Caraway Seeds (Corum Carvi) By Sementi Seeds

Add flavours to curries, sausages and even liqueurs..

Caraway seeds are a spice made from the dried fruit of a plant known as Carum carvi. A member of the parsley family, caraway seeds are not technically seeds, but fruits. Nevertheless, they\'re commonly referred to as caraway seeds in the culinary arts. Caraway is grown extensively all over Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor regions. This biennial, herbaceous plant blooms creamy flowers in umbels once in every two years.  The caraway plant resembles a carrot and sets seed in its second year. Caraway seeds are similar in flavor to aniseed, and in fact you could substitute anise seeds for caraway seeds if you didn\'t have any.
Caraway seeds are frequently used in baking. The seeds found in most types of rye breadare caraway seeds. Caraway seed is also used in flavoring curries, sausages and even liqueurs. They\'re sometimes used in pickling and brining as well. It pairs rather well with garlic, and also with pork and cabbage.
The leaves of the caraway plant can be used as an herb, much like its relative, parsley. In addition, the root of the caraway plant can be eaten — it\'s similar to a parsnip.

OFFICINAL PROPERTIES

In addition to their use in traditional medicines, caraway seeds have their own food value, and indeed, have several health benefiting nutrients, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants.

Caraway spice is an excellent source of minerals like iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, selenium, zinc and magnesium. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation. Zinc is a co-factor in many enzymes that regulate growth and development, sperm generation, digestion and nucleic acid synthesis. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the powerful anti-oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

Caraway contains several health benefiting essential oils. Principle volatile compounds are carvone, limonene, carveol, pinen, cumuninic aldehyde, furfurol, and thujone. These active principles in the caraway seeds are known to have antioxidant, digestive, carminative, and anti-flatulent properties.

Its fiber also binds to toxins in the food and helps protect the colon mucus membrane from cancers. In addition, dietary fibers bind to bile salts (produced from cholesterol) and decrease their re-absorption in colon, thus help lower serum LDL cholesterol levels.

Caraway has several health benefiting flavonoid antioxidnats such as lutein, carotene, crypto-xanthinand zea-xanthin. These compounds are indeed functions as powerful anti-oxidants by removing harmful free radicals from the body thus protect from cancers, infection, aging and degenerative neurological diseases.

Cultivation and Growing Information

Caraway spice is an under-used and infrequently grown plant in most herb gardens. It is native to Europe and Western Asia where it thrives in full sun and well drained soil with pH ranges of 6.5 to 7.0. It is not a good plant for hot, humid climates and prefers cool temperate zones. Sow the seeds 1/2-inch deep in fall or spring.

Once seed germinates, thin the caraway plant to 8 to 12 inches apart. In colder climates, mulch the roots of the plant heavily with straw or organic mulch, which will add nutrients to the soil.

Germination is slow and sporadic when growing caraway seeds, and the herb may be intercropped to help prevent weeds and manage soil conditions.

Very little cultivation is required in caraway growing, but adequate moisture is an important component in the first year. The foliage of caraway plants need to be kept dry during irrigation, so a drip hose is an excellent way to keep the soil moisture level up.

Cut the plant back in the fall as it will die back and re-sprout in spring. Caraway has few pests or disease problems. Plant a second crop a year after the first for consistent production.

Seeding: April-September

Blooming: April-September

Guaranteed quality:  Sementi Dotto seeds

Sementi Dotto was founded in 1963 as a family-run farm specialized in the field of vegetable seeds and gardening products. SEMENTI DOTTO is present in the hobby sector with a wide range of products for gardening care and with a complete line of products for small pets. In addition, since Sementi Dotto is always heedful to changing market conditions and environmental sensitivity, with “L’Orto Biologico” line it also offers a wide range of vegetable seeds and seeds for sprouts obtained exclusively from organic farming which include the use of agricultural adjuvants not harmful to the environment.

The primary objective of the company is to achieve total quality, entering the market with high-grade products, advanced packaging, cutting-edge logistics services, promotional activities, careful and qualified customer service, efficient internal processes, maintaining the balance of a large organization without sacrificing the traditional quality values for which it is famous.

Net weight sachet: 5gr