FENNEL

 Application

• It is a highly aromatic and flavourful herb with culinary and medicinal uses.
• Dried fennel seed is an aromatic, anise-flavoured spice, brown or green in colour when fresh, slowly turning a dull grey as the seed ages. For cooking green seeds are the best.
• The bulb is a crisp, hardy root vegetable and may be eaten raw. Many cultures in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East use fennel seeds in their cooking.
• Fennel water has properties similar to those of anise and dill water: mixed with sodium bicarbonate and syrup, these waters constitute the domestic ‘gripe water', used to correct flatulence of infants.
• Fennel tea, also employed as a carminative, is made by pouring boiling water on a teaspoonful of bruised fennel seeds.
• In the Indian Subcontinent, fennel seeds are eaten raw, sometimes with some sweetener to improve eyesight.
• Extracts of fennel seeds have been shown in animal studies to have a potential use in the treatment of glaucoma, as a diuretic and a potential drug for the treatment of hypertension.
• It is well known for its essential oil. The characteristic anise odour is due to its essential oil makes it an excellent flavouring agent in baked goods, meat and fish dishes, ice-cream and alcoholic beverages
• The major components of seed essential oil have been reported to be transanethole, fenchone, estragol (methyl chavicol), and α-phellandrene. Essential oil of fennel prevents development of chronic liver damage hence it is very useful for controlling disease of chest, spleen, kidney and aid to longevity.
•  The seeds are used as a flavouring agentin many herbal medicines, and to help disperse flatulence. The seeds, and roots, also help to open obstructions of the liver,spleen & gall bladder, and to ease painful swellings, in addition to helping with yellow jaundice.
• The essential oil is also used for scenting soaps and flavouring materials for cakes, liquor, sauces, pastries, confectionary, bread roll and meat dishes