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FENNEL - HERBAL OVERVIEW
FENNEL
Foeniculum Vulgare & Anethum Foeniculum Fenkel, Bari-Sanuf, Bitter Fennel, Carosella, Common Fennel, Fennel Oil, Fennel Seed, Finnochio, Florence Fennel, Foeniculi Antheroleum, Foeniculum Officinale, Foeniculum Capillaceum, Garden Fennel, Large Fennel, Sanuf, Shatapuspha, Sweet Fennel, Wild Fennel
FENNEL PLANT DESCRIPTION
This perennial and biannual plant is a member of the Apiaceae family. The plant is about three feet tall will grow in full sun to about 5 feet tall with dark green leaves and has stalks with finely divided leaves composed of many linear or awl-shaped segments. The grayish, compound umbels bear small yellow flowers. The fruits, or seeds, are greenish brown to yellowish brown oblong ovals about one-quarter inch long with five prominent longitudinal dorsal ridges. It emits a very spicy odor and its seeds have an aroma and taste are suggestive of anise.
Native to southern Europe and Asia Minor, originating in the Mediterranean region where it is still found in the wild. Today, Fennel is cultivated in the United States, Great Britain, and Europe and Asia as a vegetable or seed-bearing plant in the temperate zones.
Fennel's name comes from the Latin foeniculum, meaning "little hay". The Roman historian Pliny recorded that when snakes shed their skins, they ate fennel to restore their sight (although he did not record how he made this observation). Pliny's observation led to the popular use in Europe of a cooled tea of fennel seed which was used as a wash for eyestrain and eye irritations. Chinese and Hindus employed fennel seed as a treatment for snakebite and Medieval Europeans used fennel seed as a treatment for obesity. Several liquors are flavored with fennel, including aquavit, gin, absinthe and fennouillete. All the above-ground parts of the fennel plant are edible. Fennel "seeds" are actually whole fruits, the most aromatic seeds found in the center of the seed head. In seed, a bright green color indicates quality. The herb should be stored in a tightly closed container in a cool, dry place.
PLANT PARTS USED
Fennel seeds (the fruit) are most often used whole or ground in natural remedies, but the leaves and roots also have medicinal value. Seeds that are collected in late summer are particularly rich in active constituents. Roots that are dug up in spring before the leaves have come out also offer greater medicinal power.
Drinking a tea infused from fennel seeds may help relieve mild digestive problems while the fresh root can be used as a diuretic.
Used in cooking whole or ground as an excellent spice, also used to make herbal teas and in laxative preparations. Combined with chamomile and/or melissa in teas for colic. Combined with licorice, thyme, and/or poplar buds to treat colds, coughs, and congestion. Combined with chamomile, saffron, anise, fennel, caraway, licorice, and cardamom to treat asthma. For convenience, or if you do not like the flavor, it may be taken as an extract or capsule.
FENNEL CONSTITUENTS / COMPONENTS
The essential oil in fennel seeds contains anethol (50 to 80 percent), which relieves cramps, limonene (5 percent), and frenchone (5 percent), which stimulates the appetite, estragole (methyl-chavicol), safrole, a-pinene (0.5 percent), camphene, b-pinene, b-myrcene and p-cymene. The seed also contains fiber and complex carbohydrates.
FENNEL HISTORY
Fennel was well known to the Ancients and was cultivated by the ancient Romans for its aromatic fruits and succulent, edible shoots. Pliny had much faith in its medicinal properties, according no less than twenty-two remedies to it, observing also that serpents eat it "when they cast their old skins, and they sharpen their sight with the juice by rubbing against the plant." Many of the older herbalists uphold this theory of the peculiarly strengthening effect of this herb on the sight.
In medieval times, Fennel was employed, together with St. John's Wort and other herbs, as a preventative of witchcraft and other evil influences, being hung over doors on Midsummer's Eve to warn off evil spirits. It was likewise eaten as a condiment to the salt fish so much consumed by our forefathers during Lent. Like several other umbelliferae, it is carminative.
Though the Romans valued the young shoots as a vegetable, it is not certain whether it was cultivated in northern Europe at that time, but it is frequently mentioned in Anglo-Saxon cookery and medical recipes prior to the Norman Conquest. Fennel shoots, Fennel water and Fennel seed are all mentioned in an ancient record of Spanish agriculture dating A.D. 961. The diffusion of the plant in Central Europe was stimulated by Charlemagne, who enjoined its cultivation on the imperial farms.
