Caraway seeds are one of the main spices in almost every cuisine worldwide thanks to its unique flavor that blends with most dishes.

However, these seeds are not just good in terms of tastes but also offers a lot more nutritional values than what you think.

In this article, we gathered all the information you need to learn about caraway seeds including an overview, the common types, nutritional values and health benefits, alongside the precautions you need to know before you use caraway seeds with tips on how to buy + use + store them.

Caraway seeds: overview

These seeds are produced by a plant that belongs to the genus Caravi of the family Apiaceae.

Archaeological excavations show that the first mentions of caraway seeds date back more than 5000 years ago.

In ancient Egypt, during the time of the Pharaoh people used to place caraway seeds in tombs to scare away bad spirits.

Native to Europe, Africa, and Western Asia, caraway seeds are one of the most used spices in various cuisines.

This is because caraway has a very refreshing aroma with a slightly bitter and yet mildly sweet flavor.

People add these seeds to soups, cheeses, sausages, bread, meat, liqueurs, pastries, seafood, infusions…

In terms of appearance, caraway seeds have a dark brown or greenish color with white lines and look very similar to cumin.

Because these plants are native to temperate regions, it was possible to introduce them to the United States.

The plant of caraway is very cold-resistant, nowadays top producers are Germany, Japan, United Kingdom…

Various traditional medicines use caraway seeds to treat digestive disorders including diarrhea, bloating, flatulence…

Nonetheless, the seeds of the caraway plant are a great source of many virtues praised in gastronomy and phototherapy.

Types of caraway seeds:

It is very confusing to know the exact name of caraway seeds as it has different names.

For instance, they go by the name “cumin of the meadows”, “cumin of Holland” or even just “cumin” which confuses them with actual cumin.

Some people would identify caraway seeds by the white strips and the dark green color which also applies to anise, fennel, cumin…

However, there are in fact two major caraway types:

• Carum Roxburgianum (Ajmud in Hindi): mainly used in curries, marinades, and chutneys.
• Carum Copticum (Ajowan in Hindi): mostly used in recipes like curries, marinades, drinks, sweets…

Difference between caraways and cumin seeds:

Cumin comes from the Cuminum Cyminum plant which is also part of the Apiaceae family more known as the parsley family.

In terms of usage, cumin is very popular in many cuisines across different cultures.

They tend to have a very powerful earthy taste that can easily overpower your recipes if you don’t know how to use them.

Being the close cousin of fennel and caraway seeds, cumin is also used in curries, bread, seafood, and meat dishes.

However, Caraway seeds are from the Carum Carvi of the Apiaceae family which makes them related to cumin but not the same.

Even though Germans call Caraway seeds “cumin”, the two spices have differences in terms of shape and taste.

The Caraway seeds tend to be longer with a crescent shape, white stripes, and a darker green color.

Also, the flavor of caraway seeds is more like anise, slightly bitter with a sweet citrus and nutty aftertaste.

Caraway seeds nutritional values and health benefits:

Nutritional values:

Not only do they offer a unique flavor, but caraway seeds also offer a lot of health virtues thanks to their nutritional composition.

For instance, these seeds are rich in minerals and vitamins including B vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium.

Caraway seeds have an abundance of potassium as it offers more than 4 times more potassium than bananas for the same amount.

In addition, these seeds are a great source of magnesium and provide more magnesium than almonds or cashews for the same amount.

Not only that, but caraway seeds also offer more calcium than tofu or clams, or broccoli for the same amount.

In addition, caraway seeds are rich in essential oils, amino acids, lipids, polyacetylene compounds, and flavonoids.

The essential oils in these seeds are composed of carvacrol, caryone, limonene, carvenone, cymene, germacrene, pinene, and terpinene.

Nonetheless, you certainly are not gonna consume that many caraway seeds but a serving of 1 tbsp can help reach the daily needs of many essential nutrients…

Health benefits:

Great for the memory:

Thanks to their vitamin B2, B3, B6, and zeaxanthin content, caraway seeds can be very good to keep memory in a good health.

Not only that, but this spice also offers iron which can stimulate the production of serotonin and dopamine.

In other words, meeting the daily needs of Iron can help maintain and restore memory.

Also, the potassium content even in the tiny serving of caraway seeds can help reach the daily needs of this mineral.

According to many studies, meeting the daily need for potassium can help brain cells communicate better and boost memory.

Promotes weight loss:

Even though it may look like a tiny spice, caraway can be great for weight loss.

In fact, there’s a study done on overweight women who took caraway seeds regularly for 3 months.

The results showed great results as the women had lower body mass index (BMI) and a lower body fat percentage.

This probably doesn’t work in case of obesity as these seeds don’t have much effect on blood pressure.

Great for the digestive system:

With nowadays evolution of cuisines, recipes tend to have different combinations of ingredients that could hurt the stomach.

It has become very common to experience unpleasant feelings such as bloating and gas.

Caraway seeds can be really beneficial because they have anti-aflatoxigenic and antioxidant effects.

In addition, these seeds are also antimicrobial which explains why caraway oil is used as a natural preservative in food products.

According to a study, caraway seeds are very beneficial for colic in infants because they can ease stomach pain in a safe manner.

Think of it: if caraway infusions are effective and yet very tender even for a baby’s tummy imagine how they can safely help an adult.

Finally, both doctors and traditional medicine recommend consuming caraway seeds to deal with nausea and vomiting.

Reduces the risk of inflammation:

Another good effect of caraway seeds is the fact that they have great anti-inflammatory properties.

According to science, caraway contains many antioxidant components like zeaxanthin which can reduce inflammation.

