Fennel is a medicinal plant that has excellent amounts of tannins, alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids and essential fatty acids, and is widely used as a home remedy to improve digestion, combat gas and colic.
Fennel seeds are very aromatic and, therefore, are normally used in cooking, to prepare sweet dishes, such as homemade cakes and cookies, but they can also be added to savory preparations. The plant is most often used in dishes with meat or fish. Furthermore, fennel is widely used in the form of tea, essential oil or in medicines and cosmetic products.
Fennel, known scientifically as Common fennel, can be purchased in supermarkets, health food stores or compounding pharmacies in the form of flowers, essential oil, tinctures, leaves or dried seeds. It is still possible to find fennel in open-air markets and supermarkets and you can find fresh fennel stems and leaves.
What is fennel good for?
The main health benefits of fennel are:
- Relieve menstrual and intestinal cramps;
- Reduce PMS symptoms;
- Combat stomach pain;
- Improve digestion;
- Combat diarrhea and constipation;
- Help control high blood pressure;
- Stimulate the production of breast milk;
- Combat excess gases;
- Help fight flu and colds;
- Relieve nausea and vomiting;
- Improve anxiety and sleep;
- Assist in detoxification and protect the liver;
- Prevent cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis or heart attack;
- Fight intestinal worms.
Fennel offers these benefits because its leaves and seeds contain compounds such as anethole, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins and rosmarinic acid, which have relaxing, anti-inflammatory, stimulating, antispasmodic, carminative, antiplatelet, vermifuge, digestive, diuretic action. and mild expectorant.
Difference between fennel and fennel
Fennel and fennel have a similar appearance and are therefore easily confused, being popularly called “fennel”. However, they are different plants that have different compounds and properties.
Fennel is a plant that has white flowers, wide leaves and the fruits are rounded and small. Understand better about fennel and its benefits.
Fennel has the thinnest leaves, yellow flowers and its seeds are more elongated and larger than those of fennel.
How to use
Fennel seeds can be used in the form of essential oil, tinctures, teas or added to cakes or pies. Fennel leaves and stems can be used in cooking to season meat, fish and salads.
Some ways to use the plant are:
1. Fennel tea
Fennel tea helps relieve cramps, diarrhea, helps combat excess gas, and helps increase breast milk production.
Ingredients:
- 150 ml of boiling water;
- 1 teaspoon (5 to 7 g) of fresh fennel seeds or leaves.
Preparation mode:
Place 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds or leaves in water. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes, let it cool and drink 1 to 3 times a day.
2. Essential oil
Ingesting essential oil from fennel seeds is safe and is recommended for poor digestion, diarrhea, colic and is also recommended for preventing heart attacks and atherosclerosis, for example.
Furthermore, the topical use of the oil is indicated in dermatological treatments, helping with lymphatic drainage, helping with wound healing and as a calming agent in aromatherapy.
The recommendation regarding the amount of oil and frequency varies according to the objective, and it is generally recommended to take around 2 to 5 drops of oil diluted in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil, 2 to 3 times a day.
To apply to the skin, you can mix a few drops of essential oil with a little vegetable oil, such as coconut, jojoba or wheat germ, and massage the body. See more about the different ways to use essential oils.
3. Fennel tincture
Fennel tincture can be used to help combat excess gas, diarrhea and poor digestion.
Typically, 10% fennel tincture is recommended, taken in 1 to 3 mL, diluted in 50 mL of water, one to three times a day.
When it should not be used
Fennel is contraindicated during pregnancy as it can increase uterine contractions and cause miscarriages. Furthermore, it should not be consumed by people with a history of epilepsy and in children, and should not be consumed for a prolonged period of time.
The plant can also cause allergic skin reactions. Furthermore, the use of fennel should be avoided by those with hyperestrogenism and by women with heavy menstrual flow.
Fennel tincture should not be used by pregnant and breastfeeding women, alcoholics and diabetics, as it contains alcohol. It is also contraindicated for people with reflux and should be consumed with caution for those who do not wish/can become pregnant, as fennel tincture may reduce the effect of contraceptive medications.
Before starting to use fennel, it is essential to consult a doctor or other health professional specialized in the use of medicinal plants, to prevent possible adverse effects from using the plant.
