Anise is a well-known medicinal and spice plant from the umbellifer family. Its Latin name is Pimpinella anisum. It is an annual plant that can grow up to 60 cm high. The whole plant is very aromatic and already emits the typical fragrance for which anise is known.
Occurrence and cultivation of anise
Anise can be used in very different ways. Particularly well known are partly high-proof alcoholic beverages, which carry the very typical aroma of the anise fruit. From about July to September, anise bears white flowers, and in August and September, brown split fruits. The latter are harvested as soon as they are ripe and can be used in sweets, alcoholic beverages or even as a natural medicine for healing purposes. Anise contains up to 6% essential oils and can therefore also be used for oil extraction for various purposes. The anise plant originates from the eastern Mediterranean region. Today it is mainly imported from Egypt, Italy, Spain and Turkey. In Germany, aniseed is rarely found in the wild, as it prefers a dry climate and is demanding to grow. However, it is sometimes cultivated in this country. Collection time: July – August, umbel flowers are harvested when ripe, yellow-brown and then dried. Finally, one knocks out the fruits.
Effect and application
Anise can be used in quite different ways. Particularly well known are partly high-proof alcoholic beverages, which carry the very typical aroma of the anise fruit. These include, for example, ouzo, pastis or sambuca. In some cases, however, the anise is partly or completely replaced by star anise, which is imported from China. Baked goods with the popular anise flavor are also known in Western cuisine, for example the aniseed cookies that are particularly available at Christmas or the aniseed rolls that are especially well-known in southern Germany. Cooking recipes that include anise fruits or anise flowers are less well known, but do exist. Thus, the flowers can be used in a salad, the stems and roots in soups and stews. Sweets that take advantage of the strong and tasty aroma of anise are also very popular. These include, above all, candies in various forms, which, in addition to the pleasant taste, can also have a soothing effect on the throat and pharynx. For this reason, anise is also used in natural medicine. Candies and pastilles for sore throats and coughs often contain aniseed components. Together with fennel and caraway, the versatile plant is also found in various herbal teas, which can have gentle healing effects on different areas of the body. Last but not least, anise can also be used as an essential oil for room fragrancing or rubbing for various ailments. Properties: expectorant, decongestant, antispasmodic
Healing properties: for flatulence, stimulates lactation, relieves cramping gastrointestinal complaints, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, good for babies and young children
Dosage forms: Tea, infusion, oil, spice, liqueurs and herbal liquor.
Combinations: especially well suited with fennel and caraway against gastrointestinal complaints, more pleasant taste than caraway and fennel
Side effects: allergic reactions occur only rarely
Importance for health, treatment and prevention
For anise there are numerous areas of application in naturopathy, which can have positive effects on very different areas of health. For colds, the crushed fruit is used as an infusion or even portions of the essential oil to relieve coughs and gently loosen stuck mucus. In candies and throat lozenges, anise components help against throat and pharyngeal complaints. In these cases, it is also possible to gargle with a special aniseed water. The plant is often used here together with fennel or also mint. In addition, aniseed also has an antispasmodic and appetite-stimulating effect and can thus also be used for stomach complaints. Again, the crushed fruit, often combined with fennel and caraway, is infused into a tea and then taken several times a day. Since anise also has milk-binding properties and is also popular with young children due to its pleasant taste, natural remedies with anise ingredients are ideal for pregnant women, nursing mothers and babies. Anise teas can also have a calming effect and be helpful for mild sleep disorders (also in children).External application of anise is also possible, for example for head lice, scabies or mites. For this purpose, the affected areas of the body are regularly rubbed with strong fennel tea or a tincture or ointment made from anise essential oil. Such treatment is also possible in veterinary medicine, for example in dogs when they suffer from mites. However, it should be urgently noted that cats must not be treated with anise essential oil under any circumstances, as it has a lethal effect on them.
