It is a seedpod of an Asian plant. Cardamom is often used in flavoring cooking. There are two kinds of the cardamon seed-large black pods or small green pods. The seeds contain volatile oil, fixed oil, salt of potassium, a coloring principle, starch, nitrogenous mucilage, ligneous fibre, an acrid resin, and ash. It is also used for medicinal purposes as the seeds are helpful in indigestion and flatulence, giving a grateful but not fiery warmth. When chewed singly in the mouth the flavor is not unpleasant, and they are said to be good for colic and disorders of the head.