their analysis for its dose. Along with HbA1c, your average blood sugar over about three months, fasting insulin and triglycerides fell more on cardamom, and SIRT1, a protein that helps regulate how cells use energy, rose. Total, HDL and LDL cholesterol didn't differ from placebo.2

The fatty liver trial tracked blood fats too, and triglycerides came down on cardamom:3

In that trial, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) fell from 1.8 to 1.2 on cardamom, and HDL cholesterol, the protective kind, rose from 44.7 to 53.1 mg/dL.3 Two reviews of 5 and 7 trials found triglycerides lower on cardamom,2923 and a review of 6 publications found HbA1c and insulin resistance lower.30 In a placebo-controlled trial of 80 women with prediabetes, total cholesterol fell from 192.6 to 183.7 mg/dL and LDL from 118.1 to 110.5 on cardamom, though after adjustment the changes weren't significantly different from placebo.21

Insulin resistance is a big part of why triglycerides and blood sugar climb together, and in my Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes protocol, I list fat in the liver among its triggers, alongside refined carbs, sugary drinks, sitting, short sleep and stress.32 The habits that work on it best are the ones I lay out there: vegetables and protein before the carbs at each meal, fewer sweet drinks and refined carbs, and a 10- to 15-minute walk after you eat.32 Cardamom fits right into that, in your coffee, your oatmeal and your curries, alongside the foods in an insulin resistance diet. Our guide to normal blood sugar shows the numbers to aim for, and if your triglycerides, blood sugar and waistline have all crept up together, our guide to metabolic syndrome explains why.

Does cardamom help bad breath?

Yes, and it's one of cardamom's oldest uses: in India, people pop a pod or two to freshen their breath.8 Chewing elaichi does two things at once, because the slightly pungent taste gets saliva flowing and the fibrous husk gives your teeth a light scrub.8

A trial of a cardamom drink backs up the tradition. Seventeen healthy young men enrolled, and the 11 who finished each tried four mouth rinses at visits a week apart, with bad breath brought on for the test each time; one rinse was Arabic coffee boiled with cardamom. Two hours after a 30-second rinse with it, hydrogen sulfide, the main sulfur gas behind bad breath, was 230.54 parts per billion, down from 446.82 before the rinse, against 384.36 after a water rinse.10 In lab tests, cardamom extracts held back bacteria tied to gum disease,33 and cardamom essential oil slowed the growth of Streptococcus mutans, the main cavity-causing bacterium, more than any of the 12 essential oils tested, and at a 5% concentration it cut the bacterium's biofilm formation by 99%.34

To use it, chew one or two whole pods slowly after a meal and spit out the husk, or keep a few seeds in your pocket for after coffee. Our guide to getting rid of bad breath covers the rest of a fresh-breath routine.

Cardamom vs. coriander

Cardamom and coriander are both warm, aromatic seeds that turn up together in Indian spice blends like garam masala, but they come from different plants. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant, and cilantro is the name for that plant's fresh leaves, so neither one is cardamom, which comes from the ginger family.

Gram for gram, cardamom carries nearly 15 times the manganese of coriander seed, while coriander has more fiber and calcium.635 They work well together, so there's no need to pick one.

How to use cardamom: pods, ground, tea and oil

My advice is to bring healing spices into your meals every day, with cinnamon for blood sugar and ginger for digestion among them,36 and cardamom earns its place in that rotation easily, because a little goes a long way. Here's how to use each form:

Whole pods keep their aroma far longer than ground cardamom, so buy pods when you can, store them in a sealed jar away from heat and light, and grind the seeds as you need them. You can swap ground cardamom for whole pods in most recipes. If you run out, there's no perfect substitute, but a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg, or a little ground ginger or coriander, comes closest.

Cardamom pairs beautifully with cinnamon, vanilla, almond, ginger, cloves, coconut, rose and raw cacao, and it works in stews, soups and curries, breads, puddings, pancakes and pies, green or mint tea, and cold smoothies.

Cardamom tea

Cardamom tea is simply cardamom steeped in hot water or with your favorite tea, and it's a traditional way to settle the stomach after a meal.81 It has a trial of its own, too: in an 8-week randomized trial of 204 adults with type 2 diabetes across five groups, the group that took 3 g of cardamom a day in three glasses of black tea improved total, LDL and HDL cholesterol compared with a group drinking plain black tea.37 To make a cup, crush 2 or 3 green pods, steep them in just-boiled water for 5 to 10 minutes, then strain. Add a slice of fresh ginger or a cinnamon stick if you like, and sweeten it with a little raw honey.

