Green cardamom (scientific name elettaria cardamomum) is a dried fruit of a perennial plant of the zingiberaceae family, native to India. Its first written references date back to 1550 B.C. In Guatemala, this plant was brought in 1914 by the German farmer Oscar Majus Klöffer.

Currently, it is one of the spices of greater value in the world, after vanilla and saffron, and its aroma is its greatest strength.

In the beginning, people used cardamom as an aromatic spice for medicines but, thanks to its versatility, it has many other uses: flavouring for coffee, rice, chicken and other food, like in the Arab world, but also as an ingredient of great value for perfumes, oils, essential oils, diet foot, and aromatic spice for spirits and other beverages. In Europe, they have also used it for medical purposes..

Guatemala is the biggest international exporter of cardamom, even overlooking India, and the main production regions of the country are Huehuetenango, Alta Verapaz, Quiché and Izabal.