Cardamom: small lipid shifts at 3 grams a day, and no weight loss

The cardamom trials used about 3 g a day, mostly in capsules, far more than a pinch in tea. At that dose a meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials with 989 adults found total cholesterol fell by 8.56 mg/dL (95% CI 2.22 to 14.90) and triglycerides by 14.09 mg/dL (95% CI 4.17 to 24.01), while LDL and HDL cholesterol did not change. Most of those trials came from Iran. An earlier meta-analysis of 5 trials agreed on triglycerides, a fall of 20.55 mg/dL, and found no significant change in total cholesterol. In 595 patients with metabolic disorders, green cardamom lowered diastolic pressure by 0.91 mmHg and left systolic pressure unchanged, and the authors themselves point to few and small trials. In trials, cardamom did not help with weight. Across 6 trials with 410 people, 3 g a day for 8 weeks to 3 months did not change body weight or BMI.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Ground cardamom in UK data lists 100 mg iron, 8.9 mg manganese, 1120 mg potassium and 230 mg magnesium per 3.5 oz (100 g). — CoFID 2021 Cardamom, ground (13-809) (n = 1 record) Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: iron 100 mg, manganese 8.90 mg, potassium 1120 mg, magnesium 230 mg, calcium 130 mg, zinc 2.6 mg, protein 10.8 g, fat 6.7 g
• USDA data give ground cardamom 13.97 mg iron and 7.47 mg zinc per 3.5 oz (100 g), so the UK and US iron figures differ about sevenfold. — USDA SR Legacy Spices, cardamom (FDC 170919) (n = 1 record) Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: fiber 28 g, iron 13.97 mg, zinc 7.47 mg; CoFID iron 100 mg, zinc 2.6 mg

What it does to your health

• A meta-analysis of 12 RCTs with 989 adults found cardamom lowered total cholesterol by 8.56 mg/dL and triglycerides by 14.09 mg/dL, with no change in LDL or HDL. — adults in 12 randomized trials of cardamom (n = 989) Evidence A source
  TC -8.56 mg/dL (95% CI -14.90 to -2.22), TG -14.09 mg/dL (-24.01 to -4.17), hs-CRP -1.01, IL-6 -1.81 pg/mL; LDL and HDL not significant
• A meta-analysis of 8 trials with 595 patients with metabolic disorders found green cardamom cut diastolic pressure by 0.91 mmHg and hs-CRP by 1.21 mg/L, with no effect on systolic pressure. — patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders (n = 595) Evidence A source
  DBP -0.91 mmHg (95% CI -1.19 to -0.62), hs-CRP -1.21 mg/L (-2.18 to -0.24), IL-6 -2.41 ng/L; SBP not significant
• A meta-analysis of 5 RCTs found cardamom lowered triglycerides by 20.55 mg/dl but did not significantly change total or LDL cholesterol. — adults in 5 randomized trials of cardamom supplements Evidence A source
  TG -20.55 mg/dl (95% CI -32.48 to -8.63); TC -6.11 (-13.06 to 0.83) and LDL -4.31 (-9.75 to 1.13) not significant
• In an RCT of 87 overweight adults with fatty liver, 3 g of green cardamom a day for 3 months lowered fatty liver grade, triglycerides and HOMA-IR versus placebo. — overweight or obese NAFLD patients aged 30 to 60 years, 3 months (n = 87) Evidence B source
  Improved fatty liver grade, TG, LDL-c, HOMA-IR, HDL-c (P < 0.05); FBS, TC, BMI not significant
• In an RCT of 80 prediabetic women with high lipids, 3 g of cardamom a day for 8 weeks lowered hs-CRP and malondialdehyde versus placebo. — hyperlipidemic, overweight and obese pre-diabetic women, 8 weeks (n = 80) Evidence B source
  Hs-CRP P = 0.02, hs-CRP:IL-6 ratio P = 0.008, MDA P = 0.009 vs placebo
• In a four-arm RCT of 96 healthy adults, a single 250 mg dose of black cardamom extract improved attention test scores for about 3 hours, similar to 200 mg caffeine. — healthy adults aged 35 to 65 years, single dose (n = 96) Evidence B source
  Better reaction time and accuracy vs placebo mainly through 3 h post-dose, comparable to caffeine

Safety, limits and interactions

• In the 3-month NAFLD trial of 3 g a day green cardamom, no treatment side effects were seen in the cardamom group. — overweight or obese NAFLD patients, 3 g/day for 3 months (n = 87) Evidence B source
  Only nausea and constipation in one placebo patient
• A global review of spice contamination found green cardamom from Bahrain with 2.2 ug/g lead and 0.9 ug/g cadmium. — spices and herbs from worldwide markets, 50 studies (n = 50 studies) Evidence C source
  Green cardamom (Bahrain): Pb 2.2 ug/g, Cd 0.9 ug/g
• US FDA lists cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) among spices generally recognized as safe for their intended use in food. — US food regulation Evidence E source
  Cardamom on the GRAS list of 21 CFR 182.10

