Fennel, often associated with Mediterranean and/or Italian cuisine, is a crunchy, anise-flavored whitish-green vegetable. Fennel is a pale green bulb from which darker green stalks protrude. Green leaves grow atop the stalks, as well as seed-producing flowers. Nearly all of this vegetable is edible: the bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds. Related to parsley, carrots and dill and celery, this vegetable offers several health benefits. Fennel leaves may be used as an herb.
Nutrient-Rich
Fennel is low in calories, offers a distinctive licorice flavor and is rich in two nutrients important for optimal health: vitamin C and potassium. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, one cup of fennel, sliced, offers only 27 calories but 10.5 mg vitamin C, meeting 17.5 percent of the recommended daily value, or DV, as well as 360 mg potassium; or 11 percent of the DV. Vitamin C is an antioxidant nutrient that, according to the National Institutes of Health, is required for the normal growth and repair of all the body's tissues. Vitamin C promotes wound healing and is needed to form collagen, a protein used to make scar tissue, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. Potassium helps to regulate blood pressure and heart beat.
Anti-Inflammatory Benefits
Fennel offers benefits similar to other fresh herbs. Like herbs, fennel contains volatile oils. A powerful phytochemical, or disease-fighting compound, in the volatile oil of fennel is called anethole. In animal studies, anethole has reduced inflammation and offered anti-cancer benefits. According to an article published in Oncogene in June 2000, researchers proposed that anethole may work by interrupting a signaling system between cells, known as tumor necrosis factor-mediated signaling. By interrupting, and ultimately shutting down this system, anethole prevents the activation of a molecule called NF-kappaB. This is a strong inflammation-triggering molecule. Other benefits of the volatile oil in fennel include protecting the liver from chemical-induced injury.
Better Health
One cup of fennel, sliced, provides nearly 3 g dietary fiber, making it a good food source of that nutrient. Three grams of dietary fiber meets about 11 percent of the fiber you need daily for optimal health. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans reports that compared with Americans who consume only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat generous amounts as part of an overall healthy diet are less likely to develop chronic diseases, such as stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancers. They are particularly less likely to develop cancers of the oral cavity, lungs and gastrointestinal system. Diets rich in fiber-containing foods, such as vegetables like fennel, offer additional protection against developing coronary heart disease.
References
- World's Healthiest Foods: Fennel
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: National Institutes of Health--Vitamin C
- "Oncogene"; Anethole blocks both early and late cellular responses transduced by tumor necrosis factor: effect on NF-kappaB, AP-1, JNK, MAPKK and apoptosis; GB Chainy et al.; Jun 2000
- Health Guidance: Health Benefits of the Fennel Plant
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans--Food Groups to Encourage
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