Kummel/ caraway (carum carvi)

Kummel/ caraway (carum carvi)
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Origin

Caraway originates around the Mediterranean Sea, middle East and North-Africa. It’s been in use for around 6.000+ years for it’s several beneficial properties.
The etymology of "caraway" is unclear. Caraway has been called by many names in different regions, with names deriving from the Latin cuminum (cumin), the Greek karon (again, cumin), which was adapted into Latin as carum (now meaning caraway), and the Sanskrit karavi, sometimes translated as "caraway", but other times understood to mean "fennel". English use of the term caraway dates to at least 1440, possibly having Arabic origin.

Appearance of the plant
The plant is similar in appearance to other members of the carrot family, with finely divided, feathery leaves with thread-like divisions, growing on 20–30 cm stems. The main flower stem is 30–60 cm tall, with small white or pink flowers in compound umbels composed of 5-16 unequal rays 1-6 cm long. Caraway fruits, informally called seeds, are smooth, crescent-shaped, laterally compressed achenes, around 3 mm long, with five pale ridges and a distinctive pleasant smell when crushed.
It flowers in June and July.

Soil and location
The plant prefers warm, sunny locations and well-drained soil rich in organic matter. In warmer regions, it is planted in the winter as an annual. In temperate climates, it is planted as a summer annual or biennial, and it grows up to an altitude of 2.000 m above sea-level.
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Care
Sow thinly in row 30 cm apart and 15-20cm apart from each plant. Water regularly and ceep free of weeds.

Medical effective components
Caraway seeds are 10% water, 50% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 15% fat. In a 100 grams reference amount, caraway seeds are a rich source of protein, B vitamins, vitamin C, and several dietary minerals, especially iron, phosphorus, and zinc. When ground, caraway seeds yield up to 7.5% of volatile oil, mostly D-carvone, and 15% fixed oil of which the major fatty acids are oleic, linoleic, petroselinic, and palmitic acids.
Phytochemicals identified in caraway seed oil include thymol, o-cymene, γ-terpinene, trimethylene dichloride, β-pinene, 2-(1-cyclohexenyl), cyclohexanone, β-phellandrene, 3-carene, α-thujene, and linalool.
The leaves of caraway are mildly toxic, with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea.

Bread:
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Caraway is used as a spice in breads, especially rye bread. In the United States, the most common use of caraway is whole as an addition to rye bread – often called seeded rye or Jewish rye bread, where the recipe itself owes to East Slavic coriander and caraway flavoured rye bread (e.g. Borodinsky bread). Caraway seeds are often used in Irish soda bread and other baked goods.

Caraway may be used in desserts, liquors, casseroles, and other foods. Its leaves can be added to salads, stews, and soups, and are sometimes consumed as herbs, either raw, dried, or cooked, similar to parsley. The root is consumed as a winter root vegetable in some places, similar to parsnips.

Tea:
1,8g of dried kummel fruits on a cup of hot water, let sit for 10 min, then strain. Gets even more effective if you crush the pods for example in a mortar beforehand.

Liquor:
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175g dried kummel pods gently crush then mix with the rest
150g rock sugar
20g dried dill
20g dried fennel let sit for 6 weeks, then strain
800ml vodka
200ml water enjoy!

Contraindication
The use of preparation containing caraway oil on broken skin, around the eyes or mucous membranes and in the patients with liver disease, achlorhydria, cholangitis, gallstones or other biliary disorders is not recommended . Caraway fruit or caraway oil is not recommended to use during pregnancy and lactation due to insufficient data. A warning of use in patients with obstruction of bile ducts, liver diseases, cholangitis, gallstones or other biliary diseases is present due to complete inhibitory effects of caraway on gallbladder emptying in healthy humans . The contraindication with inflammation of kidneys was reported and overdoses of caraway oil for long time causes kidney and liver damage.
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