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History

It is native to Northern Africa, Central Europe and mediterranean. It grows wild in many parts of Canada and the United States and also chiefly cultivated in Finland, the Netherlands, Eastern Europe and Germany, furthermore North Africa, particularly Egypt.

Caraway is a spice mostly loved in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is often recognized the most typical spice of the German-speaking countries.

Plant Description

It is a biennial plant that reaches 2 feet with smooth, furrowed stems.

The roots are thick and tapering, like a parsnip, though much smaller and are edible.

It has finely cut feathery leaves.

The umbrella like clusters of flowers is white in colour.

The fruits are laterally compressed, somewhat horny and translucent, slightly curved, and marked with five distinct, pale ridges. They evolve a pleasant, aromatic odour when bruised, and have an agreeable taste.

The seeds are deep brown, flat and oblong in shape.

Cultivation

It prefers a moist soil in full sun or partial shade. It tolerates a pH in the range 4.8 to 7.6. This species is deep rooted and is a good plant for breaking up the sub-soil on heavy, wet land.

Caraway does best when the seeds are sown in the autumn, as soon as ripe, though they may be sown in March. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile.

The plants strongly resent root disturbance though they grows well with other plants.

Parts Used

Seeds, leaves and roots are the edible part of the plant.

Main Constituents

Caraway fruits may contain 3% to 7% essential oil. The chief constituent of the oil is a hydrocarbon termed Carvene, the aroma of the oil is mostly dominated by carvone (50 to 85%) and limonene (20 to 30%); the other components carveol, dihydrocarveol, dihydrocarvone, a- and ß-pinene, sabinene, pinen, thujone and perillyl alcohol are of much minor importance.

It also contains some polysaccharide, protein, fixed oil calcium oxalate.

The exhausted seed, after the distillation of the oil, contains a high percentage of protein and fat, and is used as a cattle food.

Leaf (Fresh weight)

" 253 Calories per 100g
" Water: 7.2%
" Protein: 20g; Fat: 4.4g; Carbohydrate: 55.8g; Fibre: 11.9g; Ash: 12.6g;
" Minerals - Calcium: 1784mg; Phosphorus: 543mg; Iron: 48.8mg; Magnesium: 451mg; Sodium: 208mg; Potassium: 3308mg; Zinc: 3.3mg;
" Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.42mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.28mg; Niacin: 2.8mg; B6: 1.5mg; C: 0mg;

Seed (Fresh weight)

" 333 Calories per 100g
" Water: 9.9%
" Protein: 19.8g; Fat: 14.6g; Carbohydrate: 49.9g; Fibre: 12.6g; Ash: 5.9g;
" Minerals - Calcium: 689mg; Phosphorus: 568mg; Iron: 16.2mg; Magnesium: 258mg; Sodium: 17mg; Potassium: 1351mg; Zinc: 5.5mg;
" Vitamins - A: 363mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.38mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.38mg; Niacin: 3.6mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;

Culinary Uses

• A spicy flavour, it is used as a flavouring in confectionery and bread, also as a flavouring in salads, vegetables etc
• Leaves - raw or as a flavouring in soups. They give an aromatic tang to salads. Older leaves can be cooked as spinach.
• The seed is often chewed after a meal in order to sweeten the breath and also to relieve heartburn after a rich meal.
• An essential oil from the seed is used as flavouring in ice creams, candy, soft drinks etc
• The crushed seeds are brewed into a tea.
• Caraway is the spice that gives its characterstic flavor to Southern German and Austrian foods, be it meat, vegetable or rye bread.
• It is also popular in Scandinavia and particularly in the Baltic states

Medicinal Uses

• It is used in the treatment of digestive complaints where its antispasmodic action soothes the digestive tract and its carminative action relieves bloating caused by wind and improves the appetite.
• It can be chewed raw for the almost immediate relief of indigestion.
• A tea made from the seeds has been used to treat colic flatulent.
• Caraway water is considered a useful remedy in the flatulent colic of infants, and is an excellent vehicle for children's medicine.
• Caraway is used as a calming herb to ease flatulent dyspepsia and intestinal colic, especially in children.
• The seed is also used in the treatment of bronchitis and are an ingredient of cough remedies
• It has been used to increase milk flow in nursing mothers.
• The antispasmodic properties of caraway seed are used in soothing the digestive tract, muscles such as uterus, etc. It is useful for menstrual cramps.
• It is also used in the treatment for bronchitis and bronchial asthma.
• Its astringent action is used in the treatment of diarrhea, and in laryngitis as a gargle

Other International names

Turkish : frenk kimyonu
Italian : cumino tedesco
Finnish : saksankumina
Hindi : vilayati jeera
German : Kümmel
French: cumin de prés

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