Caraway is a unique spice that has long been used in cooking and plant-based medicine. Although often mistaken for a seed, this little brown pod is actually the dried fruit of the caraway plant.
Its earthy, slightly bitter flavor is reminiscent of liquorice, coriander, anise and fennel. It can be used whole or ground in both sweet and savory dishes, such as breads, pastries, curries and stews. It can even be seen in spirits and liqueurs.
When used medicinally, it can be made into a tea or taken as a supplement. Although you can also apply its essential oils on the skin. In fact, emerging research suggests that the aroma compounds responsible for its flavor may also provide health benefits, such as better digestion.
What is caraway?
This aromatic plant resembles other members of the carrot family, with feathery leaves and small white flowers that produce tiny, hard, crescent-shaped brown seeds. Superstitions held that caraway had the power to prevent the theft of any object containing the seed and to keep lovers from losing interest in each other. Today, some people believe it has healing properties and use the oil, fruit, and seeds medicinally.
It is often used for digestive problems including heartburn, bloating, gas, loss of appetite, and mild spasms of the stomach and intestines. Its essential oil is also used to help people cough up phlegm, improve urination control, kill bacteria in the body, and relieve constipation. There are women who use the oil to start menstruation and relieve menstrual cramps. Moreover, lactating mothers use it to increase the flow of breast milk.
It is also used in mouthwashes and skin rubs to improve local blood flow. Although when we talk about cooking, caraway is used as a spice in cooking.
Properties and nutritional value
Caraway boasts a wide variety of essential nutrients, several of which are lacking in Western diets. These include iron, zinc, calcium, and fiber. In just one tablespoon (6,7 grams) of this seed, we get:
- Calories: 22%
- Protein: 1,3 grams
- Fat: 0,9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 3,34 grams
- Fiber: 2,6 grams
- Copper: 6,7% of the recommended daily allowance
- Iron: 6,1% for women
- Magnesium: 5,4% of the recommended daily allowance
- Manganese: 4.8% for women
- Calcium: 3,6% of the recommended daily allowance
- Zinc: 4,6% for women
As you can see, caraway seeds are a rich source of dietary fiber ; 100g of seeds provide 38g of fiber, which is approximately 100% of the recommended daily intake. Consuming this substance is important because it increases the bulk of food and helps prevent constipation by speeding up bowel movements.
Caraway contains numerous essential oils that are beneficial for health. Some of the volatile compounds they contain are carvone, limonene, carveol, pinene, cumuninic aldehyde, furfural, and thujone. These active principles of caraway seeds have properties Antioxidants, digestive, carminative and antiflatulent.
Flavonoid antioxidants such as lutein, carotene, cryptoxanthin, and zeaxanthin are abundantly present. In fact, these compounds play an important role as powerful antioxidants by scavenging harmful free radicals from the body and thus protecting against cancer, infection, aging, and degenerative neurological diseases.
This plant is also an excellent source of minerals such as iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. Copper is necessary for red blood cell production; iron is essential for red blood cell synthesis; zinc is important for regulating growth and development, digestion, and nucleic acid synthesis; potassium is an important component of cells and body fluids that helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure; and finally, manganese is used by the body as a cofactor for a powerful antioxidant enzyme.
Caraway health benefits
This plant has been used in traditional and folk medicine for centuries. Interestingly, preliminary science supports several of these advantages in its consumption. Below you will discover the importance of introducing it into your usual diet, beyond favoring digestion.
Reduces inflammation
Several caraway compounds demonstrate strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Although inflammation is a natural bodily response, chronic inflammation can lead to a number of conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease. Its symptoms may include ulcers, cramps, gas, diarrhea, intestinal urgency, and irritation of the digestive tissue.
In a study on mice with inflammatory bowel disease, both caraway extract and essential oil reduced inflammation in colon tissue as effectively as common steroid-based drugs.
Despite these promising results, human research is needed.
Promotes healthy digestion
This seed has historically been used to treat various digestive conditions, including indigestion and stomach ulcers.
Some small human studies show that the oil from this plant relaxes the smooth muscle tissue of the digestive tract, thus relieving indigestion symptoms such as gas, cramps, and bloating. Although the precise mechanism is unknown, antimicrobial capacity may be responsible.
