Caraway

What is Caraway? 

Caraway is a biennial plant that reaches 2 feet in height and looks almost like a carrot plant with its finely divided, feathery leaves. The umbrella-like clusters of tiny white flowers are another distinct feature of the Caraway plant. The part that is medicinally used is the Caraway fruit, erroneously called seeds of the plant.

Ingredients of Caraway 

Caraway is rich in carvone which gives it a pungent flavor and aroma that resembles the anise flower. This aroma is so favored by people that it is used in the making of breads and biscuits. The seed of the plant is rich in a number of minerals and vitamins ranging from calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, sodium and thiamine to riboflavin and polysterols. Another star quality of the fruit is that it contains proteolytics(substances that are responsible for breaking down proteins).

Preparing Caraway 

Caraway has a glorious history of medicinal uses and finds mention in the Papyrus scrolls dating back to 1500 B.C. The Caraway plant needs well-draining fluffy soil and the full light of the sun. Usually the seeds are harvested just before they ripen. If the stalks are cut just before the seeds ripen, they should be hung upside down in a bag. This will cause the seeds to fall naturally into a collector bag. These seeds were once considered so precious that people used to pay for goods with bags of Caraway seeds.

Uses of Caraway

The Caraway has a host of medicinal properties that makes it a hit in ancient herbology. Its prime use was in the alleviation of coughs and cold. Even today, it finds its place as an effective expectorant. It helps loosen the mucosal membranes and thus cures cold. Since it also has strong antispasmodic properties, it is useful to treat cases of asthma.

Caraway is a strong appetizer. What makes it all the more attractive is the sweetly pungent aroma that it produces. Because of this property, it is even added to bitter medication. Caraway has found a prominent place in children’s medicine as well as in medicine for the old. It helps increase the appetite by aiding digestion. It is also affective against a host of stomach problems like flatulence, colic and stomach ulcer. The seeds also help muscles to relax. Thus it is used to reduce the pain caused by menstrual cramps.

Lactating mothers also benefit from the use of this herb. Caraway was used traditionally to increase the flow of milk in mothers. Since it aids digestion, it helps infants digest milk quickly and also boosts their appetite. Such infants also show limited tendency towards colic.

Caraway also helps stimulate the body’s immune system. Thus it gives some amount of protection against sore throats, liver and gall bladder problems and open wounds. It greatly reduces the risk of infection. Caraway is also supposed to lower high blood pressure and detoxify the body. It is also said that Caraway has cosmetic effects of tightening and smoothening skin.