It is flavorful medicinal herb. Its essential oils, dry seeds, seed extracts and seed powders are use to prepare beverages, medicine or use in cooking.
Its seeds contain higher amount of oils and this seeds extracted oils are use in scented soaps, perfumes, medicines, creams, foods and candies.
All parts of plant are aromatic, edible and use for flavor. Its flowers, seeds, leaves and bulbs can be use differently. Seeds are good source of fiber and its taste little like licorice.
Synonyms :- Fructus foeniculum, fennel fruits.
Biological Source :- It consist of dried ripe fruits of plant foeniculum vulgare Miller.
Family :- It belong to Umbelliferae family.
Geographical Source :- It largely cultivated in Germany, France, Indian, Romania, Russia and Japan.
Cultivation and collection :- It cultivate by dibbling method. Well drained and calcareous soil are suitable for its cultivation. Four to five seeds are put in holes at a distance of 25cm.
Quality seeds are sown before the spring. Its ripe fruits are harvest and dried in the sun.
Macroscopic Characters :-
- Taste :- Aromatic.
- Odour :- Sweet aromatic.
- Colour :- Green to yellowish brown.
- Shape :- Straight or slightly curved.
- Size :- 4 to 10 * 2 to 4 mm.
Chemical Constituents :- It contain 2.5 to 7 % volatile oil, 20 % proteins and fixed oil. Main active constituents of volatile oil are fenchone, ketone and phenolic ether. Also contain methyl chavicol, phellandrene, anisic aldehyde and limonene.
Fenchone is a colourless pungent liquid. Anethole is sweet in taste and odour.
Health Benefits Of Fennel :-
1. Postmenopausal symptoms :-
Menopause brings number of physiological changes and affect woman life. Menopause is a permanent cessation of menstruation cycle. It associated with changes in the hypothalamic and pituitary hormones.
Some postmenopausal symptoms are dry vagina, difficulty concentrating, depression, vasomotor symptoms, insomnia and stress.
Fennel Action :- It effectively alleviate menopause rating scale score. Fennel oil consumption can improve sexual function and sexual satisfaction during menopause.
As per Menopause, September 2017 randomized controlled trial, Fennel soft capsules can reduce menopause rating scale score and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women.
According to J Menopausal Med, April 2018 meta analysis, It help to relieve vasomotor symptoms and pain during or after intercourse. It is beneficial for vaginal itching and dryness.
2. Cancer :-
Main risk factors of cancer are family history, tobacco use, high alcohol consumption, environment, exposure to dangerous chemical and radiation. Cancerous cells are multiply uncontrollably.
Fennel Action :- Its extract is use to inhibit proliferation or prevent cancer cell growth. More human trial need to confirm its anti cancer effect.
As per J Ethnopharmacol, May 2018 study, Chloroform fraction of fennel is use against breast cancer cell.
According to Food Funct, March 2021 study, Its extract exert anti cancer effect.
3. Gastrointestinal function :-
Digestion of food, absorb nutrients and excrete waste products are main functions of gastrointestinal track.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is disorder of stomach and intestines. Abdominal pain, bloating and changes in bowel movement are symptoms of IBS.
Fennel Action :- It is use as carminative and promote healthy digestive tract. It is good source of fiber and relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. It is beneficial for constipation and reduce bowels inflammation.
Fennel oil and turmeric combination is much useful to improve gastrointestinal function. Plain or sugar coated fennel seeds are chew after meal to improve digestion.
As per Ann Gastroenterol, November- December 2018 study, Oral consumption of turmeric and essential fennel oil is helpful for irritable bowel syndrome patients.
As per J Gastrointestin Liver Dis, June 2016 randomized controlled trial, Turmeric and fennel essential oil combination can amend irritable bowel syndrome.
According to PLos One, July 2022 animal study, Fennel seed extract exert protective effect against barrier function of gastrointestinal tract.
As per Surgery, November 2020 randomized controlled trial, Heated fennel therapy can improve gastrointestinal function after complex abdominal surgery.
4. Curb appetite :-
Fennel Action :- It is rich source of fiber. Its fiber can prevent overeating, maintain body’s energy, stay fuller for long time, decrease hunger and regulate food intake.
Its seed extract or tea are use to reduce appetite. It is more helpful for obese peoples to control appetite. More human research is need to confirm.
According to Clin Nutr Res, July 2015 study, Fennel tea can suppress appetite by reducing further food intake in overweight women.
5. Bad breath :-
It is also called halitosis. Main causes of bad breath are food particles in or around teeth, some medicines, smoking, dry mouth, mouth infection, acid and bile reflux from the stomach.
