What is Caraway?
Caraway (Carum carvi) is an herb known for its culinary and medicinal uses. The seeds, in particular, are prized for their health benefits.
Caraway is a biennial plant that grows up to 60 centimeters (2 feet) tall. It has finely divided, feathery leaves and produces small, white or pink flowers in umbrella-shaped clusters. The seeds are small, crescent-shaped, and brown with distinctive ridges.
Caraway is native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. It thrives in well-drained soils and can be found in meadows, fields, and along roadsides.
Primary Compounds
Caraway seeds contain several bioactive compounds, including:
Carvone: A terpenoid responsible for the characteristic aroma and many of its digestive benefits.
Limonene: A terpene with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Flavonoids: Antioxidants that contribute to the health benefits of caraway seeds.
Phenolic Acids: Compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties including carvone and limonene.
In addition, about a third of caraway’s fat content is in the form of petroselinic acid – which has been found to reduce pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid levels.
Caraway seed is also a nutrient powerhouse. According to the USDA nutrient database, 100 grams of seed contains 38 grams of fiber, 21 milligrams of vitamin C (35% RDA), 363 IU of vitamin A (12% RDA), .38 milligrams of thiamine (32% RDA), 1351 milligrams of potassium (29% RDA), a whopping 689 milligrams of calcium (69% RDA), .91 milligrams of copper (101% RDA), 258 milligrams of magnesium (64% RDA), 1300 milligrams of manganese (56% RDA) and 5.5 milligrams of zinc (50% RDA). Caraway is also a significant source of selenium.
Health Benefits of Caraway
Digestive Health: Caraway seeds are renowned for their carminative properties, helping to reduce bloating, gas, and indigestion. They stimulate the production of digestive enzymes and bile, aiding in the digestion process.
Antispasmodic Effects: Caraway seeds can relieve muscle spasms, especially in the gastrointestinal tract, making them useful for treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other digestive disorders.
Antioxidant Properties: Rich in antioxidants, caraway helps protect the body against oxidative stress and free radical damage, contributing to overall health and disease prevention.
Anti-inflammatory: The seeds have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation and associated pain in conditions like arthritis.
Antimicrobial Activity: Caraway seeds have antimicrobial properties that can help in fighting off infections, especially in the digestive tract.
Respiratory Health: Caraway seeds can be used to relieve coughs and improve respiratory function due to their expectorant properties.
Traditional Uses in Medicine
Caraway seeds (Carum carvi L.) have been used for thousands of years for intestinal difficulties such as stomach aches, flatulence, burping, irritable bowel syndrome and difficult digestion. Caraway extract has been used to as a soothing muscle rub and chest rub during chest colds.
Ayurveda: In Ayurvedic medicine, caraway (ajwain) is used to treat digestive disorders, respiratory issues, and as a remedy for colic in infants.
Traditional European Medicine: In Europe, caraway has been used for centuries to treat digestive problems, respiratory issues, and to improve appetite.
Middle Eastern Medicine: Caraway is also used in Middle Eastern traditional medicine for its digestive benefits and to relieve menstrual pain.
Digestive Health
Several studies have shown that caraway seed extract can significantly improve indigestion. This has especially been shown in clinical research that combined caraway oil with peppermint oil.
In a 2019 review of the research, researchers found five studies that treated a total of 578 people. The research found a significant improvement of gastric pain and a reduction of symptoms among the patients taking the caraway oil with peppermint oil.
Antimicrobial
"Lastly, the study demonstrated that caraway essential oil nanoemulsion gels can be efficient in treating E. coli and S. aureus, laying the groundwork for the use of caraway essential oil as an alternative to synthetic antibiotics in the treatment of bacterial infections."
Anti-inflammatory
Other studies have determined that caraway seeds had significant anti-inflammatory effects.
Caraway and Weight Loss
The researchers, from Malaysia’s University of Malaya and the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, conducted a clinical study using 70 overweight or obese, but otherwise healthy adult women.
The women were randomly split into two groups. The groups were then compared and there were no significant differences between the two groups in their weight or body mass parameters.
One of the groups was given 30 milliliters of caraway seed extract for 90 days, while the other group received a placebo.
