Cardamom is a delicious spice that can be used in both sweet and savory cooking and baking. But what does cardamom taste like?
Let's talk about the taste and texture of cardamom, its health benefits and how to use this spice in your recipes!
This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or dietetic advice in any way.
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What is Cardamom?
Cardamom is a spice made from the seeds of plants in the same family as ginger (Medical News Today).
There are two main types of cardamom. Green cardamom pods are easy to find in stores and consist of the whole seed pod, while lesser-used black cardamom is only the dried seeds.
Cardamom powder can also be purchased in stores, and can be found alongside other spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
What Does Cardamom Taste Like?
Green cardamom is slightly sweet, with a warming flavor similar to spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. It can be described as having a hint of citrus or fruity taste.
Black cardamom is more savory and smoky in flavor.
What are the Health Benefits of Cardamom?
In their overview of the health benefits of cardamom, Healthline describes that cardamom may help lower blood pressure due to its antioxidant and diuretic properties, and is rich in compounds that may fight inflammation.
Those looking to make low histamine recipes may like to know that it is rated as 0 on the SIGHI list for histamine, albeit with a note (in French) that roughly translates to some varieties not being tolerated.
Cardamom is also a good swap for cinnamon for those who do not tolerate it.
How Can We Use Cardamom in Cooking and Baking?
Cardamom is quite a versatile spice, and can be used in both sweet and savory cooking. It's a traditional ingredient in Indian curries, as well as adding so much flavor to other dishes:
Add to Stews
Cardamom has the benefit of being a little spicy but without being 'hot' in flavor like curry powder and chili are. Adding a sprinkle to a chicken or turkey stew gives a nice hint of spice!
Add to Chia Pudding or Overnight Oats
As a fun alternative to fruit, you can add a sprinkle of this spice to your breakfast or snack to make a cardamom chia pudding or cardamom overnight oats.
Add to Baked Goods
Whether it is to make cardamom cookies, cardamom apple fritters, breads, cakes or muffins, there are so many ways that adding a pinch of spice can liven up your baking and tasty sweet treats!
Make Cardamom Milk
Cardamom warm milk is a cozy caffeine drink that makes the most of this spice! Simply heat milk or non-dairy milk, with some of this spice and a little sweetener for an afternoon treat.
Make Cardamom Tea
Making cardamom tea is very easy, and you simply combine cardamom, milk, a sweetener and tea bags.
As a note, this wouldn't be suitable for my low histamine readers as it contains black tea, as set out in my low histamine teas post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Green cardamom is slightly sweet, with a fruity taste. It has a warming flavor much like other spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg.
Cardamom can be purchased as whole seed pods or as cardamom powder.
Cardamom can be used to make sweet baked goods such as cookies, cakes and muffins, as well as in savory cooking such as curries.
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