What people believe that the data does not support

• A meta-analysis of 6 RCTs with 410 people found 3 g a day of cardamom for 8 weeks to 3 months did not change body weight or BMI. — adults in 6 randomized trials, 3 g/day for 8 weeks to 3 months (n = 410) Evidence A source
  BMI WMD 0.07 (95% CI -0.12 to 0.27), weight WMD 0.01 (-0.22 to 0.21)

Who this works differently for

• In an RCT of 83 overweight adults with type 2 diabetes, 3 g of green cardamom a day for 10 weeks lowered HbA1c by 0.4% and HOMA-IR by 1.7 versus placebo. — overweight or obese adults with type 2 diabetes, 10 weeks (n = 83) Evidence B source
  HbA1c -0.4%, insulin -2.8 uIU/dL, HOMA-IR -1.7, TG -39.9 mg/dL vs placebo; TC, LDL, HDL unchanged
• In an RCT of 194 obese women with PCOS on a low-calorie diet, 3 g of green cardamom a day for 4 months lowered TNF-alpha, IL-6 and CRP, while weight fell in both groups. — obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome, 4 months (n = 194) Evidence B source
  TNF-alpha, IL-6, CRP decreased (P < 0.001) in cardamom group; anthropometry improved in both groups

The bottom line

The label numbers disagree. UK data list 100 mg iron per 3.5 oz (100 g) of ground cardamom, and USDA data list 13.97 mg, a sevenfold gap, with a single record on each side. The UK figure may reflect soil or equipment contamination of the sample. A spice serving is 1 to 2 g, so either way the iron you get from it is small. The single trials are all in people with a condition. In 83 overweight adults with type 2 diabetes, 3 g a day for 10 weeks lowered HbA1c by 0.4 percent, HOMA-IR by 1.7 and triglycerides by 39.9 mg/dL against a placebo of rusk powder, with total, LDL and HDL cholesterol unchanged. In 87 adults with fatty liver, two 500 mg capsules three times a day for 3 months improved fatty liver grade, triglycerides and HOMA-IR against placebo, and the abstract gives no sizes. In 80 prediabetic women with high lipids, 3 g a day for 8 weeks lowered hs-CRP and malondialdehyde, markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, again without sizes. In 194 obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome on a low-calorie diet, 3 g a day for 4 months lowered TNF-alpha, IL-6 and CRP, while weight fell in both groups because of the diet. Black cardamom is a different plant. A single 250 mg dose of a manufacturer extract improved attention scores in 96 healthy adults for about 3 hours, comparable to 200 mg caffeine. On safety, the fatty liver trial saw no side effects in the cardamom group over 3 months, a sample too small and short to catch rare ones. A global review of spice contamination found green cardamom from Bahrain with 2.2 micrograms of lead and 0.9 of cadmium per gram, one region and sample. The US FDA lists cardamom as generally recognized as safe for culinary use, which does not cover 3 g supplements. We found no data on pregnancy, children, kidney disease, drug interactions or 3 g a day taken longer than 4 months.

