Ajwain Seed Trachyspermum ammi
- Common Names
- Ajwain Seed , Ajwan, Ajwon
- Botanical Name
- Trachyspermum ammi
- Syn. Carum copticum
- Family
- APIACEAE
Medicinal Uses & Benefits of Ajwain Seed
How to Use|
Side Effects |
Plant & Garden|
- Medicinal Uses: * Ayurvedic
* Culinary/Kitchen
* Digestion
- Properties: * Antibacterial * Aromatic * Carminative
- Parts Used: Seeds
- Constituents: alpha-pinene ,beta-pinene, calcium, camphene, carvacrol, chromium,fiber, limonene , thymol
How to Use: Ajwain Seed
Ajwain is very similar to its western relatives in the plant family Apiaceae Cumin, Dill and Parsley, both in the way it is used in food and in medicine. The high concentration of essential oils in ajwain seeds, primarily thymol, give them an aroma and flavor resembling thyme, with a stronger bite. Ajwain seeds are used to flavor vegetables and fish in Indian cuisine and are fried in oil or ghee(clarified butter) to mellow the acrid taste.
Digestion: Ajwain seeds are also known as a digestive aid, and combines well with fennel to relieve gas and bloating. A side dish of ajwain seeds often accompanies food in the Middle East.
Colds and Flu: Ajwain seeds contain about 50% thymol, a well known and antibacterial essential oil, and along with thyme can be used to enhance the immune system to ward off colds and flu and other viral infections.1
Preparation Methods & Dosage : The seeds can be mixed with honey or sugar and chewed, used in cooking, or taken as a tea. Try mixing with equal parts of fennel seed for a sweeter tasting mix.
Ajwain Seed Remedies
Ajwain is pungent and heating with a pungent vipaka
1
Plant Description
- Fruit/Seeds:Greenish-grey seeds, very similar to cummin in appearance.
- Plant Class:Herbaceous annual
- Leaves:Feathery leaves, red flowers
- Preferred Habitat:
- Flowering Season:
- Distribution: Ajowan is native to India, but is also cultivated in Iran, Egypt Pakistan and Afghanistan
Regional Traditions :Ayurvedic * Middle East *
Works Cited- Lad,Vasant Dr., La, Usha. "Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing",pp207-208, (2006)
- Khalsa, Karta Purkh Singh, Michael Tierra. "The Way of Ayurvedic Herbs", Lotus, (2008),p123
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