Fennel:
Foneiculum Vulgare
The ancient lore of fennel goes as far back to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans who used this plant for it’s medicinal power, sweet taste and connection to the spiritual world. Fennel was hung over doorways during the Middle Ages to protect the home against evil spirits, drank as tea for muscle tension, digestive complaints for adults and children and used to stimulate breast milk for mothers who’s supply needed increasing.
Fennel has a mild, but distinguishing licorice-like flavor and fragrance. While it still remains uncertain Fennel is assumed to have originated in Southern Europe and Asia Minor.1,2 Today fennel is cultivated extensively in the U.S., France, India, Persia and Russia and can be found growing wildly in California especially in disturbed soils alongside highways.3
Fennel is loaded with health promoting nutrients including but definitely not limited to Vitamin C, potassium, folate, manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, as well as being stocked with the phytonutrients rutin, quercetin, kaempferol, and anethole which is the primary compound of it’s volatile oil. (4)(5)
Enjoy reading and learning some ways fennel can be used as food and medicine in your home.
Fennel Ginger Tea
With it’s many uses and delicious taste this tea can and should be a regular in your hydration rotation.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 inch ginger piece
2 cups of water
Directions:
Add fennel and ginger to put with cold water. Bring to boil, turn off heat and cover for 5-7 minutes. Strain and drink.
Fennel Chamomile Tea
This tea is especially beneficial for people suffering from digestive issues along with sleep disturbances
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1tablespoon chamomile
½ liter water
Directions:
Add fennel to cold water, bring to boil, turn off heat, add chamomile, cover and let steep 5-7 minutes. Strain and enjoy.
Lactation Tonic
If breast milk supplies are running low drinking this tea can help facilitate lactation
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons fennel seed
½ liter water
Directions:
Bring water to boil
Add fennel seeds
Cover for 5-10 minutes
Strain and enjoy
At Ease Foot Bath
The name speaks for itself. Become more at ease with this foot bath
Ingredients:
4 quarts water
¼ cup fennel seed
¼ cup fresh orange peel or ¼ cup dried orange peel
¼ cup fresh lavender or ¼ cup dried lavender
¼ cup fresh sage or ¼ cup dried sage
Directions:
Put ingredients into water, bring to boil, cover and let sit for an hour.
Reheat water then strain and pour into basin or pour herbs and all into basin.
Add feet!
Three Treasures Oil
Splash this oil onto food like root vegetables, squash and potatoes
Ingredients:
1 cup Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Vodka
2 tablespoons powdered fennel seed
2 tablespoons powdered coriander
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
Directions:
Add everything together and enjoy.
Fennel Seed Face Mask
Apply this mask to help ease inflammation and redness as well as to keep the skin looking youthful.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon powdered Fennel
2 tablespoons oats
Directions:
Mix fennel and oats
Add enough water to make a paste
Apply to face
Leave on for 20 minutes then rinse
Fennel Mouth Rinse
This mouth rinse will not only leave your breathing feel and smelling fresh but it also kills bacteria t
Ingredients:
½ cup fennel seeds
¼ cup cardamom seeds
¼ cup coriander seeds
1 tablespoon powdered ginger
1 tablespoon powdered cinnamon
3 tablespoons coconut oil
3 drops clove essential oil
Directions:
Dry roast fennel, cardamom, and coriander seeds
After it has cooled add powdered cinnamon and ginger
Add coconut and clove oil
Mix and rinse!
Fennel Eye Wash
This eyewash is great for soothing dry, inflamed, itchy and swollen eyes.
Ingredients:
1teaspoon fennel seeds
16 ounces water
Directions:
Bring water to boil, turn off heat
Add seeds, cover and steep 10 minutes
Strain, let cool then dip cotton balls or cloth into liquid then apply to eyes for 10-20 minutes
References:
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed) [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); 2006–.2018 Dec 3.
B Namavar Jahromi 1 , A Tartifizadeh, S Khabnadideh. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2003 Feb;80(2):153-7.
doi: 10.1016/s0020-7292(02)00372-7.
Shamkant B Badgujar 1 , Vainav V Patel 1 , Atmaram H Bandivdekar 1 Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:842674.
doi: 10.1155/2014/842674. Epub 2014 Aug 3.
Masumeh Ghazanfarpour 1 , Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh 2 , Paymaneh Shokrollahi 3 , Talat Khadivzadeh 4 , Mona Najaf Najafi 5 , Hamidreza Hajirezaee 6 , Maliheh Afiat 7 J Obstet Gynaecol . 2018 Jan;38(1):121-126. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2017.1342229. Epub 2017 Sep 11.
Piero Portincasa 1 , Leonilde Bonfrate 2 , Maria Lia Lia Scribano 3 , Anna Kohn 3 , Nicola Caporaso 4 , Davide Festi 5 , Maria Chiara Campanale 6 , Teresa Di Rienzo 6 , Maria Guarino 4 , Martina Taddia 5 , Maria Vittoria Fogli 7 , Maria Grimaldi 7 , Antonio Gasbarrini 6 J Gastrointestin Liver Dis. 2016 Jun;25(2):151-7. doi: 10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.252.ccm.
Tracy Harb 1 , Misa Matsuyama, Michael David, Rebecca J Hill. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2016 May;62(5):668-86. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000001075.
