Strongly aromatic, caraway is a member of the parsley or Umbelliferae family; a large family of plants that also includes commonly known herbs and spices such as dill, anise, fennel, and . Caraway (Carum carvi L.) contains health benefiting essential oils. These compounds indeed work as powerful antioxidants by removing harmful free radicals from the body and thus protect from cancers, infection, aging and degenerative neurological diseases. Principle health benefiting volatile compounds are flavonoids antioxidants viz. carvone, limonene, carveol, pinene, cumuninic aldehyde, furfural, and thujone. These active principles in the caraway seeds known to have antioxidant, digestive, carminative, and anti-flatulent properties. Also, dietary fibers occurring in caraway bind to the toxins in the food and helps protect the colon mucosa from cancers. Further, dietary fibers bind to bile salts (produced from cholesterol) and decrease their re-absorption in the colon, and thus help in reducing serum LDL cholesterol levels. Caraway spice is an excellent source of minerals like Fe, Cu, Ca, K, Mn, se, Zn and Mg. The plant's roots can be eaten, but most people use the caraway fruit, which is mistakenly called seed as a result of its size and texture.