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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Commentaires