Home Herbs How to Make Caraway Tea and Its Amazing Health Uses

How to Make Caraway Tea and Its Amazing Health Uses

by Andreea Laza

Want to learn how to make caraway tea from seeds and the main health uses of caraway tea? Continue reading.

Caraway (Carum carvi) is one of the most underrated natural medicines for digestive problems, cramps, high cholesterol, but also hormonal issues. Before we show you how to make caraway tea and its health uses, let’s look into the medicinal uses of this amazing seed over centuries as a form of appreciation and respect for its marvelous medicinal properties.

How to Make Caraway Tea - Caraway Tea Uses - MyNaturalTreatment.com

Medicinal Uses of Caraway Seeds Throughout Time

The origin of caraway (Carum carvi) is not fully understood. Some researchers believe it originated in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), from where the Greeks and later the Romans spread it across the world. Others, however, claim it comes from the Caucasus or even the southern branch of the Carpathian Mountains.

  • The earliest evidence of caraway being used for medicinal purposes comes from ancient Egyptian scholars, who mentioned it in their papyrus writings. Similarly, physicians of ancient Greece included this medicinal plant in their medical treatises.
  • During the reign of Roman Emperor Julius Caesar, caraway had its moment of “glory,” being a mandatory part of the soldiers’ diet to protect them from infectious diseases, exhaustion, and digestive issues.

In the folk medicine of various European cultures, caraway is indispensable, being used as a spice in food, as a remedy, and, not least, as a magical ingredient in spells.

  • In Germany, for instance, caraway was long considered a cure-all for stomach and intestinal issues. They made an elixir called “Kümmel” with caraway seeds for lack of appetite, and crushed seeds were added to infants’ baths to soothe colic.
  • In the Netherlands, steam from boiled caraway seeds was inhaled to ease breathing and treat those suffering from bronchitis.
  • In France, caraway seeds are still added to various types of fermented cheese to aid digestion.
  • In the British Isles, caraway was given to chickens to prevent them from wandering off and to keep them “attached” to the household. Furthermore, husbands or wives with a tendency for cheating were openly or secretly treated with caraway to curb their wandering and to calm their inclinations toward infidelity.
How to Make Caraway Tea - Caraway Tea Uses - MyNaturalTreatment.com

In Romania and the Balkans, caraway seed decoctions and teas were given to young children to ease stomach pains and stop them from crying. The same remedy was used to wash children’s heads to treat sores, while girls in some villages washed with warm caraway water to make themselves beautiful and keep their skin clear.

  • Caraway was also added to wine or brandy to stimulate appetite.
  • Boiled in milk or water, it was taken for heart conditions.
  • Ground caraway seeds mixed with a little butter were used for stomach pains.
  • Tea made from caraway and spearmint was used to strengthen those weakened by illness.
  • It was also used for colds or women’s health issues, combined with white rose and bird cherry (Prunus padus).
  • Women with small children ate caraway soup to increase their milk supply.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the medicinal uses of caraway that have also been confirmed by modern science. But before that, a short tip on how to choose the best caraway seeds for medicinal uses.

The Best Caraway for Medicinal Uses

Wild caraway is commonly found in the meadows of hills and mountains, but it poses a significant challenge for foragers: it grows very sparsely, and its seeds are much smaller than those of cultivated caraway. In fact, the current cultivated species of caraway have been selectively bred over thousands of years, resulting in varieties that are rich in essential oil (the most important active principle of the plant) and highly effective therapeutically, making them preferred over unselected varieties. Therefore, to maximize the medicinal benefits, it is recommended to use organically cultivated caraway from a reputable brand, such as the one below.

How to Make Caraway Tea

There are two ways to make caraway tea, a simple infusion and a combined infusion in which you mix a cold maceration with a hot infusion. The latter has more therapeutic properties and is used as medicine, while the first is a faster way to make a cup of caraway tea for colics and digestive issues. Let’s start with the first recipe.

Simple Caraway Seed Tea

Steep 1-2 tsp of caraway seeds in a cup of boiling water for 15 minutes, covered. Strain and drink as hot as possible to maximize its antispasmodic and calming properties.

Combined Caraway Seed Tea

Put 2 tsp of caraway seed powder in a cup of water at room temperature for 6-8 hours, or overnight. Strain and set aside. Steep the remaining plant material in another cup of water, then allow it to cool a bit. Finally, combine the two extracts and drink the combined tea throughout the day. This is the tea used in the remedies below.

