Have you heard of fennel before? If you’re a food enthusiast, chef, cook or blogger, then you’ve probably come across this herb already. It’s added to various dishes to enhance flavour and make them more interesting. Not only that, but fennel seed is also great for your health. This article will teach you the different health benefits of fennel seeds, so keep reading to learn more!
What is Fennel?
Fennel is a perennial plant with a fragrant smell and yellow flower. This herb is native to the Mediterranean, but it’s now found all around the world. It can reach up to 2 metres in height and offers deep green leaves. Its seeds, which resemble anise seeds, are harvested when they turn light brown. They are recognizable by their fine vertical stripes.
Generally, fennel is harvested during the early hours of the day to avoid losing them in the field. Just like caraway, the stems of the fennel are stacked and left to dry, after which they are threshed and processed before being sent out to markets.
Fennel is used for a number of culinary and medicinal purposes. If you don’t have any in your kitchen right now, you should consider making it a household staple. Its talents are limitless, but before we go into that, lets learn more about what’s in it!
Nutritional Value of Fennel Seeds
100 grams of fennel seeds contain:
| Principle | Amount | % Daily Value |
| Energy | 345 Kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 52.29 grams | 40% |
| Protein | 15.80 grams | 28% |
| Total Fat | 14.87 grams | 48% |
| Cholesterol | 0 milligram | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 39.8 grams | 104% |
| Vitamins | ||
| Niacin | 6.050 milligrams | 37% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.470 milligrams | 36% |
| Riboflavin | 0.353 milligrams | 28% |
| Thiamin | 0.408 milligrams | 34% |
| Vitamin A | 135 IU | 4.5% |
| Vitamin C | 21 milligrams | 35% |
| Electrolytes | ||
| Sodium | 88 milligrams | 6% |
| Potassium | 1694 milligrams | 36% |
| Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 1196 milligrams | 120% |
| Copper | 1.067 milligrams | 118% |
| Iron | 18.54 milligrams | 232% |
| Magnesium | 385 milligrams | 96% |
| Manganese | 6.533 milligrams | 284% |
| Phosphorus | 487 milligrams | 70% |
| Zinc | 3.70 milligrams | 33.5% |
Uses of Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds are useful in both the medical and culinary fields. Read on to learn more.
Medicinal Uses
- The oil from the fennel seed is beneficial in relieving coughs and bronchitis, and it can even be used as a massage oil to relieve joint pain.
- Fennel water is given to newborn babies to relieve pain.
- Fennel seed products may help increase the secretion of milk of a nursing mother.
- Fennel seed is a remedy for flatulence and indigestion in traditional medicine.
Culinary Uses
The aroma of the fennel seed is similar to that of anise, which makes it a great addition to dishes. In fact, fennel is used as an herb in dishes around the world.
- Fennel seeds are useful as a flavoring for bread, cheese, biscuits, cakes and dough.
- It can be a part of curry powder.
- The seeds add flavor to fish dishes, vegetables, etc.
- They can be used as a condiment or flavoring.
Health Benefits of Fennel Seeds
Here are some of the health benefits of fennel seeds:
- Help treat diarrhea: the herb is beneficial in treating diarrhea, as it has some antibacterial and disinfectant properties.
- Help improve brain function: the potassium in the fennel seeds improves the function of the brain and general cognitive abilities.
- Help regulate blood pressure: the rich potassium levels of the fennel seeds make them perfect for regulating blood pressure levels.
- Help prevent cancer: this is one of the best health benefits of fennel. The seed extract of the herb is beneficial in protecting the body from cancer since it contains phenols, alkaloids and flavonoids.
- Help treat constipation: powdered fennel seeds may act as a laxative. This will help clear the bowels and maintain the proper peristaltic motion of the intestines.
- Help treat indigestion: the components of fennel seeds stimulate the secretion of gastric and digestive juices while reducing inflammation in the stomach and intestine.
