Indian kitchens are a treasure trove of spices and herbs that not only help perk up our delicacies, but also offer some amazing health benefits. One of the most celebrated spices is cardamom (or elaichi), which has long been hailed for its health promoting properties. The green pod-shaped spice is known to lend its sweet aroma to delicacies and desserts across the country. Apart from possessing powerful antioxidants and antibiotic properties, cardamom is said to help shed kilos too. Including this spice in your daily diet can help stimulate the process of weight loss. Cardamom is an “effective digestive stimulant and diuretic, cardamom boosts metabolism and helps the body burn fat more efficiently.” Attacking the fat in your body, cardamom, an Ayurvedic staple, can rev up your digestive system and reduce conditions like water retention. Let’s look at why this spice must be a part of your kitchen closet.

Cardamom For Weight Loss

Here are six reasons of adding cardamom (or elaichi) to your diet for healthy weight loss:

According to the book, ‘Healing Foods’ by DK Publishing, “An effective digestive stimulant and diuretic, cardamom boosts metabolism and helps the body burn fat more efficiently.”

Cardamom helps get rid of fat accumulation in the abdominal region. For most people, the fat tends to settle around the belly, putting them at a risk of a range of metabolic and cardiovascular problems.

Elaichi is said to reduce bloating or indigestion. It has various compounds that help fight against bad bacteria, further balancing the gut flora to return to normal functioning and enable a healthy digestion

Cardamom helps reduce water retention significantly. Often dubbed as a natural diuretic in Ayurveda, cardamom expels the extra water that being retained in the form of urine.

Cardamom flushes toxins out of the body and enables the body to function better. If the body starts functioning well, it will automatically boost your metabolism and overall health.

The presence of powerful nutrients like melatonin increases the burning process of fats in the body.

How To Use Cardamom For Weight Loss?

Just take out seeds of the cardamom pod and powder them roughly with a mortar and pestle or using the back of a heavy spoon. Add a pinch of this cardamom powder to your tea, low-fat milk or plain water to get your cardamom fix. It goes without saying that just cardamom will not help you lose weight, until you engage in exercises and eat a healthy and a nutritious diet.

Other Benefits Of Cardamom

Aids Digestion: Due to its strong aroma, it helps in activating our taste and sensory elements, and thus, aid digestion. This enables the secretion of enzymes effective for digestion, especially if consumed after heavy meals. Cardamom is good for curing stomach problems like indigestion, gas and constipation.

Lowers High Blood Pressure: According to the book, ‘The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies’, Dr. Vasant Lad suggests that consuming a mixture of a teaspoon coriander and one pinch of cardamom mixed with one cup of freshly squeezed peach juice can help bring down high blood pressure.

Boosts Blood Circulation: Cardamom helps increase the blood circulation in our body, especially to our lungs, therefore, it is often used as a natural remedy for respiratory disorders. It maintains vitality and keeps your energy levels up.

Regulates Blood Sugar Levels: Black cardamom is often touted as an effective remedy for treating high blood sugar levels. Cardamom is rich in manganese that helps in controlling blood sugar levels in the body.