Cardamom essential oil

With a sore throat, cardamom oil is one I reach for: it has some natural analgesic, or pain-relieving, properties, and it's great for the digestive system too.38 The nausea trials used the oil breathed in from a gauze pad or as a few drops of a 10% oil extract on ice chips held under the tongue,2425 and in rats and in rabbit airway tissue, a cardamom extract relaxed the airways, which fits its traditional use for asthma.3914 Diffuse it, breathe it in from a tissue, or dilute it in a carrier oil before it touches your skin. Our guide to essential oils for a sore throat lists the oils that pair well with it.

Cardamom recipes

One of the things I really love about Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine is that they don't just think about a single food as medicine; they try to create an entire meal as a form of medicine.40 Cardamom is made for that kind of cooking, because it brings a whole pot of chai, a curry or a holiday drink together.

For a classic version with more spices, try our chai tea recipe, and our guide to whether chai tea is good for you explains what each spice brings.

Combining cinnamon and cardamom in your coffee or hot chocolate can be great, and they're two flavors you'll want to bring in around the holidays.9 For most of my patients with a health issue, I say coffee in the morning is fine if it's the right type, organic and good quality,31 and this is how to dress it up:

Our coconut milk coffee creamer is an easy homemade swap for store-bought creamers. A few more ways to cook with cardamom:

Cardamom side effects and who should skip it

Cardamom is gentle at kitchen amounts. At 3 g a day, the fatty liver and blood pressure studies reported no side effects,274 and in an 8-week trial in women with prediabetes, a few of the 40 taking cardamom had brief diarrhea, a mild skin reaction or a sore tongue early on.21 The Commission E listing names no side effects.1 The cautions below are for concentrated capsules and the essential oil.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Cardamom in food is fine during pregnancy. Skip capsules and taking the oil by mouth, because they haven't been tested for safety in pregnancy; the only safety data come from mice fed diets that were 10% or 20% cardamom through pregnancy and nursing, far beyond kitchen amounts, and their pups gained weight more slowly.42 While breastfeeding, food amounts are fine, and nursing mothers have used cardamom for babies with colic.17

Gallstones. If you have gallstones, keep cardamom to food amounts and check with your practitioner before taking medicinal amounts; it's a precaution, since no case of harm has been published.

Allergy and the oil. Allergy to cardamom is rare and has mostly shown up on the skin, as in a confectioner who developed hand dermatitis from handling it at work.19 Always dilute the essential oil before it touches your skin, and see our essential oil safety guide for how.

Stop and get checked if you notice hives after eating or handling cardamom, or upper-right belly pain after medicinal amounts if you have gallstones. Get emergency care for swelling of your lips or throat, wheezing or trouble breathing.

