|
Description
History / Background:
Cardamom is indigenous
to China, Sumatra, India and Sri Lanka.
The Greeks and Romans
used cardamom over 2000 years ago in food, medicines and perfumes.
The Vikings purchased it from traders in Constantinople more than
a thousand years ago, and it is still a special ingredient in
Danish pastry to this day. The Orientals used it over 2000 years
ago to sweeten their breath when appearing before their rulers.
According to one historian, cardamom was grown in the gardens
of Babylon around 700 B.C.
Cardamom thrives in most
tropical climates. It grows wild in the rain forests of Sri Lanka.
It is one of the world’s costliest spices, second only to saffron.
Types:
|
Whole
Green Cardamom
| |
- Mature
fruit picked when green and the color preserved
by artificially drying
|
|
|
Whole
tan colored Cardamom
|
|
Sun
dried product, causing the green color to fade.
|
|
|
Whole
bleached Cardamom
| |
- Mature
fruits picked tan and bleached with sulfur dioxide
fumes. Is considered a premium product and costs
the most.
|
|
|
Decorticated
(seeds removed from the pod) |
Harvest Time:
Prime harvest time is
from October through January, smaller quantities are harvested
throughout the year.
Growing Regions:
India, Sri Lanka, Central
America (Guatemala is now the world’s largest exporter of cardamom).
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| Product
Name: |
Cardamom
|
| Source:
|
USDA
Nutrient Databases |
Analysis:
|
Nutrient
(per 100 g)
|
Units
|
Quantity
|
|
|
|
|
| Proximates
|
|
|
| Water
|
g
|
8.3
|
| Calories
|
kcal
|
311
|
| Carbohydrates
|
g
|
68.5
|
| Protein
|
g
|
10.8
|
| Fat
|
g
|
6.7
|
| Dietary
Fiber |
g
|
11.3
|
| Ash
|
g
|
5.8
|
|
|
|
|
| Minerals
|
|
|
| Calcium
|
mg
|
383.0
|
| Iron
|
mg
|
14.0
|
| Magnesium
|
mg
|
229.0
|
| Phosphorus
|
mg
|
178.0
|
| Potassium
|
mg
|
1119.0
|
| Sodium
|
mg
|
18.0
|
| Zinc
|
mg
|
7.0
|
|
|
|
|
| Vitamins
|
|
|
| Thiamin
(B1) |
mg
|
0.2
|
| Riboflavin
(B2) |
mg
|
0.2
|
| Niacin
|
mg
|
1.1
|
| Folate
|
mcg
|
29.0
|
Disclaimer: The range
of values obtained through various private and government investigators
are true and accurate to the best knowledge. Variations may occur
due to crop differences year to year. Analysis and ranges of values
obtained by various private and governmental sources may vary
from actual data obtained from current and future crop years.
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| Product
Name: |
Cardamom
|
| Standard:
|
ASTA
(American Spice Trade Association) |
Cleanliness
Specifications:
| Whole
Dead Insects (by count) |
Excreta,
Mammalian (by mg. / Lb) |
| 4
|
3
|
|
|
|
| Excreta,
Other (by mg. / Lb) |
Mold
(% by weight) |
| 1.0
|
1.0
|
|
|
|
| Insect
Defilled/Infested (% by weight) |
Extraneous/Foreign
Matter (% by weight) |
| 1.0
|
0.5
|
Standard Packing:
|
Green
Cardamom:
8 Boxes of
5 kg (11.02 lb) each in one master carton. Boxes lined
with black polyethylene.
|
|
Decorticated
Cardamom:
Woven bags
(poly) of 25 kg (55.12 lb) or 50 kg (110.23 lb) each.
|
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