Cardamom is an herb that is often used as a spice in foods. The seeds and the oil from the seeds are sometimes used to make medicine. Cardamom contains chemicals that might kill some bacteria, reduce swelling, and help the immune system.
Cardamom is used for digestion problems including heartburn, intestinal spasms, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), intestinal gas, constipation, liver and gallbladder complaints, and loss of appetite. It is also used for common cold, cough, bronchitis, sore mouth and throat, and tendency toward infection.
In India, Cardamom cultivation is confined mainly to the Western Ghats of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Kerala accounts for 60% of the cultivation and production followed by Karnataka 30 % and Tamil Nadu 10 %. Idukki district in Kerala is the major cardamom producing area.