The bottom line

Cardamom: frequently asked questions

References

1. Altmeyer P. Cardamomi fructus (German Commission E monograph: dyspeptic complaints, especially bloating; average daily dose 1.5 g). Altmeyers Enzyklopädie, Naturheilkunde.
2. Aghasi M, Koohdani F, Qorbani M, Nasli-Esfahani E, Ghazi-Zahedi S, Khoshamal H, et al. Beneficial effects of green cardamom on serum SIRT1, glycemic indices and triglyceride levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial. J Sci Food Agric. 2019;99(8):3933-3940. doi:10.1002/jsfa.9617. PMID:30701554
3. Daneshi-Maskooni M, Keshavarz SA, Qorbani M, Mansouri S, Alavian SM, Badri-Fariman M, et al. Green cardamom supplementation improves serum irisin, glucose indices, and lipid profiles in overweight or obese non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2019;19(1):59. doi:10.1186/s12906-019-2465-0. PMID:30871514. PMC6419418
4. Daneshi-Maskooni M, Keshavarz SA, Qorbani M, Mansouri S, Alavian SM, Badri-Fariman M, et al. Green cardamom increases Sirtuin-1 and reduces inflammation in overweight or obese patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2018;15:63. doi:10.1186/s12986-018-0297-4. PMID:30263038. PMC6156864
5. Cheshmeh S, Ghayyem M, Khamooshi F, Heidarzadeh-Esfahani N, Rahmani N, Hojati N, et al. Green cardamom plus low-calorie diet can decrease the expression of inflammatory genes among obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a double-blind randomized clinical trial. Eat Weight Disord. 2022;27(2):821-830. doi:10.1007/s40519-021-01223-3. PMID:34057705. PMC8166375
6. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Spices, cardamom. FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC ID 170919 (NDB 2006). 2019.
7. Abdullah, Ahmad N, Tian W, Zengliu S, Zou Y, Farooq S, et al. Recent advances in the extraction, chemical composition, therapeutic potential, and delivery of cardamom phytochemicals. Front Nutr. 2022;9:1024820. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1024820. PMID:36245491. PMC9562589
8. Sharma R. Cardamom comfort. Dent Res J (Isfahan). 2012;9(2):237. doi:10.4103/1735-3327.95243. PMID:22623945. PMC3353705
9. Axe J. Top 5 Holiday Superfoods You Didn't Know You Needed. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2024 (cinnamon and cardamom among the holiday herbs at 2:09; cardamom for digestive health, gas, bloating and blood sugar, and cinnamon with cardamom in coffee or hot chocolate, at 7:32-7:59; YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppj8vUGgLNI&t=452s).
10. Alzoman H, Alzahrani A, Alwehaiby K, Alanazi W, AlSarhan M. Efficacy of Arabic Coffee and Black Tea in Reducing Halitosis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled, Crossover Clinical Trial. Healthcare (Basel). 2021;9(3). doi:10.3390/healthcare9030250. PMID:33804328. PMC8000802
11. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Cardamom sector. In: Harnessing Agricultural Trade for Sustainable Development: Guatemala. New York: United Nations; 2020. doi:10.18356/7176d398-en
12. Bano S, Majumder A, Srivastava A, Nayak KB. Deciphering the Potentials of Cardamom in Cancer Prevention and Therapy: From Kitchen to Clinic. Biomolecules. 2024;14(9). doi:10.3390/biom14091166. PMID:39334932. PMC11430645
13. Qiblawi S, Al-Hazimi A, Al-Mogbel M, Hossain A, Bagchi D. Chemopreventive effects of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum L.) on chemically induced skin carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice. J Med Food. 2012;15(6):576-80. doi:10.1089/jmf.2011.0266. PMID:22404574
14. Ashokkumar K, Murugan M, Dhanya MK, Warkentin TD. Botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry and biological activities of cardamom [Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton] - A critical review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2020;246:112244. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2019.112244. PMID:31541721
15. Jamal A, Javed K, Aslam M, Jafri MA. Gastroprotective effect of cardamom, Elettaria cardamomum Maton. fruits in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006;103(2):149-53. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2005.07.016. PMID:16298093
16. Yang X, Xie J, Zhang Q, Su S, Wang T, Gao H, et al. Fructus Amomi Rotundus, Fructus Galangae, Semen Alpiniae Katsumadai and Semen Myristicae comparison of traditional medicinal uses, phytoconstituents, bioactivities. J Ethnopharmacol. 2026;356:120817. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2025.120817. PMID:41176135
17. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Cardamom. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006-. Updated 2025 May 15. NBK615240. PMID:40460231
18. Gilani AH, Jabeen Q, Khan AU, Shah AJ. Gut modulatory, blood pressure lowering, diuretic and sedative activities of cardamom. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008;115(3):463-72. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2007.10.015. PMID:18037596
19. Mobacken H, Fregert S. Allergic contact dermatitis from cardamom. Contact Dermatitis. 1975;1(3):175-6. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1975.tb05361.x. PMID:138507
20. Kazemi S, Yaghooblou F, Siassi F, Rahimi Foroushani A, Ghavipour M, Koohdani F, et al. Cardamom supplementation improves inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in hyperlipidemic, overweight, and obese pre-diabetic women: a randomized double-blind clinical trial. J Sci Food Agric. 2017;97(15):5296-5301. doi:10.1002/jsfa.8414. PMID:28480505
21. Fatemeh Y, Siassi F, Rahimi A, Koohdani F, Doostan F, Qorbani M, et al. The effect of cardamom supplementation on serum lipids, glycemic indices and blood pressure in overweight and obese pre-diabetic women: a randomized controlled trial. J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2017;16:40. doi:10.1186/s40200-017-0320-8. PMID:29026804. PMC5623966