No other changes were made either to the diets or exercise activity of the women during the 90 day period.
Before, after and during the 90 days, the women were weighed and measured for body mass index, body weight, percentage of fat and weight to hip measurements. They were also tested for blood cholesterol levels as well as given urine analyses.
At the end of the twelve weeks, the average weight of the placebo group went from 71.96 kilos to 72.77 kilos, while the group taking the caraway seed extract went from 76.86 kilos down to 75 kilos – an average loss of 2.77 kilos or an average weight loss of over 6 pounds.
This is while the placebo group gained .73 kilos – about 1.6 pounds over the three months.
Body mass index of the caraway group went from 20.69 to 29.85, while the BMI went from 28.45 to 28.50 in the placebo group.
Percentage of body fat went from 35.43 to 34.74 in the caraway group, while it went from 33.82 up to 34.04 in the placebo group.
Percentage of body muscle went up from 31.42 to 31.61 in the caraway group, while it went down from 31.81 to 31.75 in the placebo group.
In addition, the waist circumference of the caraway group went from 96.02 centimeters down to 89.78 centimeters, while the waist circumference of the placebo group went from 91.34 to 91.21 centimeters.
There were no adverse side effects from the caraway seed extract.
The researchers also reviewed other studies to investigate the possible mechanisms fro the weight loss. They concluded that the mechanism relates to the ability of caraway to help curb pathogenic microbes in the gut:
“Lowering weight and fat in the subjects in this study may be related to anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities of caraway caused by some of the constituents in caraway, such as carvacrol (polyphenol) and unsaturated fatty acids. These bioactive compounds may balance gut microflora which help in food digestion and absorption providing intestinal homoeostasis. Gut microflora modulates gene expression in the human body involving the host physiology and metabolism, such as obesity mechanisms. Carvacrol, together with unsaturated fatty acids, inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria, and thus increases the proliferation of gut microflora [probiotics]. In this process, ingredients probably modify gut microflora through activating the expression of some specific genes involved in lipid metabolism inhibiting inflammation and adipogenesis.”
The weight loss effect of curbing pathogenic microorganisms within the gut while promoting probiotic microorganisms.
REFERENCES:
Mahnaz Kazemipoor, Che Wan Jasimah Bt wan Mohamed Radzi, Majid Hajifaraji, Batoul Sadat Haerian, Mohammad Hossein Mosaddegh, and Geoffrey A. Cordell, “Antiobesity Effect of Caraway Extract on Overweight and Obese Women: A Randomized, Triple-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, Article ID 928582, 8 pages, 2013. doi:10.1155/2013/928582
Laribi B, Kouki K, Mougou A, Marzouk B. Fatty acid and essential oil composition of three Tunisian caraway (Carum carvi L.) seed ecotypes. J Sci Food Agric. 2010 Feb;90(3):391-6. doi:10.1002/jsfa.3827.
Simic A, Rančic A, Sokovic MD, Ristic M, grujic-Jovanovic S, Vukojevic J, Marin PD. Essential oil composition of Cymbopogon winterianus and Carum carvi and their antimicrobial activities. Pharma Bio. 2008: 46(6); 437–441, 2008. doi:10.1080/13880200802055917.
Weber N, Richter KD, Schulte E, Mukherjee KD. Petroselinic acid from dietary triacylglycerols reduces the concentration of arachidonic acid in tissue lipids of rats. J Nutr. 1995 Jun;125(6):1563-8.
Mahboubi M. Caraway as Important Medicinal Plants in Management of Diseases. Nat Prod Bioprospect. 2019 Jan;9(1):1-11. doi: 10.1007/s13659-018-0190-x.
Alqarni MH, Foudah AI, Aodah AH, Alkholifi FK, Salkini MA, Alam A. Caraway Nanoemulsion Gel: A Potential Antibacterial Treatment against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Gels. 2023 Mar 3;9(3):193. doi: 10.3390/gels9030193.
Li J, Lv L, Zhang J, Xu L, Zeng E, Zhang Z, Wang F, Tang X. A Combination of Peppermint Oil and Caraway Oil for the Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019 Nov 14;2019:7654947. doi: 10.1155/2019/7654947.