Carum carvi

Carum carvi, commonly known as caraway, is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa. The plant is similar in appearance to other members of the carrot family, with finely divided, feathery leaves with thread-like divisions, growing on 20–30 cm stems. The main flower stem is 40–60 cm tall, with small white or pink flowers in umbels. Caraway fruits (erroneously called seeds) are crescent-shaped achenes, around 2 mm long, with five pale ridges.

Description

The carum carvi plant is typically 30-60 cm tall and is characterized by finely divided, feathery leaves with thread-like divisions. The main flower stem is 40–60 cm tall, with small white or pink flowers in umbels. The fruits, often mistaken for seeds, are crescent-shaped achenes, around 2 mm long, with five pale ridges.

Cultivation and Uses

Caraway is grown for its thin, crescent-shaped fruits, which are used as a spice in cooking and baking. The fruits, usually used whole, have a pungent, anise-like flavor and aroma that comes from essential oils, mostly carvone, limonene, and anethole. Caraway is used as a flavoring in breads, especially rye bread.

Caraway is also used in desserts, liquors, casseroles, and other foods. It is more commonly found in European cuisine. For example, it is commonly used in British caraway seed cake and is also added to sauerkraut.

Health Benefits

Caraway fruits have been used in traditional medicine for centuries to treat digestive problems including heartburn, bloating, gas, and loss of appetite. They are also used to start menstruation, ease menstrual cramps, and increase breast milk production in nursing mothers.

See Also

• Apiaceae
• Spice
• Traditional medicine

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