You may or may not be familiar with the slight licorice-like flavor that is present in Italian sausage. If you are, then what you taste are fennel seeds. Those flavorful little seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch with lots of health benefits. We’ll take a look at the top 15 benefits of fennel seeds in this article, but before we do, what are they?
Fennel seeds are the seeds of a perennial herb native to southern Europe, but cultivated all over Europe, the Middle East, China and India. It is a member of the same family as parsley and you’re probably familiar with several of its cousins: cumin, anise, dill and caraway. Besides using the seeds, many regions also harvest the bulbs and use them similar to how onions and garlic are commonly used. Though they are small, these little seeds are mighty. Here are a few of their powerful nutrients and their percentage of daily value (%DV) found in just ½ cup:
Each of the nutrients found in fennel seeds play a significant role in maintaining your body’s health at a cellular level, but they are not all inclusive cures. It is still advised to consult a health care professional for more serious health conditions.
Precaution for Using Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds are not to be consumed in large amounts due to two issues that can arise from overloading your body on certain compounds found in them. First, they contain neurotoxins that, in large quantities can cause hallucinations and seizures. Additionally, they have pseudo-estrogen properties and can cause an imbalance of hormones if overused. In moderation, however, there are plenty of reasons to add fennel seeds as a part of maintaining your overall wellness.
One of fennel seeds’ great benefits is their ability to help prevent or cure anemia.
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One of the best ways to treat anemia is to boost your iron intake and fennel seeds contain almost 30% of the daily value of iron in a single tablespoon.
Clearing up acne and other skin problems is yet another among the long list of fennel seeds benefits.
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How it works:
Fennel seeds contain limonene, anethole and myrcene, which help treat acne. Their antiseptic properties also get rid of acne causing germs.
Aiding digestion is another of the benefits of fennel seeds, which has been used for thousands of years.
What to do:
Thoroughly chew and swallow a small handful of seeds before or after meals in order to aid digestion.
How it works:
Fennel seeds are well known for helping relieve flatulence, gas, bloating and indigestion due to the eight volatile essential oils they contain. Besides aiding indigestion, chewing them also gets rid of bad breath.
Among the top benefits of fennel seeds are their ability to help remove toxins from your blood.
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As a diuretic, they help the body to flush out toxins, which tend to bind to their numerous anti-oxidant compounds.
Fennel seeds are also beneficial when it comes to improving memory and brain function.
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Fennel seeds contain a high amount of potassium, which helps with electrical conduction throughout the body and strengthens cognitive function.
Fennel seeds also play a significant role in cancer prevention.
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Fennel seeds contain a number of flavonoid anti-oxidants like kaempferol and quercetin, which help to remove harmful free radicals from the blood stream.
You can improve your eyesight, especially the effects of glaucoma with the use of fennel seeds as well.
What to do:
Make use of these little dynamos as a salad or yogurt topper on a regular basis.
How it works:
Researchers at Shivaji University in India have concluded that the compound, trans-anethole, which is present in fennel, could help prevent diabetic retinopathy.
Giving your immune system a boost is yet another of the many fennel seeds benefits.
What to do:
You can add more fennel into your diet by starting out your day with a delicious oatmeal flavored with fennel seeds.
How it works:
Fennel seeds contain 35% of the daily value of vitamin C in a single tablespoon, which is a major contributor to your body’s immune function.
Believe it or not, they can help reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
What to do: Fennel is a flavorful addition to baked breads or quick breads, but it is also excellent when mixed with olive oil and used as a spread.
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High levels of potassium in fennel help lower cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, as well as cleansing your blood to prevent plaque buildup in your arteries.
Next time you come down with a nasty head cold or sinus infection consider fennel seeds to help break through that congestion.
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Fennel seeds have expectorant properties that help clear out those nasty symptoms connected with upper respiratory infections.
Preventing obesity and promoting weight loss are another of fennel seeds’ benefits.
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Fennel seeds act as a natural appetite suppressant and also help to boost your metabolic rate so that you burn calories faster.
Fennel seeds are also great for maintaining healthy hair and scalp.
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Their anti-microbial properties help them to keep dandruff and itchy scalp at bay, while its vitamins and minerals strengthen your hair and scalp against common conditions like hair breaking, split ends and shedding.
Another on our list of fennel seeds benefits is the reduction of inflammation.
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The magnesium and calcium in fennel helps to inhibit the production of inflammatory enzymes.
Fennel seeds also benefit mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.
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The high concentration of minerals in fennel causes them to act like a psycho-tropic medication, but without the harmful side effects when used in moderation.
The final, but certainly not the least, on our list of fennel seeds benefits is its ability to help ease PMS symptoms.
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How it works:
Fennel seeds add plenty of iron, which is necessary during menstruation. They also help because of the other supporting minerals help reduce cramping and clotting to ease PMS discomfort.
Fennel seeds may be small, but the pack an enormous punch. Their high vitamin and mineral content are a great asset for your overall wellness, but they are also great additional resources to reach for in place of over-the-counter or prescribed medications in the treatment of certain conditions.
Images from depositphotos.com and pixabay.com.