Fennel Action :- It is use as natural mouth freshener. Its aromatic essential oil help to prevent bad breath and use to refresh mouth. Chewing fennel seeds can enhance freshen breath.
A cup of fennel tea at morning is effective for bad breath. Due to its aromatic properties, it is use to make mouth freshener. It increase saliva secretion, which is beneficial to clean mouth pathogens.
6. Weight loss :-
Main risk factors of obesity are family history, pregnancy, unhealthy diet, smoking, lack of sleep, high alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and stress. Body mass index use to diagnose obesity.
Fennel Action :- It is good source of fiber. One glass of fennel water on an empty stomach at morning and one glass during the evening is beneficial for maintain body weight.
It help to lose stomach fat and prevent fat gain. Its tea or water is use to suppress appetite and beneficial for weight loss treatment.
7. Menstrual pain :-
Main causes of menstrual pain are irregular periods, family history of painful period, early puberty, heavy bleeding and smoking. Its main symptoms are pain in lower abdomen, dizziness and abdomen pain starts before 1 to 3 days.
Fennel Action :- It can be use as alternative or complimentary treatment for dysmenorrhea. Fennel oil, tea or extract capsules are use to reduce menstruation pain and treat premenstrual syndrome.
It help to shorten the length of menstruation by improving blood flow.
As per Ayu, April-June 2012 controlled trial, Fennel extract capsules are effective treatment for primary dysmenorrhea.
According to Nutrients, November 2020 meta analysis, It is use as alternative treatment for menstrual pain.
8. Heart :-
Sweating, shortness of breath, neck pain, dizziness, chest pain, sleeping difficulty, vomiting, nausea and fever are some common symptoms of heart disease.
Coronary artery disease, arrhythmia, dilated cardiomyopathy, congenital heart defects, myocardial infarction, heart failure and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are some main types of heart disease.
Fennel Action :- It is good source of fiber, potassium, calcium and magnesium, which is essential for heart. It help to lower blood pressure, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood.
High fiber foods are beneficial for heart health.
Nutrition Of Fennel :-
It is branching perennial herb. Its seeds are low in calories and rich in fiber. Its dry seeds, essential oils, seed powders and seed extracts are use for cooking and medicines preparation.
It contain :-
- Fiber.
- Protein.
- Carbohydrate.
- Vitamin C.
- Calcium.
- Iron.
- Magnesium.
- Potassium.
- Sodium.
Precautions Of Fennel :-
It is unsafe for pregnant women, always avoid its use during pregnancy. Due to insufficient information, avoid during breastfeeding, it may harmful to infants and increase milk flow.
Side Effects Of Fennel :-
It is rich source of fiber and use for flavor. It is beneficial for gastrointestinal function, dysmenorrhea, bad breath, postmenopausal symptoms and obesity.
It consider as safe for daily use. Some peoples are allergic to fennel.
Its common side effects are :-
- In oral consumption :- In may chance to stomach upset, seizures, vomiting, nausea, tightness in throat and chest. Its high dose may increase menstrual flow.
- In topical skin application :- It may chance to hives, itching and rash.
Fennel Tea :-
Lightly crushed fennel seeds are use prepare fennel tea. It is good source of antioxidant and beneficial for digestion, dysmenorrhea, reduce appetite, bad breath etc.
Very easy to make fennel tea at home. Take a dry fennel seeds and water to make tea. Ginger, mint leaves and honey is optional to add for taste.
Step to make :-
- Add 1 cup water in pot and start boiling.
- Add fennel seeds in pot and let the water simmer.
- Turn off the gas and strain it properly.
Add ginger and mint leaves during boiling. Add honey after boiling.
Fennel Water :-
Its carminative properties helps to relieve bloating, gas, indigestion and improve gastrointestinal health. It is rich source of fiber and reduce your appetite by feeling you full. Its seeds and water need for making fennel water.
Step to make fennel water :-
- Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds in water.
- Mix it properly and leave it for overnight.
- At morning, filter the seed.
It is flowering plant and grow up to 7 to 8 feet tall. Free draining soil with proper sunlight is suitable for its growth. Its flowers are yellow and leaves are green in colour.
Its bright green, smooth, multiple branched leaves are grow up to 40 cm long and about 0.5 mm wide. Both hair like foliage and seeds are use for cooking.
Sugar coated and uncoated seeds are use as mouth freshener. It is use in various traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines.
It can be use as alternative or complementary treatment. The natural light green colour dye obtained from its leaves and yellow colour dye obtained from its flowers. This dyes are use in foods, cosmetics preparation and textile industry.
Its oil is pale yellow liquid and commonly use for flavour. Its seeds oil is use to make medicines, foods, perfumes, soaps, candies and creams.