Ajwain seeds- Health Benefits, Uses and Important Facts

When you have stomach pain, your grandmother or mother always gives you ajwain to put in your mouth. In many Indian dishes, the main and most important spice is either ajwain seeds or carom seeds. Ajwain is a plant that was first grown in our own country. It is also called "Ugra Gandha" in the Sanskrit language because it smells very strong and pungent. The seeds range in colour from olive green to brown, and they taste bitter and strong. Because of its unique smell and health benefits, it is often used in curries and pickles.

About Ajwain seeds:

Ajwain seeds are small and unassuming, but they have a lot of antioxidants and can be used as medicine. Carom seeds, which are also called ajwain seeds in Hindi, are a spice that comes from India. It looks like cumin seeds and tastes and smells like strong, pungent herbs.

This spice is used in a lot of vegetarian Indian dishes, especially to make tadkas or to add flavour to fried foods. However, it has not yet earned the "superfood" label like turmeric has, even though it has similar or the same health benefits.

Ajwain has been used in Ayurveda to treat and prevent many diseases because it is full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fibre.

This spice is good for your health in many ways, from the seeds to the oil and other extracts made from the seeds.

Other names of Ajwain seeds:

1. English – Carom seeds, Bishop’s weed
2. Indian – Ajwain, Ajovain 
3. Spanish – Semillas de carambola
4. German – Ajowan Samen
5. French – Ajowan , Carambole grains

How does Ajwain seeds taste like?

When you eat carom seeds, you get a lot of different tastes and flavours. Ajwain seeds taste like thyme, but they also have a hint of oregano. When you first bite into a raw carom seed, it will be pungent and have a sharp, bitter sting. Carom seeds look a lot like cumin or caraway seeds, but their taste is very different from those of the other spices.

Uses of ajwain seeds in cooking:

Carom seeds are an interesting spice to add to curries because their flavour is complex and gives the dish a unique taste.

Before adding carom seeds to a dish, the best way to use them is to quickly fry them in fat or even dry roast them.

In Indian cooking, ajwain, also called carom seeds, are added during the "tadka" or "seasoning" step. Tadka is the process of frying whole seeds in hot oil so that the flavours of the spices get into the oil.

If you want to keep the sharp taste of the spice, crush the ajwain in a mortar and pestle or between your palms and add it at the end of cooking.

Here are a few ways Ajwain seeds can be used:

• Add a teaspoon of carom seeds to dishes like stir fries, lentils, and beans that are made with plants.
• Carom seeds help improve digestion and the taste of deep-fried foods like tempura and pakoras.
• Add to bread to make it taste like thyme.
• You can also put carom seeds in soups, fruit, and spice rubs.
• Soak carom seeds in a glass of water and drink ajwain water at night to help digestion and relieve constipation.
• A few can be sprinkled on salads or added to the dressing.
• Boil a teaspoon of carom seeds in a cup of water to make ajwain tea.

Nutritional value of Ajwain seeds:

Ajwain is full of vitamins and minerals like niacin, thiamine, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. It also has carbs, fatty acids, fibres, proteins, antioxidants, and fatty acids. The thymol in the essential oil in ajwain seeds is what makes them smell so good.

Health benefits of Ajwain seeds:

1. Helps with digestion: Ajwain seeds help improve the way the gut breaks down food. The gastric juices are released when the active enzymes in ajwain seeds are broken down. This helps the digestive system work better.

• The digestive juices in carom seeds stop stomach cramps and bloating, and they also help get rid of constipation to some extent.

2. Helps in weight loss: Ajwain seeds are laxative, so they speed up the digestive process and make you go to the bathroom.

• Ajwain can pull out the good nutrients and stop the body from storing too much fat. It also speeds up the body's metabolism, which helps people lose weight.

• The thymol compounds in carom seeds make them a good pain reliever. They can help with headaches, earaches, and toothaches. When ajwain seeds are crushed and put on the temples, they can help with headaches and migraines.

• When you put a few drops of carom seed oil on the outside of your ear, it helps with earaches. When you gargle soaked carom seeds in lukewarm water 3–4 times a day, it helps with toothaches.

3. Prevents premature greying of hair: Putting carom seed paste on your hair or drinking a glass of water soaked in ajwain seeds, curry leaves, and dry grapes once a day helps keep your scalp healthy and prevents your hair from going grey too soon.

4. Helps to treat respiratory tract infection: Carom seeds have chemicals that help with sore throats and other respiratory infections by reducing swelling and killing bacteria.

• Mucus gets moved out of the nose when you chew ajwain seeds with lukewarm water.

5. Prevents acne and pimples: The natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties of ajwain seeds can also help reduce skin irritations like acne and pimples.

• When you put a paste made of carom seeds on your skin for 10 to 15 minutes, it helps get rid of dirt and grime and lightens acne scars.

Ajwain seed water:

If you want to add this superfood to your diet quickly, you could make ajwain seed water. It's a great way to make sure you get the most out of your carom seeds.

How to make ajwain seed water?

It's easy to make carom seed water, and it has all the health benefits of carom seeds.

• 2 tablespoons of carom seeds
• Water- 2 cups

Method:

• Put water and carom seeds in a pot and turn on the heat. It needs to boil.
• Boil this mixture on a low to medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes. Put out the fire.
• Sieve and serve at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions on Ajwain Seeds:

Q1: What can you do with Ajwain seeds?

1. Ajwain seeds are very good at fighting inflammation, fungus, and bacteria. It also helps with a number of respiratory problems, lowers cholesterol, and eases the pain of arthritis. Ajwain seeds are also known for being able to help with stomach pain.

Q2: What else could I use instead of Ajwain seeds?

1. You can use spices like caraway seeds and thyme. In the same way, cumin and fennel seeds can be used instead of carom seeds.

Q3: Can ajwain help get rid of belly fat?

1. Ajwain is good for your digestive health. Switching from a drink with a lot of calories to ajwain water may help you lose weight.

Q4: Is it healthy to eat carom seeds every day?

1. Yes, it is safe to eat carom seeds every day. Still, you shouldn't eat too many of these seeds at once because it could cause stomach problems. Diverticulitis, liver disease, or ulcerative colitis may get worse if you eat carom seeds.

Q5: Can we drink ajwain water daily?

1. Yes, ajwain water is safe to drink every day. It helps with a wide range of stomach problems. Like stomach pain, cramps, heartburn, and passing gas.

Q6: When should we drink water with ajwain?

1. Ajwain water can be drunk at any time. But to get the most out of it, you should take it when you are hungry. It could help with digestion.

Q7: Is there anything else I should know about ajwain water?

Ajwain water is safe for most people to drink. But some people have an allergy to ajwain water. So, they should stay away from it because it might make them sick.

Q8: How do you Ajwain tea?

1. It's easy to make Ajwain seed tea. Bring the water and carom seeds to a boil in a pan. On low to medium heat, let this mixture simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Put out the fire. Let it cool down. Serve lukewarm after sieving.