Effect:
anti-flatulence, appetite stimulating, digestive, relaxing
Areas of application:
Intestinal cramps, flatulence, gastrointestinal problems, painful periods, digestive problems in infants and young children, feeling of fullness, nervous stomach disorders, during childbirth, cough, rheumatic toothache and headaches
Plant parts used:
Seeds, leaves, roots
Collection time:
June to July
To find:
In meadows, on railway embankments, embankments, on roadsides, on field verges
Ingredients:
Proteins, flavonoids, essential oil, limonene, carvone, fatty oil, carbohydrates, tannins, resin
Miscellaneous:
☕ Tea: 1 teaspoon of crushed caraway seeds are poured with 1/4 liter of boiling water and strained after 10 minutes. 3 cups daily are sufficient. For infants, dilute the tea 1:1 with boiled water.
Caraway is a biennial plant and can reach a height of 30 to 80 cm, sometimes even up to 120 cm. It develops a taproot. The bare, grooved stem is branched several times and sparsely. The opposite or decussate leaves are divided into a petiole and a leaf blade. The leaf blades are doubly to triply pinnate and elongated in outline. The leaflets of the last order are pinnately divided with finely pointed teeth and tips. Their leaf sections are linear. The lowest pairs of leaflets of the second order are clearly spaced apart and arranged crosswise. Most of the stem leaves have a sheath with stipule-like pairs of leaflets. The axillary and terminal double umbel inflorescences have six to twelve ribbed rays. Flower stalks are present. The five white to pink or reddish petals are obovate and the tip is usually bent at the middle tip. The flowering period is from May to July.
Caraway should be identified precisely when collecting, as the risk of confusion with other umbelliferous plants is very high!
Caraway is considered anti-demonic.
Caraway collected on St. John's Day (June 24th) and Vitus Day (June 15th/28th) is considered to be particularly medicinal.
Caraway seeds are one of the oldest spices used in our culture. Some dishes are unimaginable without caraway. The seeds can be used to season meat, sauces, soups, vegetables, cheese, salads, bread, cakes and pastries. Caraway is a must in sauerkraut. It gives various spirits a characteristic taste, for example Scandinavian aquavit, North German Köm or Kaiser-Kümmel. Caraway oil is also used. The leaves have a mild taste that is comparable to parsley and dill. They are often used in soups and salads. The roots can be cooked as a vegetable.