Ajmoda (Celery Seeds): The Ayurvedic Spice for Blood Pressure

Ajmoda is the Ayurvedic name for celery seeds (Apium graveolens), a small, highly aromatic brown seed that joins the site's family of major carminative seeds already covered: ajwain, cumin, coriander and fennel. Like its relatives, it is traditionally used to stimulate digestion and reduce gas. But ajmoda stands out on one rare point in this pharmacopeia: it has a recent, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial behind one very specific use — blood pressure.

Ajmoda in traditional Ayurvedic cooking

In Indian cooking and Ayurvedic tradition, ajmoda seeds are used sparingly: a few seeds dropped into hot oil at the start of cooking (the classic tadka), in legume dishes or root-vegetable preparations considered heavy to digest. Their flavor, sharper and more bitter than stalk celery, is somewhat reminiscent of thyme and oregano. Tradition places them among the spices that "kindle" digestive fire (agni) and help reduce bloating, alongside cumin or ajwain.

A clinical study that stands out

Most herbs on this site have, at best, preliminary data. Ajmoda is an exception on one specific point. A triple-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial led by Shayani Rad, Moohebati, MohammadEbrahimi, Motamedshariaty and Mohajeri, published in 2022 in the journal Inflammopharmacology, tested a celery seed extract in hypertensive patients already on standard treatment. The study, available on Google Scholar, reports a significant reduction in blood pressure, along with favorable effects on fasting glucose, lipid profile and markers of kidney and liver function, with a good tolerability profile over the course of the trial.

Form used	Context	What to take away
A few whole seeds in a dish (tadka, legumes)	Traditional culinary use	Very low intake of active compounds; no measurable effect comparable to the study
Standardized capsule extract	Used in the 2022 clinical trial	A concentrated, controlled dose, taken alongside existing antihypertensive treatment — not a substitute for it

This distinction matters: seeds sprinkled into a dish come nowhere near the dose tested in the lab. The study's positive result concerns a concentrated extract, taken as a complement to medical treatment already in place — not a pinch of seeds at the table.

How to use ajmoda in practice

• In cooking: half to one teaspoon of whole seeds, dry-roasted or fried in hot oil, in legume or root-vegetable dishes.
• As a digestive infusion: one teaspoon of lightly crushed seeds steeped for 10 minutes, after a heavy meal — the same principle as the CCF tea made with cumin, coriander and fennel.
• As a standardized extract: only on a healthcare professional's advice, especially if you already take medication for blood pressure, blood sugar or lipids — the additive effect seen in the study is also a risk of unsupervised stacking.

Precautions and interactions

Two points deserve attention before considering ajmoda beyond everyday cooking:

• Additive effect with antihypertensive treatment: as the 2022 study shows, the extract reinforces the effect of existing blood-pressure medication. Without supervision, this combination can cause low blood pressure.
• Celery allergy: this is one of the most common food allergies in Western countries, and celery is a mandatory-labeling allergen under EU and UK food regulations. Anyone allergic to celery stalks or celeriac should avoid ajmoda in every form, including as seeds.
• As with most herbs marketed for blood pressure, medical advice is the safer route before any targeted course: our guide Ayurveda and hypertension details what a holistic Ayurvedic approach can add alongside medical care.

Precautions

Culinary use of ajmoda seeds, in small amounts, poses no particular problem for most people. The concentrated extract, however, should only be considered on medical advice, especially for anyone on treatment for blood pressure, diabetes or cholesterol, given its documented additive effect. Celery allergy is a firm contraindication regardless of the form used. Pregnancy and breastfeeding call for the usual caution around concentrated extracts of herbs not well studied in that specific context. Our safety and precautions guide covers the site's general guidance.