These antioxidants are more present in the oil content of these seeds, which is why it is better to crush the seeds before consuming them.

Other studies confirm that caraway oil content can reduce tissue damage in the colon and intestines.

However, most of these studies are done on animals and we still need more human studies to further confirm the results.

Other health benefits:

• Intestinal spasms.
• Digestive disorders.
• Intestinal infections.
• Gastric disorders.

Precautions before you consume caraway seeds:

Despite all the health virtues that come with these seeds, they still have a couple of side effects that you need to know about.

For instance, they may improve the production of breast milk but no study confirms the safety of consuming them during or after pregnancy.

Consuming caraway seeds regularly could also lower blood sugar levels which can interfere with diabetes medications.

In addition, these seeds belong to the Asteraceae family which includes plants that could be allergic to some people.

People who are allergic to sunflowers or lettuce should avoid consuming caraway seeds because they belong to the same family.

Also, caraway seeds offer a good amount of potassium which could cause inflammation of the kidneys in case of regular consumption.

We shouldn’t consume any food excessively, even caraway infusions when consumed so often can harm the liver.

Furthermore, caraway seeds could lower blood pressure significantly and act as a natural blood thinner.

This could be dangerous as it could amplify the blood thinning effect for patients who take blood pressure medications.

In fact, many specialists recommend not consuming caraway seeds or infusions 2 weeks before surgeries.

Using caraway seeds:

Across Europe, people use caraway seeds as a meat deodorizer to enhance the flavor and elevate these protein sources.

For instance, in Hungary and Austria, these seeds are often used with corned beef and sausages.

Also, this spice also blends well with sour preparations including the famous German “sauerkraut”, pickles, and bread.

European since the Roman era used to decorate cakes and bread using caraway seeds.

In addition, Germans and Dutch people have been using caraway seeds and cumin as a flavoring for “Kummel liquor” and “Gin”.

One of the most common uses of caraway seeds is dairy products thanks to their potential of refreshing the aftertaste.

The seeds are perfect with many types of cheese including Cheddar, Gouda, Comte, Leyden…

Another good thing about caraway plants, they have finely cut leaves with beautiful white flowers which makes them perfect ornamental plants.

Caraway infusion:

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp of caraway seeds.
• 1 cup of water.

Preparation:

• Crush the seeds into a powder (using a mortar and pestle) then put them in a mug.
• Boil the water then pour it into a mug.
• Cover the cup to reduce essential oils evaporation and let it sit for 15 minutes.
• Strain and serve!
• This infusion can be more nutritious if you add blended anise and fennel.

Lentils with caraway:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of lentils (200g).
• 2 bay leaf.
• 4 cloves of garlic.
• 1 tsp of cumin.
• 2 sprigs of thyme.
• 1 tsp caraway.
• 1 tsp Salt and pepper.
• 2 medium hot pepper.
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway powder.
• 1 small whole hot pepper.
• 1 tsp of Olive oil.

Preparations:

• Start by peeling the garlic cloves and cutting them into fine pieces.
• Wash the lentils then boil them in 3 cups of water for 2 minutes then drain them and let them cool.
• Heat olive oil and fry the chopped garlic alongside caraway, cumin, paprika, bay leaf, thyme, and salt.
• Finally, add the boiled lentils to the frying pan and mix well for 1 minute then add 1 cup of water, cover the pan and let it cook for 30 minutes.

Carrots puree with caraway:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of carrots.
• 2 tbsps of olive oil.
• 1 tbsp of vinegar.
• 2 tsp of caraway seeds.
• Fresh cream (optional)

Preparation:

• This is a very easy recipe, start by peeling the carrots and then washing them properly.
• Bring water to a boil then put the carrots in and let them cook for 15 minutes.
• Once the carrots are completely soft, purée them using a fork or a blender.
• Pour the carrot puree into a bowl and add vinegar, olive oil, and caraway powder then mix.
• Put the purrée in the fridge and serve cold with or without fresh cream.

Traditional medicine uses:

A caraway infusion is perfect for colic in infants when the babies are crying for hours because of stomach pain, you can:

• Simply mix 1tsp of chamomile, 1tsp of peppermint leaf and 1tsp caraway seeds then blend them if possible.
• Use 1 tsp of this mix per cup of water to make an infusion.
• Do not cook the ingredients in water but rather add them later on after the water boils.
• Make sure the infusion is not overly hot then give it to your baby and it will calm him down.

This is thanks to the essential oils of these seeds which has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.

Another way to consume caraway seeds is by simply chewing on a couple of seeds after a meal.

Buying caraway seeds:

You can find glass containers or plastic bags of these seeds in almost every grocery store.

Caraway seeds are usually sold in the form of grains or powder but if you’re looking for quality always go for the seeds.

Generally, you can find caraway seeds in all the major stores including organic shops like whole Foods or Kroger.

When it comes to spices, it is always a better idea to look for them in healthy stores because it guarantees traceability and quality.

Even though it’s rare, you can find dried caraway leaves in some stores and they are nutritious and delicious with salads.

Storing caraway seeds:

In general, spices are better kept away from light, humidity, and heat as these factors increase rancidity.

Therefore to store caraway seeds the best way possible, keep them in an airtight container preferably an opaque one.

Also, place the container in the pantry or anywhere away from the heat of the sun or the oven.

By doing that, you will not only preserve this spice from rancidity but also you will maintain the aroma and taste for as long as possible.

Another thing you should take into consideration is that seeds always have a longer lifespan as a whole than the ground.

When you store caraway seeds in perfect conditions away from heat, light, and humidity they can last up to 4 years.