What are the health benefits of cardamom? 

Fall is basically around the corner, and here at HQ, we're busy brewing up our Cauldron-Aged Pumpkin Coffee.

I know what you're thinking — "Pumpkin coffee? Basic. Extra. Who drinks that?" But this isn't your regular pumpkin spiced coffee, which oftentimes comes with a bad stigma. And for right reasons — most pumpkin coffee is artificially flavored and not at all good for you, which is a bunch of hocus pocus. 

Not ours, though. Our pumpkin coffee potion uses fresh ingredients inspired by our homemade chai, a staple in the coffee shop that Death Wish Coffee was created in. Since the chai spices are similar to pumpkin, we couldn't resist. 

We take spices from around the world such as cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger, and simmer them for about 12 hours. Then, we mix the batch of chai with unroasted coffee beans and let them age for 10-12 days. Once the beans are dry enough to roast, we finish off the potion with our signature Death Wish Coffee roasting process. 

To celebrate each unique, fresh ingredient we toss in our cauldron, we wanted to explore the health benefits of each and how it's used in foods around the world. Last week, we talked about fresh ginger used in our pumpkin blend. This week: Cardamom.

[Read more: Flavor profile: Ginger, a key ingredient in our Cauldron-Aged Pumpkin Coffee]

Cardamom is an herb that originated in India and Indonesia, and its seeds and oils are often used to make medicine. 

It's often used for digestion problems including: 

• Heartburn
• Intestinal spasms
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Liver and gallbladder complaints
• Loss of appetite

Cardamom is also used for the common cold and other infections, coughs, bronchitis, headaches, high blood pressure, and more. Basically, it's magic. 

In foods, cardamom is used as a spice (and it's also found in soaps, creams, and perfumes) and it's a staple in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. You'll find it in a lot of savory dishes like curries, rice dishes, and various chicken recipes. A lot of people put it in their coffee, too.

Buy our Cauldron-Aged Pumpkin Coffee here.