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Sylvia Rose

Caraway Spice - Herbology & Folklore

Updated: Jul 23

Caraway (Carum carvi) is a cooking and medicinal herb with a pungent anise taste, known for its strong spicy fruits, called seeds. It's used in food, aromatherapy, folk remedies, magic and medicine.


caraway fruits or seeds
Caraway (Carum carvi)


Also known as meridian fennel or Persian cumin, caraway is native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa.


Use of caraway goes back to prehistory. Fossilized fruits are found in Stone Age habitations and the herb was used by early Egyptians. Pedanius Dioscorides, physician, botanist and pharmacologist of Ancient Greece, describes the plant in the 1st century AD.



A botanical illustration, herbal drawing of caraway plant
Caraway (Carum carvi) Botanical Illustration

His authority has influence. Known as "the father of pharmacognosy", Pedanius writes a 5-volume Greek directory of botanical medicines, De materia medica. For 1,500 years it's the go-to encyclopedia of herbal health for the Mediterranean and elsewhere.


A popular ingredient, caraway is easily naturalized and common in contemporary gardens. It likes soil with good drainage and plenty of organic matter, and long warm days of sunlight.



cuisine of morocco
Moroccan cuisine

Cultivated in Morocco, caraway is known to the ancient Romans and Arabians. Today, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland are the top producers of caraway. Most people are familiar with the fruits of the plant, informally called seeds.


Caraway Health Benefits


Carum carvi is related to carrots and dill. All parts of the plant are edible. Some types of bread, such as rye, Irish soda bread; also sauerkraut, desserts, cheese, liquor and stews use caraway. Caraway leaves can be added to salad and the root cooked and eaten like parsnip.



caraway seeds in a spice market
Caraway is at left edge of pic, 2nd from bottom - a fragrant market

Caraway fruits are a rich source of protein, B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, phosphorus, zinc and other dietary minerals. According to health standards a rich source is 20% or more per 100 g.


They're also strong in phytochemicals, the compound in plants which helps them repel insects and resist disease. Health benefits of phytochemicals on humans are still under scientific scrutiny, but in folk magic and herbal lore the plant offers protection against illness.



Sauerkraut is sometimes flavored with caraway
Sauerkraut is sometimes flavored with caraway. Sausages too.

Although used as an appetite stimulant it can also work in the opposite way, which is common with medicinal compounds and dosages. In two separate studies it's been shown to help treat obesity. It may have health benefits for people with Type 2 diabetes.


Caraway Folk Medicine


Caraway oil rubbed on the abdomen can relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This folk medicine treatment has been shown in tests to have positive results.



male female bathroom signs
Gotta go!


In folk medicine, caraway uses include


  • to relieve dyspepsia & bloat

  • treat chronic indigestion (oil) - may be combined with menthol or peppermint oil

  • to relieve morning sickness

  • to improve liver function

  • treatment for pneumonia

  • to stimulate appetite

  • as galactagogue to increase flow of mother's milk

  • as carminative to relieve flatulence

  • as a source of limonene, also found in citrus peel and dill, in a tooth paste or rinse to improve oral hygiene

  • to improve memory

  • as leaves, a source of fiber

  • as oil or poultice, to relieve skin problems such as eczema and rashes



smooth soft skin


Caraway fruits were once offered to pub-goers in Oxford, England, where the herb was naturalized. Chewed, caraway was said to disguise the smell of liquor on the breath. It has been used for centuries as a breath freshener.


Caraway Magic & Lore


Caraway relates to the planet Mercury and astrology sign Gemini. It's masculine in alignment and attunes to the Solar Plexus Chakra. Caraway is a symbol of faithfulness.




Magical and spiritual uses of caraway include:


  • protective energy

  • attracts luck

  • in an herbal pillow, brings sweet dreams

  • good health

  • protection from thieves mortal or not

  • enhances mental powers

  • improves memory

  • in love potions, keeps the lover from straying

  • attracts romance

  • clears emotional blockage


Caraway is known as a repellent of hostile magic. Sprinkled in the pantry it can repel Faerie folk and nature spirits. Fairies, imps, brownies, elves, some harvest spirits hate caraway.



A harvest spirit, the Roggenhund loves rye flour
A harvest spirit, the Roggenhund loves rye flour, but eats any kind. It has an insatiable appetite.

It's a deterrent for Roggenhund, the Rye Dog, a harvest spirit in the shape of a dog who eats flour. Caraway is despised by most Faerie and nature spirits, not just pesky ones. If a person offends the house Kobold with caraway, the Kobold makes a mess or spoils the milk.


In European lore, caraway in or around a coffin or grave can repel evil magic and keep the dead from rising again. Bathing in caraway-infused water gets rid of magical or spiritual causes of illness.



relaxing in the bath

Caraway magic is strongest when the herb is gathered on Midsummer's Day, June 24. The same applies to most plants with magical properties.



Non-Fiction Books:


Fiction Books:

READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure

READ: Lora Ley Adventures - Germanic Mythology Fiction Series

READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries





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