22. Heydarian A, Tahvilian N, Shahinfar H, Abbas-Hashemi SA, Daryabeygi-Khotbehsara R, Aryaeian N. Effect of cardamom consumption on inflammation and blood pressure in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2024;12(1):3-12. doi:10.1002/fsn3.3738. PMID:38268891. PMC10804083
23. Asbaghi O, Eslampour E, Reiner Ž, Badehnoosh B, Kolahdooz F, Moradi S, et al. Effect of green cardamom on lipoproteins, glycemic control and anthropometric parameters: A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2020;37:24-33. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.03.015. PMID:32359750
24. Khatiban M, Mirzaie M, Fazeli A, Tapak L, Khalili Z. Effect of Cardamom Inhalation Therapy on Intra-and Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting of Mothers Undergoing Spinal Anesthesia for Elective Cesarean Section. J Perianesth Nurs. 2022;37(4):452-457. doi:10.1016/j.jopan.2021.09.008. PMID:35581106
25. Kamalvand N, Shamsizadeh M, Tapak L, Azizi A. Comparison of the effect of ice sucking containing peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) with cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) extract on nausea, vomiting, and drug request after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Explore (NY). 2025;21(6):103261. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2025.103261. PMID:40967081
26. Hunt R, Dienemann J, Norton HJ, Hartley W, Hudgens A, Stern T, et al. Aromatherapy as treatment for postoperative nausea: a randomized trial. Anesth Analg. 2013;117(3):597-604. doi:10.1213/ANE.0b013e31824a0b1c. PMID:22392970
27. Verma SK, Jain V, Katewa SS. Blood pressure lowering, fibrinolysis enhancing and antioxidant activities of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum). Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2009;46(6):503-6. PMID:20361714
28. Azimi P, Ghiasvand R, Feizi A, Hosseinzadeh J, Bahreynian M, Hariri M, et al. Effect of cinnamon, cardamom, saffron and ginger consumption on blood pressure and a marker of endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled clinical trial. Blood Press. 2016;25(3):133-40. doi:10.3109/08037051.2015.1111020. PMID:26758574
29. Shekarchizadeh-Esfahani P, Arab A, Ghaedi E, Hadi A, Jalili C. Effects of cardamom supplementation on lipid profile: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Phytother Res. 2020;34(3):475-485. doi:10.1002/ptr.6543. PMID:31755188
30. Nameni G, Moradi Y, Zaroudi M, Jamshidi S. Effect of cardamom supplementation on a number of metabolic factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2022;16(6):102523. doi:10.1016/j.dsx.2022.102523. PMID:35691204
31. Axe J. How Coffee Affects Your Brain, Hormones, and Gut. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2025 (low-acid coffee with a little baking soda and cardamom for his digestion at 3:21; coffee and the stomach and small intestine in patients at 18:05; YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuM1ceuyUlk&t=201s).
32. Axe J. Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes. DrAxe.com protocol; 2026 (section 04, How insulin resistance takes hold: refined carbs, sugary drinks, sitting, liver fat, poor sleep and stress as triggers; phase 1, Stabilize: vegetables and protein first, carbohydrates last, cut sweet drinks and refined carbs, walk after meals).
33. Souissi M, Azelmat J, Chaieb K, Grenier D. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) extracts: Potential therapeutic benefits for periodontal infections. Anaerobe. 2020;61:102089. doi:10.1016/j.anaerobe.2019.102089. PMID:31430531
34. Singh NJ, Kezer G, Horn MA, Hillebrand S, Esatbeyoglu T. In vitro inhibition of Streptococcus mutans by cardamom essential oil. Front Oral Health. 2026;7:1796712. doi:10.3389/froh.2026.1796712. PMID:42199993. PMC13199289
35. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Spices, coriander seed. FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC ID 170922 (NDB 2013). 2019.
36. Axe J, Cole W. Heal Your Cells. New York: Avery; 2026. ISBN 9798217181353 (incorporate healing spices daily).
37. Azimi P, Ghiasvand R, Feizi A, Hariri M, Abbasi B. Effects of Cinnamon, Cardamom, Saffron, and Ginger Consumption on Markers of Glycemic Control, Lipid Profile, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in Type 2 Diabetes Patients. Rev Diabet Stud. 2014;11(3-4):258-66. doi:10.1900/RDS.2014.11.258. PMID:26177486. PMC5397291
38. Axe J. Fall Essential Oils for Colds, Sore Throats and More. Dr. Josh Axe on YouTube. October 18, 2017 (lime and cardamom oil for a sore throat; cardamom oil's analgesic properties and digestive benefit at 5:08-5:32).
39. Khan AU, Khan QJ, Gilani AH. Pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of cardamom in asthma. Bangladesh J Pharmacol. 2011;6(1). doi:10.3329/bjp.v6i1.8133
40. Axe J. 7 Foods That Quiet Inflammation Better Than Supplements. The Dr. Josh Axe Show. 2026 (herbs and spices as the most antioxidant-dense foods at 23:11; Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine building a whole meal as medicine at 24:39; YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFeUM50IzBI&t=1391s).
41. Suneetha WJ, Krishnakantha TP. Cardamom extract as inhibitor of human platelet aggregation. Phytother Res. 2005;19(5):437-40. doi:10.1002/ptr.1681. PMID:16106388
42. Abu-Taweel GM. Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) perinatal exposure effects on the development, behavior and biochemical parameters in mice offspring. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2018;25(1):186-193. doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2017.08.012. PMID:29379379. PMC5775110

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

Read the full bio →

This article is for educational purposes. See our medical disclaimer.