The Medicinal Spice You Probably Underuse: Cardamom for Digestion, Mood, and More with Missy Rohs

Most of us think of cardamom as a baking spice—but what if it's actually one of the most delightful herbal medicines in your apothecary?

Many of us know cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) as the spice that makes chai, pastries, and coffee taste extraordinary. But as Missy Rohs shares in this episode, cardamom is so much more than a delicious ingredient. Together, we explore its gifts as a digestive remedy, aromatic medicine, antimicrobial herb, and even what Unani Tibb medicine calls an exhilarant—an herb that gently lifts the spirit and helps us become more open to joy. As Missy beautifully puts it, cardamom "lets the sunshine in."

Along the way, we swap favorite ways to work with cardamom—from coffee and bitters to savory dishes, tinctures, and even medicinal-strength infusions. We also take a delightful detour into saffron (because it’s hard to stay focused on just one of the many amazing herbs out there!), another treasured spice that pairs beautifully with cardamom and offers its own dose of wonder.

Be sure to download your beautifully illustrated recipe card for Missy’s Delightful Persian Love Cake—a stunning celebration of cardamom, saffron, rose, and pistachios that’s sure to become a favorite. You’ll find your copy here.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

► Five herbal preparations for working with cardamom—and why using it in culinary preparations can be just as medicinal!

► A simple trick for getting even more aroma and flavor from your cardamom

► An unexpected savory pairing with cardamom that might just inspire your next meal

► Tips for growing and harvesting your own saffron (hint: there’s a reason it’s so expensive to buy at the store!)

► and so much more…

For those of you who don’t know her, Missy Rohs has run the Arctos School of Herbal Studies in Portland, Oregon for two decades. Her classes focus on sustainability, accessibility, and land connection, with special attention to community care. In Missy's plant medicine practice, pragmatism is queen. Common weeds, native plants, kitchen remedies, and ephemeral fungi are all part of her repertoire.

Cardamom may already live in your spice cabinet—but after this conversation with Missy, you may find yourself reaching for it much more often!

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Get full show notes, transcript, and more information at: herbswithrosaleepodcast.com

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You can find Missy at ArctosSchool.org.

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On the podcast, we explore the many ways plants heal, as food, as medicine, and through nature connection. Each week, I focus on a single seasonal plant and share trusted herbal knowledge so that you can get the best results when using herbs for your health.

Learn more about Herbs with Rosalee at herbswithrosalee.com.

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Rosalee is an herbalist and author of the bestselling book Alchemy of Herbs: Transform Everyday Ingredients Into Foods & Remedies That Heal and co-author of the bestselling book Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine. She's a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild and teaches many popular online courses. Read about how Rosalee went from having a terminal illness to being a bestselling author in her full story here.