Fennel, or Foeniculum vulgare, is a versatile vegetable that has been revered for its food and medicinal qualities since ancient times. The Greeks even believed that fennel would bestow immortality, according to the legend of Prometheus. And although Western science has yet to immortalize anyone with fennel, it has found numerous ways that fennel benefits our health. Fennel is high in compounds that aid in detoxifying, digestion and menstrual regulation.
Detoxification
All parts of fennel are edible. Each part of the plant confers health benefits to your body because they are full of vitamins and antioxidants, which are responsible for thye body's regular functioning and maintenance. Fennel is on the "World's Healthiest Foods" website as a great source of vitamin C. According to a 2004 study published in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, the vitamin C from fennel was key in neutralizing harmful free radicals in the body.
Digestion
Fennel is such a powerful digestion aid that it was actually once classified as a digestion drug in the U.S., according to the National Standard Dispensatory. Fennel seeds are customarily chewed after meals, particularly in India where its use is prevalent. The practice arose because indigenous peoples knew that fennel helped their bodies digest the meal. Compounds in the plant components stimulate the secretion of digestive system juices. Other chemicals in the plant inhibit spasms in the muscles in the intestinal tract. Because of this interaction, fennel is a strong carminative, which means it prevents flatulence, gas and stomach cramping.
Menstrual Regulation
Fennel naturally contains some plant estrogens and therefore is used to help treat some women for hormone regulation. A 2003 study in International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics found that fennel can effectly treat dysmennorhea, which is a condition in which women stop menstruating.
References
- "Comparison of fennel and mefenamic acid for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea"; Namavar Jahromi B, Tartifizadeh A, Khabnadideh S.;Int J Gynaecol Obstet.; 2003; Feb; 80 (2)
- NPR: Don't Forget the Fennel
- World's Healthiest Foods: Fennel
- "Bioguided isolation and identification of the nonvolatile antioxidant compounds from fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) waste"; Parejo I, Viladomat F, Bastida J, Schmeda-Hirschmann G, Burillo J, Codina C.; J Agric Food Chem; 2004; 52(7).
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