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Dried fennel seed is an aromatic, anise-flavoured , brown or green in colour when fresh, slowly turning a dull grey as the seed ages.
Fennel seeds are sometimes confused with those of , which are very similar in taste and appearance, though smaller. Fennel is also used as a flavouring in some natural .
Fennel features prominently in Italian cuisine, where bulbs andfronds are used, both raw and cooked, in side dishes, salads, pastas,and . Fennel seed is a common ingredient in sausages and meatballs and northern European rye breads.
Many , , and other dishes employ fresh or dried fennel leaves. Florence fennel is a key ingredient in some Italian and , often tossed with and , or it can be and served as a warm side dish. It may be or , or cooked in risotto.
Medicines Used:
On account of its properties, Fennel is chiefly used medicinally with to allay their side effects and for this purpose forms one of the ingredients of the well-known compound Liquorice Powder.
Fennel water has properties similar to those of and water: mixed with and syrup, these waters constitute the domestic 'Gripe Water', used toease flatulence in infants; it also can be made into a syrup to treatbabies with or painful teething. Long term ingestion of fennel preparations by babies is a known cause of . For adults, fennel seeds or tea can relax the intestines and reduce bloating caused by digestive disorders. of fennel has these properties in concentration.
Fennel tea, formerly also employed as a , is made by pouring boiling water on a teaspoonful of bruised fennel seeds.
Eyes
In the Indian subcontinent, Fennel seeds are also eaten raw, sometimes with some sweetener, to improve eyesight.[]Fennel tea can be used as an eye tonic, applied directly like eyedropsor as a compress, to reduce soreness and inflammation of the eye.[] Extracts of fennel seed have been shown in animal studies to have a potential use in the treatment of .
Blood and urineSome people use fennel as a ,[] and it may be an effective diuretic and a potential drug for treatment of .
BreastmilkThere are historical anecdotes that fennel is a , improving the milk supply of a mother. This use, although not supported by direct evidence, issometimes justified by the fact that fennel is a source ofphytoestrogens, which promote growth of breast tissue. However, normal does not involve growth of breast tissue. There is a single case reportof fennel tea ingested by a breastfeeding mother resulting inneurotoxicity for the newborn child.
Other uses
Syrup prepared from fennel juice was formerly given for chronic coughs. Fennel is also largely used for condiments. It is one of the plants which is said to be disliked by , and powdered fennel has the effect of driving away fleas from kennels and stables.Prices : 10 USD/kg