A test-tube study revealed that caraway essential oil blocked the growth of harmful gut bacteria while leaving beneficial bacteria intact. These good bacteria produce nutrients, reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and support your immune health.
Other test-tube research found that caraway extract fought H. pylori, a bacterium known to cause stomach ulcers and digestive inflammation.
It is a good antiseptic and disinfectant
Caraway seed is a wonderful disinfectant and antiseptic capable of treating numerous infections ranging from skin irritations to infections of body organs such as those of the digestive, colon, respiratory, excretory and also urinary systems. In addition, experts ensure that the seed of this spice is effective in preventing the development of fungi and bacteria, thus avoiding the development of ulcers and sores. It can also protect people with injuries from tetanus.
Promotes weight loss
Caraway may support weight loss and body composition.
In a 90-day study of 70 women, those who took 1 ounce (30 ml) of a 10% caraway oil solution daily experienced significantly greater reductions in weight, body mass index, and body fat percentage than those who received a placebo.
They also saw significant decreases in total calorie and carbohydrate intake, compared to the placebo group. Scientists speculate that these effects may be due to positive changes in gut bacteria that affect hormone regulation, fat metabolism, and appetite.
How to use caraway?
This plant is cultivated all over the world and is relatively cheap. You find it available in most supermarkets, herbalists and online. It is normal to use it in seed format to flavor dishes, although you can also obtain essential oil from this plant.
culinary applications
Caraway is known as an ingredient in rye bread, but it can also be used in other baked goods, such as muffins, cookies, croutons, rolls, and French toast. Adds a warm, spicy flavor to fruit-based desserts and sweets like tarts, tarts, jams, jellies, and custards.
It can also be used in savory foods, such as curries, stews, soups, stews, and sauces. Also, you can try it as a seasoning for roasted vegetables or add it to pickled or fermented foods, such as sauerkraut. If you like relaxing teas, soak the caraway in hot water and enjoy its aroma.
Other ways to use this plant would be:
- Use the caraway seed as a salty spice. It is mainly added in cooking as a seasoning and flavoring base. It features in savory dishes, such as cabbage soups, sauerkraut, and salads.
- Caraway gives a pleasant aroma to bread, cakes, biscuits and cheeses. In France, the seeds are offered in a saucer to be sprinkled over Munster cheese before eating.
- Caraway Cheddar is a hard cheese blended with spices that is very popular in the UK. Adding these seeds gives this cheddar cheese a savory flavor.
- Infusions of crushed seeds in a cup of boiling water is also a great option. You don't need to add a lot, and let it rest for about ten minutes.
- Along with other spicy dishes, they are used to flavor sausages and other meat preparations. In Central Europe (Poland), caraway-spiced sausages are a very popular dish.
caraway supplements
Caraway comes in several forms, including the whole fruit (or seed), capsules, essential oils, and extracts. Most types are ingested, but 2% diluted oil formulations can be safely applied to unbroken skin.
No clear dosage recommendation has been established, but some research suggests that 1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (1 to 6,7 grams) of whole caraway divided into 3 daily doses is probably safe and effective. Regardless, if you are considering the use of caraway supplements for the treatment of a specific health condition, be sure to consult your doctor before beginning your supplement regimen.
Possible side effects
Caraway is well tolerated by most healthy people, and many side effects have not been reported. However, since there is not much safety research, it should not be taken by children or women who are pregnant or nursing.
Additionally, anyone with liver or gallbladder dysfunction should avoid caraway, as some evidence suggests it may inhibit gallbladder emptying.
Women have traditionally used caraway to increase breast milk flow, but its use is not recommended during breastfeeding due to a lack of data. Similarly, pregnant women should use it with caution, as it has been used to induce menstruation.
Since caraway can lower blood sugar, people with diabetes should be cautious when consuming large amounts. Given this seed's potential to affect blood sugar levels, it's also important to avoid consuming it for at least two weeks before undergoing surgery.
It is also not recommended if there is too much iron in the body (hemochromatosis). Extract of this seed may increase iron absorption. Excessive use of the extract with iron supplements or iron-containing foods could increase iron levels in the body. This can be a problem for people who already have too much of this mineral in their bodies.