Fennel is a white, bulbous vegetable with large green stalks. It is among the 130 foods listed as the world's healthiest by World's Healthiest Foods.org. Traditionally associated with foods of the Mediterranean region, fennel is member of the Umbelliferae family, making it a relative of carrots. Roman medicinal use goes as far back as 2,000 years, when Pliny the Elder included over 20 uses for it in his encyclopedia, "Naturalis Historia."
Cultivation
Fennel is a hardy plant that is quick to grow in average soil from easily propagated seeds, according to Botanical.com. Stalks are bountiful, growing in mass and reaching up to five feet. The bulb---or fruit---of the fennel plant is prized for its flavor as well as its medicinal value as the storage area for the most potent essential oil of the plant. The herb anise is often mistaken for fennel because of their similar flavor.
Nutritional Profile
Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C, folate, potassium and dietary fiber. Nutritiondata.com lists sliced raw fennel as a low-calorie food with only 27 calories a cup and zero grams of cholesterol. In addition, it is rich in antioxidants and anti-the inflammatory phytonutrient anethole. Fennel is carminative, meaning it helps prevents formation of gas in the intestinal tract.
Scientific Research
Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found anethole, a chief constituent of fennel, to block both inflammation and carcinogenesis, which is the transformation of regular cells into cancerous cells. The study, published June 6, 2000, in Oncogene, concluded that while the mechanisms for the effects are not known, anethole is suggested for further research in cancer treatment and prevention.
Warning
In a May 2010 letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Predrag Duric from the Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina, Serbia, warned of a salmonella infection among infants who drank infant tea prepared with fennel seeds in 2008. The letter states that the European Food Safety Authority noted that all botanical preparations could become hazardous because of flaws in production processes.
Historical Perspective
Fennel was held in high esteem among the ancient Greeks, who used it to enhance longevity, strength and courage. A great ancient battle was fought in a field where fennel grew wild and named the Battle of Marathon after the Greek name for the revered plant marathron. Fennel was used in medieval times to ward off witchcraft and evil spells.
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