The use of caraway seems to date back to the ancient Arabs. The ancient Greek physician Dioscorides noted that caraway seeds aid digestion, and throughout history in Europe, the Middle East, and early America, caraway was a favorite addition to laxative herbs because it tempered their often violent effects. It was also historically used for menstrual cramps.
Medicinally, caraway has been used to treat indigestion, nervous disorders, and colic. To this day, in countries around the world, caraway is a traditional ingredient in foods such as meats and cheeses that are heavy and difficult to digest.
Caraway has anti-spasmodic effects as well as anti-microbial properties, and it stimulates the production of gastric juices. Two chemicals present in caraway seeds (carvol and carvene) soothe the smooth muscle tissues of the digestive tract and help expel gas.
Whole caraway seeds can simply be chewed.