ajwain(carom seed)

By Kbjawadwar March 14, 2020

ajwain(carom seed)

My grandmother and grandfather used to eat ajwain daily after a meal. I ask him why are you eating this ajwain daily. They told me regular eating of ajway helps us to free from many digestive problems. So tody I am glad to write blog here on ajwain. Mostly used in Indian kitchen. Ajwain's small, oval-shaped, seed-like fruits are pale brown. They have a bitter and pungent taste.

It is distributed throughout India and is mostly cultivated in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The fruit possesses stimulant, antispasmodic and carminative properties. It shows antifungal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antinociceptive, cytotoxic, hypolipidemic, anti-hypertensive, antispasmodic, broncho-dilating actions, antilithiasis, diuretic, digestive stimulant, carminative, abortifacient, antitussive, nematicidal, anthelmintic and antifilarial properties. Trachyspermum ammi L. belonging to family Apiaceae is a highly valued medicinally important seed spice. The roots are diuretic in nature and the seeds possess excellent aphrodisiac properties.

It has different names in different languages such as Marathi name(Oma, Ova), Hindi name(Ajavan, Ajwain, Ajvain, Ajamaayan, Javaayin, Jabaayan, Ajavaam, Ajovaam), English name – (Carom seeds), Telugu name(Vamu, Omami, Omasu, Oma), Gujarati name(Ajamo, Ajamaa, yavaan, Javaain), Punjabi name(Jabain), Malayalam name(Omam), Kannada name(Oma, omada kalu), Bengali name(Yamaarni, Yavuyaan, Yoyaan, Jovaan), Tamil name(Amam, Aman, Omam, Ajamo), Arabic name(Kyunulmuluki), Farsi name(Nanakhaha)

Biological classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Apiales
Family:	Apiaceae
Genus:	Trachyspermum
Species:	T. ammi

Normal use of ajwain

Ajwain is used as spices which is used in tadka. Fried in ghee to enhance the flavour of lentils and drizzled over baked goods like bread and biscuits. These seeds are mostly used in many ayurvedic and unani medicine. Raw ajwain is also used to eat after a meal.

Vitamin and mineral content of ajwain

It is good source of mineral(calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, nicotinic acid), carbohydrate, dietary fibre, essential fatty acids, Antioxidants and protein.

• It is also loaded with different types of essential oils like thymol, cymene, pinene, terpinene and limonene.

• Ajwain fruits yield 2% to 4% brownish essential oil, with thymol as the major constituent (35% to 60%). The nonthymol fraction (thymene) contains para-cymene, γ-terpenine, α- and β-pinenes, dipentene, α-terpinene, and carvacrol.

• Minute amounts of camphene, myrcene, and α-3-carene also have been found in the plant.

• From the fruits, an yellow, crystalline flavone and a steroid-like substance has been isolated and it also contains 6-O-β-glucopyranosyloxythymol, glucoside and yields 25% oleoresin containing 12% volatile oil (thymol, γ-terpinene, para-cymene, and α- and β-pinene).

Properties and benefits of ajwain

Properties :

• Qualities – light to digest, dry, piercing, enters deep tissues(piercing)
• Taste – pungent, bitter
• Taste conversion after digestion – pungent
potency – hot(Ushna)
• Effect on Tridosha – balances Kapha and Vata, increases Pitta.

Benefits :

• Digestive
• Improves taste
• Improves digestion strength

• Ascites

• Good for bloating

• Decreases semen

• useful in Abdominal tumor, bloating
• Useful in abdominal colic pain, splenomegaly

• Useful in treatment of worm infestation, toxic conditions, poisoning, abdominal colic pain

Benefits of ajwain

1. Combats Infection

It shows antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory properties. Active compounds such as thymol and carvacrol reduces the growth of bacteria and fungi. Ajwain fight against bacteria such as e.coli and salmonella which causes food poisoning.
When it is applied to wound it reduces the infection and treat it.

2. Promotes Digestion

Ajwain is the ingredient used in Indian cooking. it shows gut healing properties. It controls or reduces various digestive conditions like acidity, indigestion, etc. The active enzymes in ajwain helps in promoting digestion by improving the secretion of gastric juices.

Tip: carom seeds extract is used to heal the sores of the esophagus, stomach and intestine and treats peptic ulcers.

