Fennel is one of the few plants that has it all

Fennel is one of the few plants that has it all — it’s a vegetable, herb and spice. That tang of licorice when you bite into a fennel seed comes from the volatile oil anethole, the same compound that gives anise its licorice-like flavor.

Fennel is a perennial, pleasant-smelling herb with yellow flowers. It is native to the Mediterranean but is now found throughout the world. Dried fennel seeds are often used in cooking as an anise-flavored spice. But don’t confuse fennel with anise; though they look and taste similar, they are not the same. Fennel’s dried ripe seeds and oil are used to make medicine. Fennel is known by many names, and I will list them at the bottom of the post.

Benefits of Fennel

• Digestive problems including indigestion, heartburn, intestinal gas, stomach upset, bloating, loss of appetite, and colic in infants. Fennel contains plenty of fiber to help you go when things back up and you can’t move your bowels. Plus the veggie contains amino acids that can help balance your system to help you stop the go when you can’t stay out of the bathroom. And the oils in fennel help us digest food faster and more efficiently. Which means fennel is the perfect choice to slash gas, bloating and indigestion.
• for upper respiratory tract infections, coughs, bronchitis, Airway swelling.
• Some women use fennel for increasing the flow of breast milk, promoting menstruation, easing the birthing process, and increasing sex drive.
• Calms Menstrual Cramps: Fennel seeds are teeming with anethole and dozens of other phytochemicals, including phytoestrogens, estrogen-like compounds found in plants. These can help offset menstrual cramps that affect more than 50 percent of menstruating women.
• Lowers Blood Pressure: Fennel is brimming with potassium and nitrates. Both nutrients work together to help keep your blood pressure in check. Potassium has many important jobs in your body such as supporting your muscles and helping keep your heartbeat regular. But one of the essential mineral’s most important tasks is to help keep your blood vessels dilated so blood can flow freely. Plus your body converts nitrates into nitric oxide, which is a natural vasodilator as well.
• Breast Cancer: anethole, the organic substance known for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties, has proven in a study to stop breast cancer cells from growing. Not only that. It also prevents these cells from surviving. In fact, the anethole can cause the breast cancer cells to kill themselves altogether in some cases. This means that at the very least it can slow the growth and spread of breast cancer.
• Colon Cancer: fennel is an excellent source of fiber. Experts say fiber may be able to lower our risk for some forms of cancer. Folks who live in countries that eat a high-fiber diet have a significantly lower risk of colon cancer.
• Cancer prevention: fennel contains a healthy amount of folate, which plays an important role in DNA synthesis and repair. That means fennel could help prevent cancer cells from forming in the first place and Fennel is also a good source of selenium. Selenium is a natural antioxidant, which experts say fights cancer-linked oxidation and supports a healthy immune system. Selenium plays a key role in the body’s natural detoxifications system. It works with your liver to help purge compounds linked to higher rates of cancer. And the mineral slows tumor growth and reduces chronic inflammation.
• Mild spasms of the stomach and intestines.
• Intestinal gas (flatulence).
• Detox: Fennel is a mildly diuretic, which may help with the removal of toxic substances from the body.
• Bone Health: Fennel is a good source of bone-supporting calcium. In fact, a single bulb delivers about 10 percent of your daily calcium needs. Fennel also contains phosphate and manganese to create bone structure, and vitamin K to help prevent fractures.
• Brain Health: Potassium is a natural electrolyte. That means it supports healthy electrical activity throughout your entire body. This includes in your brain, the hub of your electrical system. Plus potassium’s blood-vessel dilating action can boost your brain function too. The mineral increases blood flow to your oxygen hungry brain. And a well-oxygenated brain simply performs better. Better blood flow will also reduce your risk of a blood clot heading to your brain and causing a devastating stroke.
• for cholera, backache, bedwetting, and visual problems.

Other Names: 

Anethum Foeniculum, Anethum piperitum, Bari-Sanuf, Bitter Fennel, Carosella, Common Fennel, Fennel Essential Oil, Fennel Oil, Fennel Seed, Fenouil, Fenouil Amer, Fenouil Bulbeux, Fenouil Commun, Fenouil de Florence, Fenouil des Vignes, Fenouil Doux, Fenouil Sauvage, Finnochio, Florence Fennel, Foeniculi Antheroleum, Foeniculum Capillaceum, Foeniculum Officinale, Foeniculum piperitum, Foeniculum Vulgare, Garden Fennel, Graine de Fenouil, Hinojo, Huile Essentielle de Fenouil, Huile de Fenouil, Large Fennel, Phytoestrogen, Phyto-œstrogène, Sanuf, Shatapuspha, Sweet Fennel, Wild Fennel, Xiao Hui Xiang

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My Closing Thoughts~

You all know how much I love herbs and work with herbs daily so its only natural that I pass on the information about the benefits of Fennel. Now having said that with every benefit come precautions so please search the internet for precautions. One that is talked about is...

• Fennel might be UNSAFE when used long-term. It contains estragole, a chemical that might increase the risk of getting liver cancer. Test were done with mice that suggested this.

I feel greens is medicine to the body and its only common sense that you take precautions to not overdose on prescribed medicine so I take precautions not to over dose on herbs too.

"Live everyday like a holiday" Pam

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