Fennel has been known for centuries as a spice and medicinal plant. The ingredients of fennel have an antispasmodic, antiseptic and expectorant effect. In addition, the bulb can be prepared as a fennel vegetable in salads or soups and produces a pleasant anise-like aroma. Fennel tea has a mild digestive effect, especially in infants and young children.
Effect of fennel has tradition
Already in the herbal book of the German abbess and healer Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) one finds the still today appreciated effects of fennel described: “However it is eaten, it makes people cheerful and imparts pleasant warmth and good sweat and digestion.” The most important component of the plant for its medicinal properties are the so-called fennel seeds, which are the fruits of the fennel plant.
The power is in the oil of fennel
Responsible for the taste, smell and healing effect are mainly the two essential oils contained in the fennel seed, anethole and fenchone:
- Anethole is also found in anise, for example, and causes the anise-like scent and taste of fennel.
- The fenchone, on the other hand, tastes bitter and camphor-like.
Fennel: Good for digestive problems.
Mild digestive complaints can be effectively addressed with fennel. The reason: the ingredient anethole increases the movement of the muscles in the stomach and intestines and also has an antispasmodic effect. Both together help with bloating, flatulence and cramp-like abdominal discomfort. Anethole also stimulates appetite and aids digestion.
When breastfeeding, two benefit
If nursing mothers drink fennel tea, they kill two birds with one stone:
- On the one hand, they stimulate the milk production.
- On the other hand, components of fennel tea, which are absorbed through the mother’s milk, have a calming effect on the digestion of the baby.
Fennel tea has proven particularly useful for infants and young children. It can be given directly in the bottle or mixed with porridge and other food. The highly concentrated fennel oil (pure fennel oil), on the other hand, should not be used in babies and young children: The high essential oil content may cause them to experience shortness of breath and agitation. However, fennel teas or fennel honey are harmless, because here the oils are low concentrated.
Fennel against cough and cold
Fennel oil also exerts its effect in the bronchial tubes when ingested with food. In colds with a dry cough, it helps thin the tough mucus. In addition, it increases the movement of the cilia in the respiratory tract. Thus, the mucus can be coughed up better. The essential oil fenchone is said to have an anti-inflammatory effect, so fennel can also help prevent germs from growing.
Fennel in the kitchen
Until a few years ago, fennel was mainly used in the Asian region to refine dishes, but today this is increasingly happening in European kitchens as well. Raw fennel bulbs and leaves in salads or steamed as a vegetable can be found just as fennel seeds for seasoning bread or meat and sausage products. Numerous recipes allow friends of the vegetable to prepare it in many different ways. With its sweet anise-like aroma, fennel has few calories and is rich in vitamin C, potassium, calcium and magnesium. If you want fennel in your spice rack, you can get fennel seeds from the pharmacy, for example. Tip: If you lightly crush the fennel seeds with a mortar or fork shortly before preparation, the essential oils can develop their effect even much better. Unused fennel seeds should always be stored away from light, cool and dry.
Dosage forms of fennel
If you want to make fennel tea from dried seeds, pour one to two teaspoons of fruit over a cup of boiling water and let the tea steep for ten minutes. In addition to teas, fennel is also available in cough syrups, candies and drops. Among singers, honey mixed with fennel is considered an insider’s tip against hoarseness. Other medicinal plants such as anise or caraway are often found in ready-made preparations to enhance the effect of fennel – for example, in tea to aid digestion. Your pharmacy will advise you on which form of application is appropriate in your particular case.
Allergy to fennel rather rare
Few people have an allergic reaction to the ingredients of fennel and develop skin rashes, for example. If an allergy to celery is known, the likelihood of having an allergic reaction to fennel also increases.
Mediterranean origin of the medicinal plant
Originally, the herbaceous plant grew only in sunny and wind-protected locations of the Mediterranean region, but since the Middle Ages it has also been native to Europe. To meet the growing demand, fennel is now imported from Hungary, China and Egypt, for example. The fennel plant grows to a height of one to two meters and has a blue-green, leafless and grooved stem that branches out strongly at the top. At the end of these branchings ripen the fruits, which are commonly called fennel seeds. The dried, ripe fruits are used as a natural remedy.
