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Caraway
Family:
Umbelliferae |
Latin Name:
Carum carvi |
Description
Biennial, though some varieties go to seed their first year. It produces a long taproot from which the hollow, grooved stems grow. It has tiny white umbelled flowers, and produces oblong seeds bearing 5 distinct, pale ridges. Blooms in spring.
Common Uses
Caraway seed has a carminative effect and is an effective digestive aid and stomachic. Carvol and carvene, two chemicals found in caraway seeds, soothe the smooth muscle tissue of the digestive tract and help expel gas.
History
Caraway has been used in foods for more than 5,000 years, and appeared in the Ebers Papyrus, a medicinal manuscript dating back to 1500 B.C.
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