People have been using caraway as both a culinary and medicinal plant for a very long time. Besides, these crescent shaped fruits are actually darker in color and bitterer in taste than the cumin seed. In addition, they have an anise-like flavor, though it is more complex and less pronounced than the anise flavor in fennel seeds. As a matter of fact, caraway is also scientifically recognized for its healing properties, and not just for its use in scrumptious European dishes. For one, its small crescent-shaped fruits promote healthy digestion, relieve gas, prevent bloating, and ease heartburn.