Spice Up Your Holiday with Cardamom!

SEASONing’s greetings! Winter is coming, and the holiday spices are here. Chai lattes are a favorite during this time of the year and are often made with spices like cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, clove, black pepper, and, yes – cardamom! Cardamom is a spice used in many recipes and often goes unrecognized; however, it has many health benefits. Want to learn how to make the best chai spice blend for your holiday teas and lattes? Keep on reading!

Cardamom is mainly grown and harvested in India, China, and Sri Lanka but can also be found in many other countries in the Middle East and Asia. Did you know it can grow up to 16 feet tall? It is an herby plant with leafy greens, tall root stalks, and white flowers with purple tips that is known for its fruit and aromatic seeds. When these seeds are dried and ground, they give us the spice used in many foods and baked goods. It’s also used for its scent in perfumes, soaps, and lotions. Some common uses of cardamom are found in recipes for:

• Meat dishes with chicken, sausage, meatballs, fish, beef, and veal 
• Soups and stews
• Condiments and powdered spices like curry and garam masala
• Sweets like cookies, pastries, bread and buns, cakes, candies, puddings, and custards
• Jellies and marmalades
• Coffee and tea
• Cocktails and mocktails

​
Cardamom is rich in micronutrients like fiber, iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium help keep muscles and nerves functioning well and maintain the heart’s rhythm. Magnesium also helps with managing stress levels and giving us enough energy throughout the day, and calcium is excellent for maintaining strong bone health.
​
The spice also contains phytochemicals like phytosterols which help with heart health. Studies have found that 2g of cardamom daily can reduce LDL (bad)-cholesterol and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease! This spice has also been used in ancient traditional medicine and has many health benefits, including: 

• Aiding in digestion
• Controlling blood sugar
• Stress management
• Alleviating headaches and nausea
• Managing increased blood lipid levels 
• Improving depressive symptoms
• Relieving a sore throat and congestion
• Halting gastric ulcer development

With cold and flu season already here, are you ready to make that chai? Check out the recipe below and experience all of cardamom’s benefits:

Homemade Chai Spice Blend:
Ingredients:

• 4 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp ground ginger
• 4 ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ Tbsp ground black pepper
• ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¾ tsp ground cloves

Makes 32 servings, store up to 3 months at room temperature.

Chai Latte Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1-1 ½ tsp chai spice blend
• 2 tsp hot water
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
• 1 cup warmed milk of choice

Directions:

• Add hot water and sweetener to chai spice and mix with blender. 
• Add hot milk (or cold for an iced drink). Feel free to add an espresso shot to create a caffeinated chai latte. Top with some sprinkled cinnamon, and enjoy!

Makes 1 serving
Nutrition per serving: Calories: 101, Carbohydrates: 16.2g, Protein: 0.6g, Fat: 4.6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 5mg, Fiber: 1.7 g, Sugar: 12.5 

---

Overall, cardamom is a unique addition to many dishes with its sweet and floral flavor and aromas. It is a spice full of antioxidants that help to protect against oxidative damage to your cells, similar to cinnamon and nutmeg. In combination with its health benefits, that chai recipe sounds great right about now, don’t you think?
​
Erin McMahon, Dietetic Intern

References:
​
Recipe from:
https://minimalistbaker.com/5-minute-caffeine-free-chai-mix/ 

​
Food Data Central. (Accessed on 11/9/2022). Spices, cardamom. US Department of Agriculture [Webpage]. Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170919/nutrients
Anandaraj, M. & Sudharsham, M. R. (2010). Cardomom, Ginger and Turmeric. In Verheye, W. H. (ed) Soils, Plant Growth and Crop Production. Eolss Publishers Company Limited. Chapter available at: http://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C10/E1-05A-49-00.pdf

Spices Board India. (2009). Cultivation Practices for Cardamom. Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Available at: http://www.indianspices.com/pdf/Book_Cultivation_Cardamom.pdf 

Opara, E.I., & Chohan, M. (2021). Culinary Herbs and Spices: A Global Guide. Royal Society of Chemistry, 99-122. Available at: https://web-s-ebscohost-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/ZTcwMHhuYV9fMjk4ODEzNF9fQU41?sid=7ec4c595-7271-4fce-9a16-0203be69a699@redis&vid=0&format=EB&rid=1 

Peter, K.V. (2012). Handbook of Herbs and Spices: Vol. 2nd ed. Woodhead Publishing. Available at: https://web-s-ebscohost-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/ZTAwMHhuYV9fNjgwNjQxX19BTg2?sid=a79fa0a8-5d60-4397-a0e3-63938e4e21ee@redis&vid=0&format=EB&rid=1 

Charles, D.J. (2013). Antioxidant Properties of Spices, Herbs and Other Sources. New York, NY : Springer New York : Imprint: Springer. Available at: https://link-springer-com.proxy.lib.umich.edu/content/pdf/10.1007/978-1-4614-4310-0.pdf
​​