Here’s everything Cardamom Essential Oil can do for your body and home! Don’t miss out on all these benefits.
An ancient remedy for various health ailments, cardamom is not just a spice to add to your diet but also makes for an important essential oil. You can add cardamom essential oil to your beauty rituals and wellness routines. Plus, the health benefits you can enjoy from it are no joke!
Cardamom Essential Oil Benefits
1. Helps Lower High Blood Pressure
In a study, 20 newly diagnosed patients with high blood pressure were seen to have normal blood pressure levels after three months of being treated with cardamom. Though researchers used cardamom powder, the positive effects of the study successfully concluded that cardamom extract or cardamom oil could also help with high blood pressure.
This is because of its antioxidant properties, which have been linked to lower blood pressure.
2. Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Inflammation usually occurs when the body is exposed to foreign substances, which causes an adverse reaction. Though acute inflammation is necessary, chronic inflammation can be harmful.
An animal study concluded that cardamom extract was effective against at least four inflammatory compounds in rats. This can be yet again attributed to the presence of abundant antioxidant compounds in cardamom that stop cell damage.
More human studies are yet to be conducted to understand the benefits of antioxidants in cardamom essential oil fully but it’s definitely in the positive direction.
3. Can Help With Digestive Issues
For centuries, people have been using cardamom with other spices to aid digestion, which helps eliminate nausea, vomiting, and other uncomfortable issues. If you have been looking for natural remedies for digestive upset, cardamom oil can be beneficial in regulating the digestive system.
When diluted and massaged on the abdomen, cardamom essential oil can ensure better metabolic action in the body. It stimulates the secretion of various enzymes and hormones, enhances circulation, and helps the liver get rid of toxins.
But that’s not all. Researchers have been studying the possibility of cardamom extract reducing ulcers in animal studies. The results were quite positive, as the sizes of ulcers were found to have reduced by 50%.
In-vitro studies also suggested how cardamom could inhibit the growth of ulcer-causing bacteria. However, if you want to use cardamom oil to help treat ulcers, you need to wait for more human research and consult a doctor.
4. Can Improve Oral Health
Have you ever noticed how cardamom oil seems to be an active ingredient in various mouth fresheners and chewing gums? This is because of its antibacterial qualities, killing harmful bacteria present in the mouth. Plus, you also get a minty-fresh breath!
Several test-tube studies concluded how cardamom extracts were effective in fighting up to five cavity-causing bacteria. Besides that, it was also helpful in reducing the number of bacteria in saliva samples by up to 54%!
5. Can Help Treat Infections
It would hardly come as a surprise how the anti-bacterial qualities of cardamom essential oil can also help treat infections. This can be attributed to the presence of a compound called sabinene in the oil, which lends the oil its antibacterial and antiseptic qualities.
Research shows that the compounds in cardamom oil can fight off adverse effects caused by several different strains of commonly found bacteria. One test-tube study showed the impact of cardamom extract on the drug-resistant strain of fungal infection-causing yeast, Candida albicans.
6. May Relieve Respiratory Distress
Cardamom is a warm spice. Naturally, cardamom essential oil has the same effect that can help get rid of various respiratory ailments like cough, cold, and congestion. It also contains 1,8-cineole, which has anti-spasmodic effects and is beneficial in providing relief from respiratory and muscular spasms. This compound aids in better airflow to your lungs, enhancing breathing during aromatherapy.
If you are dealing with cramps, muscle pulls, whooping cough, or asthma, cardamom oil can be the perfect natural remedy alongside prescribed medications.
7. Mental Health Benefits
Besides all the aforementioned health benefits, cardamom oil can be an excellent option for you to get some relief from stress, anxiety, and depression. Anxiety is often linked to low levels of antioxidants in the blood, a situation cardamom oil can help rectify. Moreover, it contains a compound called linalyl acetate that can help you regulate your mental health.
Cardamom essential oil is not only great for mental health but is also said to help you lose weight. However, there still needs to be a lot of research before you can take claims as facts.
How To Use Cardamom Essential Oil
If all of the above-listed benefits have convinced you, here are some of the top cardamom essential oil uses for your beauty routine, wellness rituals, and even around your home.
1. Cardamom Essential Oil for Home
A simple way to deodorize your entire home is by adding three drops each of cardamom and ylang-ylang oil and two drops of ginger oil, diluted with water into a diffuser.
You could also create sachets for potpourri to add to your bathroom decor. To make these, add four drops each of cardamom and geranium oil to 2 cups of dried rose petals. Mix all of these, and you’re done! You could also place these sachets in musty drawers or cabinets to keep them fresh.
2. Using it For the Body
- If you often have to deal with acne breakouts, especially before special events, dilute four drops of cardamom essential oil in an ounce of your favorite face cleanser to help reduce the frequency of pesky acne popping up.
- Dealing with sore muscles after a week at the gym? Dilute three cedarwood and five drops of cardamom essential oil in a tablespoon of marula oil. Use this oil blend to soothe your aching muscles.
- Add three drops of cardamom oil to a tablespoon of jojoba or coconut oil to your hair routine. By massaging your scalp with this blend, you can strengthen your hair follicles and remove flakiness. To promote more shine, add four drops of cardamom oil to a tablespoon of a gentle, chemical-free shampoo while washing your hair.
- Are your sinuses blocked? You can make use of the aromatherapy benefits of cardamom essential oil. Just add two drops of cardamom and eucalyptus oil with water to your diffuser and inhale the aroma.
3. Using it For the Mind
After a long day at work, you can unwind and relax with a bath containing three drops of rosemary oil, four drops of cardamom essential oil, and a teaspoon of honey.
You could invest in an essential oil inhaler to ground yourself while you’re on the go. Just add two drops of cardamom oil to the cotton insert of your inhale and breathe easily, regardless of whether you’re working or traveling.
Precautions When Using Cardamom Essential Oil
While the fantastic benefits of cardamom oil can make you want to start using it immediately, here are some things to remember.
- When using topically, always dilute cardamom essential oil in a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba oil before applying it to your skin.
- Make sure you conduct a patch test on a small area of your arm with diluted cardamom essential oil and wait at least 24 hours for a reaction. If there is none, you can go ahead and use it regularly. If you do see redness or irritation, seek medical help.
- You can inhale cardamom oil and use diluted oil topically, but never ingest it. It is quite potent and can result in toxicity symptoms.
- When diffusing cardamom essential oil in your home, ensure that the room is well-ventilated. Do not leave your diffuser on for extended periods.
- Keep cardamom oil away from children and pets. You must consult a doctor before using the oil if you are pregnant or nursing.
And that’s your cue to add cardamom essential oil to your collection if you haven’t already! Let us know in the comments below in what ways this oil contributed to your well-being.