12 Impressive Fennel Benefits

Eating fennel is a tasty way to provide your body with healthful benefits. This aromatic, slightly sweet herb has long been common in Mediterranean cuisine. The pale green bulb, along with the long stalks, leaves and seeds, are edible and fennel's seeds, roots and leaves have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. Adding fennel to your meals not only enhances the flavor of your foods, but also gives your body a boost of nutrition. 

Health benefits of fennel

Beats Bad Breath

Munching on a few fennel seeds will sweeten and refresh your breath after a meal and especially get rid of bad breath after an odorous meal.

Its antimicrobial properties fight the germs that cause bad breath. Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties also soothe sore gums. In addition to chewing on a fennel seeds, you can swish lukewarm fennel tea in your mouth and gargle with it to reduce bad breath.

Aids Digestion

Fennel is highly beneficial in relieving digestive problems such as indigestion, bloating, flatulence, constipation, colic, intestinal gas, heartburn, and even irritable bowel.

Simply chewing a teaspoon of fennel seeds after meals aids digestion and relieves stomach pains and bloating. When suffering from indigestion, you can drink fennel tea or take one-half teaspoon of fennel seed powder along with water two times a day.

Bone health

Phosphate and calcium are both important in bone structure

Iron and zinc are crucial for the production and maturation of collagen

Bone matrix formation requires the mineral manganese

Low intakes of vitamin K have been associated with a higher risk for bone fracture.

Vitamin K is important for health, as it modifies of bone matrix proteins, improves calcium absorption, and may reduce the excretion of calcium in urine.

Relieves Water Retention

Drinking fennel tea on a regular basis helps flush out excess fluids from the body as it works as a diuretic. You can also reduce puffy eyes caused by fluid retention by applying strong fennel tea under your eyes.

Reduces Obesity

 Fresh fennel works as a natural fat buster by boosting the metabolism and breaking down fats. Plus, being a diuretic, fennel helps reduce water retention, which is a common cause of temporary weight gain.

One simple way to facilitate weight loss with this herb is to dry roast, grind and sieve fennel seeds and consume one-half teaspoon of the powder with warm water twice daily.

Protects Against Cancers

Moreover, the herb has an anti-inflammatory phytonutrient called anethole that has anti-cancer effects. Astudy at the University of Texas found that this phytonutrient can stop breast cancer cells from growing. Other phytonutrients like quercetin and limonene present in this herb also have anticarcinogenic effects.

Relieves Menstrual Problems

Many factors, including stress and poor diet, can interrupt a woman’s regular menstrual cycle. Fennel seeds have emmenagogue properties that promote and regulate menstrual flow. The herb also has phytoestrogens that help with issues like premenstrual syndrome, menopausal disorders, and breast enlargement.

Apart from menstrual benefits, fennel is traditionally used as a galactagogue to promote lactation in nursing mothers. 

Treats Respiratory Illnesses

Fennel has mild expectorant properties that help relieve respiratory tract infections associated with coughs, colds, the flu, and sinus congestion.

For instance, when suffering with a cough and sore throat, you can drink warm fennel tea two or three times a day. Also, you can boil two tablespoons of fennel seeds in one cup of water until half the water evaporates, strain the solution and gargle with it.

Prevents Cardiac Problems

Fennel can reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. It is a good source of potassium that helps lower high blood pressure as well as folate that is needed for converting potentially dangerous homocysteine molecules into a benign form.

Also, raw fennel root is rich in dietary fiber that helps control cholesterol buildup. It also contains vitamin C, which acts as an antioxidant and prevents heart disease by inhibiting free radical activity.

Promotes Eye Health

Researchers at the Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Research have found that fennel may help reduce eye pressure and promote the dilation of blood vessels. Thus, it may help prevent or treat glaucoma, a vision-impairing disease. However, further research and evaluation is needed in this regard.

Moreover, an Indian study led by researchers from the Department of Biochemistry at the Shivaji University suggests that fennel seeds contain a compound (trans-anethole) that may prevent retinopathy associated with vision loss in diabetics.

You can derive these benefits by drinking fennel tea daily. Also, you can prepare an infusion of one-half teaspoon of fennel seeds boiled in one cup of water until half the water evaporates. Strain and cool the solution and then use it as eye drops to relieve eye strain and irritation.

Improves Memory and Brain Function

Fennel bulbs and seeds also have high levels of potassium, which encourages increased electrical conduction throughout the body, contributing to healthy brain functioning and cognitive abilities.

Moreover, fennel juice acts as a vasodilator and increases oxygen supply to the brain. It is also helpful in relieving depression and delaying the onset of dementia.

Possible Fennel Side Effects

Although for most people fennel is a great, healthy vegetable choice, people with certain medical conditions may have to limit or avoid the consumption of fennel. Some people may be allergic to certain spices, therefore should avoid consuming fennel seeds.

Due to the high potassium content, those with kidney disease should limit the amount of fennel they eat. People taking beta-blockers, which is typically prescribed to help control blood pressure, can also have elevated potassium levels and may need to avoid fennel.

Sources: 

livestrong.com

top10homeremedies.com

draxe.com