Ground Cardamom

Food · Vegetable · Food, Typed Supps

A fragrant seed spice traditionally chewed or brewed to settle the stomach after a meal.

Stage by stage

Intake (Aromatic oils released): Chewing or grinding releases cardamom’s essential oils.
Stomach (Digested with the meal): Cardamom moves through digestion alongside the rest of the food.
Small intestine (Partial absorption): A small portion of its aromatic compounds is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Bloodstream (Metabolized): Absorbed compounds are metabolized; most intake is exhaled or excreted rather than stored.

Timing

Traditionally used after a meal, or cooked into a dish.

Time to effect

Minutes to hours: Any felt digestive effect is short-term rather than cumulative.

Allergens

None of the fourteen major allergens. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.

Eating patterns

Fits: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher, Gluten-free. Depends on the product: Low-FODMAP.

Satiety

Not scored: the satiety index is measured on 240 kcal servings, and nobody eats a 240 kcal serving of this. The question does not apply rather than the answer being unknown.

Environmental footprint

0.5 kg CO2e and 108 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Other vegetables" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.

Cost band

Pricey — roughly £18 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.

Key nutrients

Nutrition per 100g

Calories: 295.4
Protein: 10.8g
Carbohydrate: 34.4g
of which sugars: 4.4g
Fat: 6.7g
of which saturated: 2.2g
Fibre: 28g
Sodium: 18mg

Food vs. supplement

Cardamom’s per-100g zinc and magnesium figures look notable, but a real serving is a pinch or a few pods, so it’s not a practical source of either in everyday use.

Kitchen tip

Buy whole pods and crush them just before use — ground cardamom loses its aroma quickly.

Common myth

"Cardamom is a scientifically proven digestive remedy." In reality: Its use as a digestive aid is genuinely traditional and long-standing, but robust modern clinical evidence for it is limited — it’s a pleasant, aromatic spice more than a proven remedy.