Sources

1. cdmm-r5-01 · food composition dataset
   Cardamom, ground (13-809): Iron 100.00 mg | Manganese 8.90 mg | Potassium 1120 mg | Magnesium 230 mg | Calcium 130 mg | Zinc 2.6 mg | Protein 10.8 g | Fat 6.7 g
   CoFID 2021 (Public Health England, OGL v3.0), code 13-809 Cardamom, ground · checked 2026-09-30
2. cdmm-r5-02 · food composition dataset
   Spices, cardamom, SR Legacy fdc_id 170919: Fiber 28 g | Iron 13.97 mg | Zinc 7.47 mg per 100 g
   USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy (2018), Spices, cardamom, fdc_id 170919 · checked 2026-09-30
3. cdmm-r5-03 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   The final 12 trials containing 989 participants were included. The results illustrated that cardamom consumption could improve total cholesterol (WMD = -8.56 mg/dL; 95% CI, -14.90 to -2.22), triglycerides (WMD = -14.09 mg/dL; 95% CI, -24.01 to -4.17), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (WMD = -1.01 ng/mL; 95% CI, -1.81 to -0.22), and interleukin-6 (WMD = -1.81 pg/mL; 95% CI, -3.06 to -0.56). However, it did not have significant influences on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and some indicators of oxidative stress.
   Nutr Res, 2024 · checked 2026-09-30
4. cdmm-r5-04 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Of 625 clinical trials, eight reports with 595 patients (299 in intervention group and 296 in control group) were included. The findings indicated that green cardamom significantly decreased diastolic blood pressure (WMD: -0.91 mmHg, 95%CI; -1.19, -0.62), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (WMD: -1.21 mg/L, 95%CI; -2.18, -0.24), interleukin 6 levels (WMD: -2.41 ng/L, 95%CI; -4.35, -0.47). However, cardamom supplementation did not significantly affect systolic blood pressure.
   Phytother Res, 2023 · checked 2026-09-30
5. cdmm-r5-06 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Meta-analysis of data from five eligible RCTs showed that cardamom supplementation did not significantly change the concentrations of total cholesterol (WMD: -6.11 mg/dl, 95% CI [-13.06, 0.83], I2 = 0.0%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD: -4.31 mg/dl, 95% CI [-9.75, 1.13], I2 = 0.0%) ... However, a significant reduction was observed in serum triglyceride (TG; WMD: -20.55 mg/dl, 95% CI [-32.48, -8.63], I2 = 0.0%) levels after cardamom supplementation.
   Phytother Res, 2020 · checked 2026-09-30
6. cdmm-r5-08 · randomized controlled trial
   87 participants were randomly divided into two groups as cardamom (n = 43) or placebo (n = 44). The supplementation was two 500 mg capsules 3 times/day with meals for 3 months. ... In comparison with placebo, GC significantly increased irisin, HDL-c, and QUICKI and decreased FBI, TG, LDL-c, HOMA-IR, and the grade of fatty liver (P < 0.05).
   BMC Complement Altern Med, 2019 · checked 2026-09-30
7. cdmm-r5-10 · randomized controlled trial
   This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 80 pre-diabetic subjects. They randomly received the cardamom supplement (n = 40, 3 g d-1 ) or identical inert placebo (n = 40) for 8 weeks. ... RESULTS: After the adjustment of some covariates, cardamom supplementation significantly decreased serum hs-CRP (P = 0.02), hs-CRP:IL-6 ratio (P = 0.008), and MDA (P = 0.009) compared with the placebo group.
   J Sci Food Agric, 2017 · checked 2026-09-30
8. cdmm-r5-12 · randomized controlled trial
   Ninety-six healthy adults (35-65 years) were randomized (n = 24/group) to receive placebo, MA2-24 (250 mg), caffeine (200 mg), or their combination (MA2-24 + caffeine). ... Effects were significant versus baseline and placebo, mainly through 3-h post-dose, and were comparable to caffeine.
   Front Neurosci, 2026 · checked 2026-09-30
9. cdmm-r5-09 · randomized controlled trial
   Any side effects related to the treatment were reported, and only nausea and constipation was observed for one patient in the placebo group in one of his follow-ups.
   BMC Complement Altern Med, 2019 · checked 2026-09-30
10. cdmm-r5-13 · systematic review of contamination data
    In the MENA region, caraway and green cardamom from Bahrain had high levels of Pb (2.2 μg/g) and Cd (0.9 μg/g).
    Environ Pollut, 2024 · checked 2026-09-30
11. cdmm-r5-14 · regulatory list
    Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings that are generally recognized as safe for their intended use, within the meaning of section 409 of the Act, are as follows: ... Cardamom (cardamon) Elettaria cardamomum Maton.
    21 CFR 182.10, Spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings (FDA) · checked 2026-09-30
12. cdmm-r5-05 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    Totally, six publications enrolling 410 participants was included in present meta-analysis. Daily 3 g supplementation of cardamom from 8 weeks to 3 months showed no significant effect on BMI (WMD: 0.07; 95% CI: [-0.12, 0.27]; P:0.5), weight (WMD: 0.01; 95% CI: [-0.22, 0.21]; P:0.95)
    Diabetes Metab Syndr, 2022 · checked 2026-09-30
13. cdmm-r5-07 · randomized controlled trial
    83 overweight or obese type 2 diabetic patients were randomly allocated into an intervention (n = 41) or a control group (n = 42). The intervention and the placebo group received 3 g of green cardamom or rusk powder, respectively for 10 weeks.
    J Sci Food Agric, 2019 · checked 2026-09-30
14. cdmm-r5-11 · randomized controlled trial
    We included 194 obese women with PCOS and administered low-calorie diet to all of them. These subjects were randomly divided into two groups including the intervention group with 3 g/day green cardamom (n = 99) and the placebo group (n = 95). ... RESULTS: Anthropometric indices were improved in both studied groups (P < 0.001). ... Our findings showed that TNF-α, IL-6, and CRP serum levels were significantly decreased after the intervention with green cardamom plus low-calorie diet (P < 0.001).
    Eat Weight Disord, 2022 · checked 2026-09-30