The Benefits of Caraway Seed
are well known throughout the world. Fresh or dried fruit is used in slaw, sauerkraut, cheese spreads, bread, cakes, and cookies. Caraway oil is used to flavor meats, pickles, and fatty foods like potato salad.
Caraway can be grown either as an annual (from seed) or a biennial (by overwintering the roots). Annual caraway plants grow up to 2 feet tall with lacy green compound leaves that smell of sage when bruised.
Biennial caraway forms a taproot that can reach 4 feet deep and 6 inches across; it sends up flower stalks the second year after planting (in its second season). While these are not considered species they can spread if allowed to go to seed or are not pulled, thus preventing them from going to seed.
Care of Caraway Seed:
Caraway is relatively easy to grow. It prefers a position in full sun but will tolerate light shade. The soil should be moist but well-drained and rich in organic matter. If the soil is too alkaline, adding some sulfur or ferrous sulfate may help. Propagation of caraway can be done by division of roots or stem cuttings if available, division of roots after flowering has finished is possible as long as the center of the plant has been kept intact during the division process.
Seeds are sown shallowly on the surface of the prepared ground about 4 mm deep with spacing between individual seeds according to the packet. Keep in mind that caraway plants may spread aggressively if given the opportunity, so keep an eye on them and be willing to pull them up when they start getting too big.
Water well but don’t overwater as this will promote rotting of the roots. Apply a liquid fertilizer every other week during growth, spot fertilization at least once a month is required for these plants during their growing period from September-April.
Caraway can be harvested when the small white flowers have started to turn brown and become papery. As with other umbellifers, such as carrots, it is possible to dry the seeds by hanging them in a paper bag from the plant stems overnight, if you live in a humid climate or a cool season then this process must be done quickly otherwise the seed will mature and fall off.
Caraway is an annual herb that can reach 2 feet tall. Caraway has grayish-green compound leaves that smell of sage when bruised. It forms a taproot that can reach 4 feet deep and 6 inches across; it sends up flower stalks the second year after planting (in its second season). All parts of the caraway are edible.
Caraway has many health benefits that are due to the essential oils in the seeds. For example, Caraway contains antioxidants that help protect cells from damage, it promotes digestion by increasing the flow of digestive juices and relieves stomach discomfort by calming muscle spasms. It is also used for controlling menstrual flow, easing labor pain, or inducing contractions.
Caraway seeds can be added to bread while they are being made or while baking them. It is very good on rye bread along with caraway oil. It can also be used in various cheeses like Mexican Queso Fresco which makes a tasty snack all by itself or with some spicy salsa or guacamole dip on top of it. However, you decide to use it in your cooking, do not forget to add Caraway Seed.
caraway benefits for hair and skin:
Healthy and beautiful hair and shiny skin – we all dream of this. But there are certain things you can do to help it become a reality. In this article, we want to focus on caraway benefits as it has been known as one of the most valuable medicinal herbs used in traditional medicine for many centuries.
It means that people have been using caraway benefits not only for cooking but also for health purposes since long ago. Let’s see what is so special about them and how they contribute to your appearance not just from inside 🙂
What is the origin of the name?
There are a few theories about where the word “Caraway” comes from: Some claim that its name derives from the Celtic word “curb”, while others think it comes from the Latin word “carum”. But we can say for sure that its name is derived from the Latin word “Carum”.
The scientific name of caraway is Carum carvi and belongs to the Parsley family (Apiaceae or Umbelliferae). It is an annual plant with a small white flower, growing to about 1 meter in height; its leaves grow twice as long as the stem. Its fruit looks like cumin but smaller and it has many uses including medical ones: caraway benefits for health are numerous and you will soon see them all.
How does caraway look like?
It’s a beautiful, fragrant plant with finely divided, feathery leaves and umbels of white or pink flowers. Its fruits (seeds) are oblong and somewhat flattened, with a hooked tip; the outside is grayish-green and the inside is light brown or yellowish.
Caraway fruits contain essential oils (up to 3%) composed mainly of estragole, limonene, terpinyl acetate, cadinene, and others such as pinene and myrcene. The seeds also contain proteins (12-20%), carbohydrates (18-28%), and fixed oil (25 -35%). Additionally, they contain unrefined sugars: 10 – 12% in ripe seeds and up to 25% in roots.
On the other hand, caraway contains about 1 – 2 % volatile oil including thujone, camphor, pinene, cymene, phellandrene, and alcohol. It’s also rich in minerals such as potassium (140-160 mg/ 100 g), calcium (40 – 50mg /100 g) and magnesium (25-35mg/100g).
Caraway essential oil is obtained mainly from the roots by steam distillation or extraction with organic solvents. You can find it on the market under many names but its main names are Carum carvi, caraway seed oil, dillisk(Swedish), caraway(Arabic), American. (German), mitsuba(Japanese) and Kenyon (Russian).
Caraway health benefits: for both inside and outside:
Because of its medicinal properties, caraway is called a ‘natural antibiotic’ and it also has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. For this reason, it’s used in the treatment of Digestive problems such as diarrhea, indigestion, and flatulence Skin problems such as acne, dermatitis, eczema and wounds Bronchial conditions such as coughs and bronchitis Infections such as colds Liver diseases such as hepatitis Colds Allergies Anxiety Arthritis Asthma Migraine The effects of caraway oil can be compared to those of anesthetic medications because carvone contained in them produces analgesic action with local anesthetic properties.
It’s recommended to use caraway essential oil in aromatherapy for its antispasmodic, cicatrisant, and anti-inflammatory effects on the body. It has been shown that caraway essential oil has a very good effect on depression because of its high content of trans-anethole which is a good mood enhancer.
In addition, it contains many vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers which are also beneficial for your health. Furthermore, it can be used both externally and internally to treat acne, dermatitis, eczema, wounds, and arthritis as well as treating bronchial conditions such as coughs and other respiratory problems such as colds and flu due to its antibacterial properties.
Caraway oil also has the ability to treat cellulitis, laryngitis, and mastitis. It also has a positive effect on the digestive system due to its carminative properties which help in treating stomach problems such as diarrhea, flatulence, and indigestion; it functions well when applied directly to the abdomen or in massage because of its relaxing and calming effects especially for those who suffer from insomnia.
Caraway seeds use:
Caraway is mostly used as a spice in the food industry. It’s widely known for its taste and fragrance which improve almost every kind of meal such as meat, poultry, porridge, cakes, cream cheese…etc.
It has also been found that caraway oil stimulates appetite especially after surgery or taking long trips where you don’t eat anything due to your weakened condition; this helps digestion and assimilation by stimulating digestive enzymes secretion.
Its seeds are frequently used in drinks because it gives them an aromatic flavor similar to licorice which most people like very much.
Moreover, caraway oil is used to produce cologne (Eau de Cologne); the seed contains 40% of volatile oil composed mainly of limonene (up to 70%) and carvone (20 – 30%). The citrus-like aroma of this oil is more pleasant than the unpleasant odor of dill.
Caraway oil is used to produce soaps, perfumes, beauty creams, lotions…etc. It’s also used in aromatherapy for its stimulating effects on the mind especially during cold days when you don’t feel like doing anything.