The Health Benefits Of Fennel Seeds.
 (Read 500+ times)
By Glory Lennon
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Fennel, botanically Foeniculum Vulgare Dulce, is a flavorful and fragrant perennial herb standing an impressive 6 feet tall. It is a member of the Umbrelliferae family with some of its well known cousins being Carrot, Queen Anne’s Lace and Parsley. It is a particular favorite among the larvae of the Anise Swallowtail butterfly and the Mouse Moth and therefore would make a great addition to a butterfly garden. The leaves of this plant are very fine, almost feathery and often used as garnish for fish and as a flavoring for other dishes. The bulbous stalk base can be eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable. Fennel has tiny, greenish-yellow or chartreuse flowers growing in wide flat umbrella-like clusters. The aromatic seeds that come from these flowers are what is mostly used for baking, cooking and for medicinal applications.
Many confuse Fennel with Dill because of their similar leaf shape but the confusion is easily rectified when the leaves are crushed and sniffed. Fennel has a distinctive sweet, Licorice or Anise smell. Fennel is a native of the Mediterranean coastal region and was widely cultivated by Romans and therefore followed civilization wherever they conquered. It has since escaped into the wild and is now found growing along road sides all over Europe, Asia, the United States, southern parts of Canada and even Australia.
Because of the relatively nice flavor of Fennel, folk healers, herbalists and “Eclectic” physicians back in the day used to include the crushed seeds just to make their medicinal concoctions more palatable but they soon realized Fennel in itself had properties to make it worthy as a healing herb.
Fennel then and now is considered a good digestive aid. When added to strong herbal laxatives it helps alleviate the intestinal cramps associated with them. It also helps expel gas and has been used to treat diarrhea as it has been shown to kill some bacteria. It is effective in relieving infant colic. It has also been used in a powdered form at kennels and stables to ward of fleas.
Its antispasmodic properties which relax smooth muscles in the digestive tract also help with uterine contractions. In high doses it has been used to promote menstruation. This mild estrogenic quality must have been the reason for its traditional use in promoting the production of milk in nursing mothers. In older women it can be used to naturally alleviate some of the discomforts of menopause.
While some prescribe the female sex hormone estrogen for treating prostate cancer and some consider Fennel good in its treatment, it would be best to inform your physician before trying Fennel for this purpose. Also for those women who have been advised not to take oral contraceptives, those who are pregnant or are trying to become pregnant it is better not to take the risk of any ill effects from using medicinal amounts of Fennel.
Chewing a handful of Fennel seeds is the simplest way to use them as a digestive aid or as an antispasmodic but it can be made into teas, infusions or tinctures. For the tea crush 1 teaspoon of Fennel seeds and steep for 3-5 minutes in a cup of boiling water. This is weak enough even for children when they have a bellyache and they may like the slight licorice taste. For a stronger infusion pour boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of bruise seeds and allow them to steep at least 10 minutes and up to 20. This gets all the goodness out of the seeds. Three cups per day is the recommended amount for the average adult.
In a tincture, take the same amount of crushed Fennel seeds and allow them to steep for 6 weeks in 5 ounces of Brandy or Vodka. This is a very concentrated form and only one half- 1 teaspoon should be taken 3 times per day to help with digestion. This also has been shown to help some individuals with mild coughs and nasal congestion due to colds.
As you can see Fennel seeds is not just something good to sprinkled onto rye bread dough before baking. If you are unable or not willing to grow Fennel on your own you are certain to find it at a good quality herbal store, apothecary or health food shop. Now that you know the health benefits of Fennel it would be good to have around the house, wouldn’t it?
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 Visit http://www.helium.com/user/32782 for more fascinating gardening lessons, amusing short stories and intriguing novel excerpts.
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