Health Benefits
Caraway seeds are a delicious addition to your kitchen, medicine cabinet and food recipes! The unique flavor of caraway seeds is due to the high concentration of natural essential oils. These oils, combined with the dense supply of antioxidants give the Caraway seeds many of the medicinal and health benefits:
Digestive Health
Weight Loss
Heart Health
Lowers Blood Sugar
Respiratory health
Antioxidants
Anti-Cancer properties
Digestive Health
Caraway seeds have long been used as a natural remedy for digestive issues, such as gas, bloating and constipation. This is thanks in part to their high fiber content. Just one tablespoon supplies 2.5 grams of fiber.
Fiber passes through the digestive tract very slowly and helps add bulk to the stool to relieve constipation and support regularity. Studies show that upping your intake of fiber can aid in the treatment of constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis and intestinal ulcers. One study even found that Caraway was effective at reducing symptom severity and providing relief for patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
For conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, Caraway helps rebuild intestinal flora and yeast. Caraway also has some antimicrobial properties that may support the development of beneficial intestinal bacteria, such as bifidobacteria, a common ingredient in probiotics, while fighting off bacteria like streptococcus.
The European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (“ESCOP”) has also officially recognized caraway for use in resolving stomach difficulties and flatulence in children.
In infants, caraway helps facilitate the digestion of breast milk and simultaneously promotes lactation for the mother during breast-feeding. For infants, add one tablespoon of tea to the bottle.
Caraway has also received official recognition in treating Roemhild syndrome, a condition involving anxiety and panic attacks arising from chest pains derived from large accumulations of gas in the stomach and intestines.
Weight Loss
Caraway seeds can be a great addition to a healthy diet to help curb cravings, reduce appetite and boost weight loss with minimal effort required. According to a 2013 study published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, supplementing with caraway tincture for 90 days resulted in a significant reduction in weight and body fat of participants, even with no other changes to diet or exercise.
Another study had similar findings, reporting that consuming 30 milliliters of caraway extract led to significant reductions in appetite, carbohydrate intake and body weight after just 90 days.
Heart Health
Foods which are rich in fiber like caraway seeds can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels in the body. Reducing overall and LDL cholesterol, in turn, reduces your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. The natural antioxidants found in caraway seeds also play a vital role in cardiac health by neutralizing the damaging effects of free radicals.
Lowers Blood Sugar
Some research suggests that adding caraway seed to your diet can help regulate blood sugar levels to protect against diabetes symptoms, such as increased thirst, fatigue and unintentional weight changes.
Plus, caraway seeds are also a great source of fiber. Fiber can have a powerful impact on blood sugar control and can help slow the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Respiratory health
Among many other health benefits, Caraway has also been shown to resolve mild lung conditions. Famous herbalists recommend using caraway seasoning regularly in foods for people with asthma. In addition, whether used with a warm towel on the forehead, or in tea, caraway is an effective home remedy for headaches and migraines.
Antioxidants
Caraway seeds are loaded with antioxidants. These powerful compounds help fight free radicals and prevent damage to the cells. In addition to neutralizing free radicals and reducing oxidative stress, antioxidants are thought to aid in the prevention of chronic conditions, such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Anti-Cancer properties
Caraway seeds contain a highly concentrated amount of antioxidants, which are powerful compounds that help neutralize free radicals and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Thanks to their rich content of antioxidants, caraway seeds are believed to have potent cancer-fighting properties.
In various animal studies, Caraway was found to improve the antioxidant status and prevent lesion formation in colon cancer. Another study also found that consuming caraway seeds helped block the growth of new tumor cells in the colon.
Keeping the antioxidant levels high can be beneficial for prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases, but it can also be a helpful addition to other cancer treatments, as well as a protector from side-effects of chemotherapy or radiation.