3. Regulates Blood Pressure

Traditionally ajwain is used for for controlling high blood pressure. The active enzyme thymol in it works as an effective calcium channel blocker. This changes the root of calcium from entering blood vessels of the heart which relaxes and expands blood vessels thereby lowering blood pressure. According to Ayurveda ajwain exhibits antihypertensive properties that work well to control high blood pressure condition.

4.Treats Common Cold And Cough

It is the best effective anti coughing agent which provides instant relief from cough by enhancing better the airflow to the lungs. It is also clear the nasal blockage by discharging the mucus easily by increasing heat or metabolism of body. As it contains large amount of thymol and carvacol, which has antimicrobial activity, helps in cough infection.

 of ymol or Carvac

Tip: Make a powder of ajwain with jaggery and have this mixture twice daily to treat respiratory ailments like asthma and bronchitis. You can add turmeric powder to it according to your need

5. Improve Cholesterol level

Reduces the bad cholesterol ( that is LDL) and increases good Cholesterol (that is HDL)

5. Ajwain Water

Ajwain or oma water is the best Ayurvedic remedy to treat indigestion problems. It helps in treating indigestion issues and eases stools formation.
Ajwain water is a traditional remedy given to babies to cure indigestion and flatulence.

Uses and application

1) Paste of crushed fruits is applied externally for relieving colic pains.

2) Hot and dry fomentation of the fruits is applied on chest for asthma.

3) Seeds soaked in lemon juice with Prunus amygdalus (badam) are given in curing amenhorroea.

4) It is also used in treatment of typhoid fever.

5) In an acute attack of common cold or migraine headache, put Ajwain powder in a thin cloth and smell this frequently.

6) Ajwain is a very good digestive. It can be taken with buttermilk to alleviate digestion related problems. It is good anti acidic agent.

7) If people who consume excessive alcohol develop

discomfort in the stomach, taking Ajwain twice a

day, will be very useful. It also helpful to reduce desire

of alcohol.

very useful. It will also reduce the craving and desire for alcohol.

8) ajwāin oil can also helps to reduce ear ache by

adding 1-2 drop in ear.

9) In traditional Vedic medicine, paste of ajwain seeds is

mentioned as a remedy for venomous insect bite such as

scorpion bite, as it has pain killing properties.

10) Dry roast one teaspoon of ajwain seeds and cumin

seeds. Add to it one cup of water and bring it to boil and

strain it. Add some sugar and take one teaspoon as a

remedy for indigestion and acidity.

11) Ajwain oil can also be used to massage legs and

knees to get relief from pain from arthritis. It is

beneficial in treatment of rheumatic and neuralgic pain.

12) The smoke of burning Ajwain seeds is effective in treating toothache. Gargle with lukewarm water prepared by boiling of Ajwain and little salt two to three times a day, it cures tooth pain.

13) Ajwain is very effective in curing cough. Drinking hot water after chewing little Ajwain cures cough. Chewing betel leaf with Ajwain at night before sleeping controls and cures dry coughing.

Side effects:

Generally, if consumed in moderate amounts ajwain do not cause any side effects. However, if overused it may show some adverse effects.
Overuse may cause stomach ulcers, increase heat in body, sweating,etc

Note:. 1) Drinking oma or ajwain water regularly is well-known to boost metabolism, burns fat and aids in losing weight.

2) by chewing some ajwain and put it on paining area, helps to give relief from toothache or apply ajwain essential oil to the toothache.

3) ajwain seeds decoction often used to ease asthma.

4) The ajwain oil or boiled ajwain water is also beneficial for treating arthritis pain.

5) They are also a good home remedy for various health problems such as anorexia, abdominal gas, vomiting, travel sickness and nausea.

6) They are also beneficial for treating diarrhea.

7) They are widely used for flavoring snacks, biscuits, sauces and soups in India.

8) They are used for making herbal tea, known as Ajwain tea.

9) ajwain is used as a mouth freshener.

10) carom seed consists of 5% oil and these dense format of oil is called thymol( carom seed flower)

11) Thymol(main component which found in ajwāin oil) is also used in toothpaste and perfumery.

Ayurvedic use of ajwain(carom seed)

• it is effective against triguna (vata, cough, pitta).

• it is helpful against spoiled or infected area

• it is good for pregnant woman ( because it improves digestive system, reduces fever if comes during pregnancy and improves milk quality)

•ajwain oil is rubbed on infected, paining,inflamating area to reduce it.

• it is helpful against fever

Use: mix onion juice and powdered carom seed and masseage on body to reduce fever