Caraway is good for the stomach

Caraway must not be missing in the spice rack and in the medicine chest. The "Studienkreis Entwicklungsgeschichte der Arzneipflanzenkunde" at the University of Wuerzburg has voted the Wieskümmel medicinal plant of the year 2016. Because it is used in natural medicine for gastrointestinal complaints and bloatedness. Cumin promotes gastric juice secretion and blood circulation to the stomach and intestinal mucosa.

Above all, the medicinal plant expels bloating, has an antispasmodic effect and inhibits the growth of harmful germs. Relief from irritable bowel syndrome creates caraway oil. Externally, it is used in infancy and early childhood in flatulence. The pure caraway oil is obtained by steam distillation from the dried fruits. The clear, colorless to yellow liquid contains 60 percent carvone, the caraway's main active ingredient.

Caraway is the medicinal plant of the year 2015. Image: pixelaway - fotolia

The preparation of caraway fruits as tea is milder, but also less effective. One to two teaspoons of caraway fruits are briefly pressed in a mortar so that the essential oil can escape. Then pour a cup of hot water over it and let it steep for ten minutes.

In the kitchen, the spice is widespread, although not everyone likes it. Caraway has a slightly sweet, anise-like aroma with a certain sharpness. It refines pastries, bread, sauerkraut, potato and cabbage dishes and makes hearty stews wholesome. A classic is Harz cheese with onion vinaigrette and cumin ("Handkäs mit Musik").

The real caraway (Carum carvi), also called cumin seed, is a biennial plant of the umbelliferae family. It grows wild in meadows in temperate zones of Europe and Asia. However, with little experience of collecting is advised against, as the caraway looks like poisonous umbels such as the dog parsley and the meadow hemlock to the confusion. Main cultivation areas are southern France, Holland, England, Central Germany, Sweden, Russia and Egypt, the spice plant is also grown. For medical purposes, only the fruits that contain essential oil are interesting. (Heike Kreutz, aid)