Family Name: Zingiberaceae
Botanical Name(s): Elettaria Cardamomum
Popular Name(s): Cardamom Seeds, Cardamon, Malabar Cardamom, Elachi
Parts Used: Seed
Habitat: Cardamom is a perennial plant found commonly in southern India.
Description: Cardamom is an evergreen perennial with thick rhizomes and erect stems bearing pointed leaves. White flowers with a pink to violet striped lip are born in a loose spike in summers, followed by pale green to beige, 3-celled capsules, containing 15-20 aromatic seeds.
Uses: Cardamom is used internally for indigestion, nausea, vomiting and pulmonary disease with copious phlegm. It can be used with a laxative to prevent stomach pain, griping, as well as flatulence. The seeds are also chewed to sweeten the breath and taken to detoxify caffeine in people taking excessive amounts of coffee. They are also used as a spice in cooking and as a flavoring in other medicines.