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Glossary
Botanical Terms
Medical Terms

Carum carvi

Caraway is a biennial that is widely cultivated throughout the world, and is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It also appears wild in Iceland, Scandinavia, throughout Russia, in Siberia, Persia, the Caucasus and the Himalayas. A peculiar form, an annual, differing in many ways yet belonging to this species, is cultivated near Morocco. Caraway is commercially grown in Great Britain, Germany, Holland, and the United States. The dried ripe fruit or seeds (mericarps) are used medicinally. Fruits (seeds) are infused, essential oil is used topically, diluted with a base oil. While it is normally the seeds that are used, the leaves and roots can also be eaten. Caraway seed looks very much like cumin seed and gets mistaken one for the other. Caraway seed is somewhat more sweet than cumin seed.

The use of the ancient and humble caraway as a medicinal agent has remained unchanged for centuries. Caraway was found in Mesolithic food remnants and is believed to have been used for more than 5000 years. It's use as a digestive aid was first mentioned in the Egyptian Eberus Papyrus about 1500 B.C. The renowned Greek physician Dioscorides suggested the oil was an excellent remedy for pale-faced girls. It first appeared in a cookbook from 1390 and in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, the character Falstaff is invited to have a serving of baked apples and caraway to aid the digestion and relieve gas. Nineteenth-century American Eclectic physicians such as Harvey Felter pointed out the seeds not only promote digestion but also ease the symptoms of children suffering from digestive colic.

The virtues of caraway fruit are due to a volatile oil, and are readily yielded to alcohol or ether. The oil is extracted by means of steam distillation of the leaves and seeds. The oil is at first pale, becomes darker by age, and has the peculiar fragrance and sweetish, spicy taste of the seed. It is classed in aromatherapy as stimulating and is an oil sometimes included in "Love Potions". It blends well with galbanum, eucalyptus and rosemary. The immature fruits are rich in tannin. Resin, wax, mucilage, sugar, and a greenish fixed oil, are shown to exist in the fruit.

Caraway belongs to a class of herbs called carminatives, which are plants helpful in easing gastrointestinal discomfort, including gas. The essential oils derived from this group of plants help alleviate bowel spasm. In addition, studies have shown that caraway oil has antibacterial and larvicidal properties. A combination of caraway with the other carminative herbs anise and fennel has shown to be helpful in dealing with conditions of flatulence, especially in children. Caraway contains 3–7% essential oil with the main components divided into carvone (50–60%) and limonene (40%). The fruit also contains approximately 10% fixed oil along with 20% carbohydrate and 20% protein.

It's actions are analgesic, anaesthetic, anodyne, anti-anxiety, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, antiseptic, diuretic, mildly expectorant, fungicidal, muscle relaxant, soporific, stimulant, tonic, urinary antiseptic. Caraway strengthens the urinary organs, soothes irritation and expels stones. It is also well known that this oil can help with menstrual cramps, is good for the skin and decreases bruising, as well as to increase the appetite and help with dyspepsia. Laryngitis, bronchitis and coughs are easy targets for the soothing vapors of caraway. This oil has traditionally been used as a remedy for colds and can also promote milk secretion. The actions of caraway are very similar to fennel seed, to which it is closely related. Caraway is used to improve the flavour of several medicinal compounds. The seeds are frequently added to cakes and confectioneries, to render them more agreeable, whilst gently exciting the digestive powers. This oil is often used as a domestic spice in bread. The oil of Caraway is used to flavour the Russian liqueur Kummel and the Scandinavian liqueur Aquavit.

 Care: The essential oil should not be used by children under two years of age, as caraway and can be irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. This oil is non-toxic and does not sensitize the skin but it can cause dermal irritation if used in too great a quantity. Caraway oil should not be used directly on the skin. The oil should first be mixed with a diluting or carrier oil.

DISCLAIMER: This page is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for accurate diagnosis and treatment by a qualified health care professional. The author is neither a chemist nor an herbalist and has had no medical training whatsoever. The content herein is the product of research, not practical experience.