January 5, 2026, 3:05 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Cardamom is a must-have in gingerbread and other treats during the winter season here. The precious spice is so healthy that we should actually enjoy it all year round. FITBOOK reveals what the sweet and fresh capsule fruit can do according to research.
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Cardamom–the Better Mouthwash
In Indian and Arabic cuisine, cardamom is considered one of the most important spices and is therefore called the “Queen of Spices.” Whether in curries, chai, pastries, or coffee–cardamom is essential. The aphrodisiac effect attributed to the sweet and spicy capsules has not yet been scientifically proven. However, a number of other remarkable properties of this healthy spice on our body have been confirmed.
In these cultures, it is common to chew a cardamom capsule after a hearty meal for refreshment. This habit not only eliminates bad odors but also kills cavity-causing bacteria.1 And it does so better than many modern mouthwashes, as a large-scale study from 2012 showed.2 Indian researchers found that cardamom extract can kill more than half of all unwanted pathogens in saliva. Since pleasant breath and healthy teeth play an important role in partner selection, could this be related to the alleged aphrodisiac effect?
Effect on Oxygen Uptake During Exercise
Certain compounds in cardamom ensure that more oxygen enters the blood through breathing. In an older study, a group of participants was asked to inhale cardamom essential oil for one minute before being sent on a treadmill for 15 minutes. This group had significantly higher oxygen uptake compared to the control group.
Cardamom’s ability to relax the airways during asthma attacks and thus ensure vital oxygen supply was demonstrated in a study with rats and rabbits.3
Speaking of lungs: Chewing gum with cardamom flavor has been proven to help with smoking cessation: The spice inhibits the craving for nicotine.4
Cardamom Supports Healthy Liver Functions
During the pre-Christmas season and holidays, the liver often has to work overtime, and it usually handles the extra load quite well. Cardamom proves to be a helpful supporter according to numerous studies–since they involve potentially deadly diseases like cirrhosis, hepatitis, or fatty liver, they were conducted on rats. Experiments with cardamom powder (extract) showed that liver damage could be almost reversed.5 Caution is advised when directly applying such study results to humans, but it is assumed that cardamom can at least support healthy liver function.
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Cardamom Prevents Cancer Cells from Growing in Mice
Cardamom appears to have the property of slowing the growth of cancer and tumor cells. An initial study, in which mice were artificially “infected” with skin cancer, revealed that an estimated 500 milligrams of cardamom per kilogram of body weight was enough to determine after three months that the cancer did not progress in most of the animals (70 percent). Only 10 percent of the untreated control group remained healthy.
Studies on human cancer cells and cardamom yield similar results; however, so far only under laboratory conditions.6 It was also identified which substance is involved: γ-Bisabolene. This active ingredient is one of the main components in cardamom and will surely continue to bring joy to science.
Cardamom Helps with Digestive Problems
Nausea, feeling full, bloating, an irritated stomach–all classic “ailments” during the Christmas season. But accepting them is by no means healthy. The essential oils in cardamom (including hydroxycinnamic acid) have been used in Indian medicine for digestive ailments–and everything related to them.7 These secondary plant compounds promote the production of saliva, stomach, and bile juices; and they also stimulate appetite. Therefore, cardamom is traditionally used to help people after a long illness to eat larger, more nourishing portions again.