A popular culinary herb and vegetable throughout European history, fennel continues to be widely consumed today. A member of the Apiaceae family, Foeniculum vulgare hosts umbels of sweet-smelling golden flowers that ripen into a fruit known as fennel seed. Fennel seeds gently support healthy functioning of the digestive system and are often served after meals as fennel tea. Fennel seeds are used by incorporating their aromatics and flavor in a host of culinary dishes and can also be used in herbal tea blends or for tincturing.
 
Fennel seed supports healthy digestion and was traditionally used to relieve occasional gas and bloating.
 
Fennel was highly valued in the ancient world by Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, and Indians for its value as a carminative, expectorant, and as a talisman used in various rituals. Fennel is a food plant that can be eaten as a vegetable, is prized as a tasty aromatic spice for a variety of Ayurvedic and Mediterranean dishes and is used as a flavoring in various liqueurs such as gin and absinthe. Due to fennel's gentle nature, it is used to support digestion in infants and children and can be given to nursing mothers.
 
Pliny the Elder, an ancient Roman historian believed fennel supported the ability to see clearly; this belief is also mentioned in a variety of Ayurvedic texts (system of Indian traditional healing). Further, in medieval times, it was believed that if grown around the home, or hung above windows and doorways on Midsummer's Eve, fennel would protect the inhabitants and ward off evil.
 
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), fennel (or xiao hui xiang) was powdered and made into a poultice for snakebites. In TCM, fennel demonstrates aromatic and warming properties and effects the liver, kidney, spleen, and stomach meridians (energetic pathways) and is therefore administered to increase appetite, quell nausea, and to allay occasional bloating.
 
It is considered to be one of the best carminatives and has been utilized to relieve gas and enhance digestion. Fennel is considered nourishing to the brain and eyes and calming to the spirit.
 
In North America, fennel was used by the Cherokee as a carminative and thus administered to soothe digestion in infants and was also given to women during childbirth. The Pomo Indians used fennel as an eyewash and a digestive aid and the Hopi used fennel as a tobacco substitute for smoking.
 
Precautions
No known precautions. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
 
This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For educational purposes only.