How to Make Caraway Tea - Caraway Tea Uses - MyNaturalTreatment.com

9 Health Uses of Caraway Tea Backed by Science

1. Milk Production

Consume 1 to 3 cups daily of a combined infusion of caraway tea sweetened with honey. Several studies have shown that caraway increases milk production and improves the quality of breast milk, while also reducing the incidence of colic in infants. In case of inflammation of the breasts or wounds during breastfeeding, make a poultice with previously soaked flaxseed and caraway seeds (soaked in warm water for four hours) and apply to the affected area.

2. Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis

Asthma, allergic asthma, and chronic bronchitis can be treated with the combined infusion of caraway seed tea in which you add a couple of drops of caraway essential oil (food grade). In addition to its mentioned antispasmodic effect, caraway also provides expectorant benefits in these conditions (helping to clear excessive secretions from the airways), as well as anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties. Moreover, caraway essential oil acts as an antihistamine, aiding in the relief of allergic reactions of the respiratory system.

3. Iron Deficiency

Iron deficiency can be effectively addressed with the combined infusion of caraway seeds (one cup in the morning and one in the evening on an empty stomach). This remedy contains only trace amounts of iron, but it significantly improves the absorption of this essential trace element, that is found in some foods such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, nettles, lentils, beans, pumpkin seeds, oats, quinoa, wild sardines, etc. but is not properly metabolized by the body.

4. Gastritis

A study conducted at the King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia shows that administering caraway seeds protects the gastric lining from the negative effects of low hydrochloric acid, as well as from irritants such as concentrated sodium chloride solution and pure ethyl alcohol. Caraway increases and replenishes the blends of hydrochloric acid, providing soothing and anti-inflammatory effects while protecting the gastric mucosa. Drink 2-3 cups of the combined caraway seed tea daily for three-week courses, followed by a 10-day break, after which treatment can be resumed.

How to Make Caraway Tea - Caraway Tea Uses - MyNaturalTreatment.com

5. Nausea Induced by Medical Drugs

The combined infusion made from caraway to which you also add peppermint (equal proportions) is recommended for nausea caused by medication. The dosage is 2 to 4 cups a day, ideally unsweetened, before the main meals. This infusion has antiemetic effects (eliminates the sensation of nausea), acting at the level of taste buds and olfactory receptors of the digestive tract, but also within the central nervous system. This is also recommended for anorexia.

6. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (Spastic Colon)

The recommended dosage is 2-3 cups of a combined caraway seed infusion daily for four weeks, followed by a break of 5-7 days. This infusion has strong antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects on the bowels and helps balance the gut flora. This natural treatment is also effective against abdominal cramps, which, when very severe, should initially be treated with hot caraway infusion.

6. Muscle Spasms

Drink the combined caraway seed tea in doses of half a cup (100 ml) three times a day. Add two drops of caraway essential oil to each portion of tea, to enhance the antispasmodic effects of this herb. Studies conducted in the United States have shown that the essential oils in caraway inhibit several enzymes responsible for muscle contraction. Thus, this treatment is effective for both voluntary muscle spasms as well as for involuntary muscle spasms (muscles that cannot be controlled consciously). This remedy has also been shown to be effective against hiccups, spasmodic cough, and even asthma.

7. High Cholesterol and Triglycerides

A 2004 study conducted by a mixed team of researchers from Morocco and France showed that consuming 1-1.5 liters (4 to 6 cups) of the combined tea of caraway seed per day for four weeks significantly reduces LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. The same study showed that people with diabetes are protected from cardiac and vascular complications by drinking this tea. Another effect of caraway tea is a slight decrease in blood sugar levels, which is more pronounced when using caraway powder compared to aqueous or alcoholic caraway seed extracts.

8. Oral Thrush

Rinse your mouth three times a day with 100 ml of a combined caraway seed tea to which you add 1-2 drops of caraway essential oil. Caraway seed tea has antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects and provides effective support for oral or pharyngeal Candida infections.

Caraway Safety and Contraindications

Caraway is not recommended for individuals who are allergic to plants in the Apiaceae/Umbelliferae family. Caraway should be administered internally with caution to young children, as it has been very rarely associated with epileptic seizures. For this reason, fennel seeds are generally recommended as a substitute for caraway seeds in very young children. Excessive consumption of caraway seeds (over 7 grams per day) may induce miscarriage in pregnant women.

More Caraway Remedies:
Caraway Powder
Caraway Tincture
Caraway Oil

If you’ve enjoyed learning how to make caraway tea and how to use caraway tea as medicine for various health problems, please share this article so more people can use this information. Stay healthy, naturally!

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How to Make Caraway Tea - Caraway Tea Recipe - Caraway Tea Uses - MyNaturalTreatment.com

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