Caraway is a great general digestive remedy
Caraway, Carum carvi, is a hardy biennial which reaches a height of about 2′ (60cm). It’s a member of the Umbellifer family, and should not be collected from the wild because of its superficial resemblance to Hemlock. If grown for medicinal use, it will be necessary to sow seeds 2 years in a row, after which the plant will most likely self-seed. DO NOT use seeds bought for the garden in herbal remedies, as they will almost certainly have been dressed with a fungicide or other chemical.
Caraway seeds are an important ingredient in Hungarian goulash, and also used for caraway cake. The leaves can be used in salads or as a spinach substitute. The roots are used in some countries as a substitute for parsnips, although even more highly flavored.
Medicinally, it is the seeds which are used. As the plant is a biennial, the seeds will be produced in the second year after the flowers have been pollinated by bees. The easiest way to collect them is to enclose the flowers after pollination (as they fade) in paper bags, so that the seeds do not get lost, then cut the flowers off with the stalk attached and hang them up somewhere dry (still inside the bags) until the seeds fall naturally or with some assistance into the bag. The flowers and stalks can then be disposed of and the seeds picked over to remove debris and poured into a storage jar.
Caraway should not be used by pregnant women or those trying to become pregnant. It is safe for children and infants.
Caraway seeds are mainly used for digestive disorders, although they have other properties, as outlined here. Chewing a small quantity after a meal will both sweeten the breath and help to prevent indigestion. Make a standard infusion using 3 teaspoonfuls of crushed seeds to a cup (UK 8 fl oz/250 ml) of boiling water. Allow to stand for at least 10 minutes, then strain. This can be used to improve the appetite, to treat indigestion, nausea, flatulence and colic, as a mild expectorant for coughs, to promote menstruation and also to increase milk flow in nursing mothers.
A decoction made by boiling 1 teaspoonful of seeds in a cup (UK 8 fl oz/250 ml) of water or milk for a minute or two, then allowing to steep for 10 minutes before straining, can be used in the same ways. In all cases the dose is a third of a cup up to three times a day (about 85ml up to 3 times a day).
As is common to all herbal remedies, and in particular where the seeds are used, it is important that caraway for use medicinally is grown organically, so as not to ameliorate its properties with foreign chemicals. To find out more about growing organic caraway visit the Gardenzone.
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