What Is Fennel Seed?

Fennel seeds are a popular cooking spice and herbal medicine. They have a taste similar to star anise and to anise seeds. Fennel seeds work well on their own and when combined with other herbs. 

How to Use Fennel Seed (Common Uses)

Fennel seed powder can be taken internally as a tea, decoction, powder, or extract. Fennel seeds are often used as a cooking ingredient, and the whole seeds can be chewed after meals.

Medicinal Uses and Benefits of Fennel Seed

Fennel is effective to aid digestion, reduce gas, and to help excess mucus to exit the body, as it relaxes the smooth muscle of the intestine. It can be found as a key ingredient in our Anti-Gas Tea, where it provides exactly this benefit.

Fennel is frequently used in Ayurvedic and Mediterranean dishes, although may also be candied or added to cocktails. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), fennel is warming for the liver, kidney, spleen, and stomach. Some TCM practitioners use fennel seed powder as a topical remedy for snake bites.

Fennel is a gentle herb, and the root is often eaten as a vegetable. It is mild enough that in the appropriate dose it’s safe to give to children, babies, and nursing mothers. Fennel is often used to stimulate normal milk production in nursing mothers. 

We offer fennel seed powder as a simple alternative to having to grind fennel seeds into powder at home. Many cooking recipes requiring fennel seed call for powdered fennel specifically, as the seeds generally remain quite hard after cooking.

Active Constituents in Fennel Seed

Volatile oil, rutin, quercetin, kaempferol glycosides.

Notable Facts About Fennel Seed

Fennel corresponds to the element air and the planet mercury. In medieval times, fennel wands were hung over doorways in homes to protect its inhabitants from witchcraft.