Information and the above history about fennel was obtained from Botanical.com: A Modern Herbal - Fennel.
FENNEL USES
The dried, ripe seeds are used for medicinal and other purposes. Fennel is reported to increase milk secretion in women, promote menstruation, increase libido, and expel gas. Fennel is used for gastrointestinal complaints, flatulence (gas) and poor appetite.
Fennel water is given to infants to relieve colic.
Rinsing daily with a fennel seed mouthwash is a good way to keep the lining of your mouth clean and healthy. This rinse will also inhibit the formation of tooth decay and keep your breath fresh.
Used as a food flavoring and its oil is used in cosmetic preparations.
FENNEL (SWEET) ESSENTIAL OIL
Botanical Name: Foeniculum vulgare
Common Method Of Extraction: Steam distilled
Parts Used: Seeds
Note Classification: Middle
Aroma: Very sweet, anise-like, slightly earthy-peppery
Largest Producing Countries: Italy, France, and Greece
Traditional Use: In pharmaceutical products it is used in cough drops, lozenges, carminative and laxative preparations. In the food industry it is utilized in all of the major food categories, as well as soft drinks and alcoholic drinks. The cosmetic industry adds fennel to soaps, toiletries and perfumes, and room sprays.
Properties: Antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aperitif, carminative, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, estrogen-like, expectorant, galactagogue, laxative, orexigenic, regenerative, splenic, stimulant (circulatory), stomachic, tonic, and vermifuge.
Benefits: Abdominal pains or cramps, amenorrhea, anorexia, antidote for poisonous mushrooms, asthma, bronchitis, bruises, calms, cellulitis, child birthing (inhaled), colic, constipation, coughs, digestive problems, dull complexion, dyspepsia, edema, fertility, flatulence, fluid retention, hiccough, improves memory, insufficient milk (nursing mothers), liver problems, mature skin, menopausal problems, nausea, obesity, oily skin, PMS, pyorrhea, rheumatism, and sore throats.
Blends Well With: Bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, cypress, dill, fir, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, juniper, lavender, lemon, mandarin, marjoram, niaouli, orange, pine, ravensara, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, tangerine, and ylang ylang.
Of Interest: The ancient Greeks thought it conveyed long life, courage, and strength. Their name for fennel was marathrion from maraino, meaning "to grow thin". Fennel's ability to stave off hunger was employed during fasting days in Europe. It was consumed in large quantities in the household of Edward I of England in 1300 - 8 1/2 pounds being sufficient for only one month's supply.
Safety Data: A mild skin irritant, but relatively non-toxic. It has narcotic properties in large doses. It should not be used on epileptics, during pregnancy, those with endometriosis, or estrogen-dependent cancer. Use only in moderation.
FENNEL DOSAGE INFORMATION
Fennel seed is antiseptic and secretolytic, that is, encouraging secretion of saliva and gastric juices. It also stops stomach cramps, often added to laxatives to ensure gentle action. Fennel seed teas break up congestion caused by colds and allergies. There are preliminary studies that suggest that regular consumption of fennel (as well as regular consumption of green beans, mushrooms, oranges, prunes, and celeriac) might slow the progression of osteoporosis. Fennel seed powder has almost exactly the same taste and medicinal effect as whole fennel seed, except it tends to lose anethole. Powdering makes fennel a less estrogenic herb, that is, less likely to stimulate the production of estrogen in women, a characteristic that may be desirable or undesirable depending on the user.
Fluid extract, 5 to 30 drops. Oil, 1 to 5 drops. Water, B.P. and U.S.P., 4 drachms.
METHODS OF ADMINISTRATION
FENNEL SAFETY & INTERACTION INFORMATION
Fennel seeds, when quantities are used medicinally or for other preparations, are virtually innocuous. Fennel seed teas are helpful for colicky infants, but fennel seed oil should never be given to infants or young children because of the danger of spasms of the throat.
Fennel oil can cause skin irritation, vomiting, seizures, and serious respiratory problems. Self-medication should be restricted to appropriate use of seeds; the volatile oil should not be used.
FENNEL SUPPLEMENTS & PRODUCTS
Herbal Remedies: Active Athletic Shower Gel, Kiss My Face, 16 fl. oz.
Let Kiss My Face natural aromatic herbs work their time-tested magic on your sore, tight muscles while soaking in a tub or in the shower with our Active Shower Gel.
Herbal Remedies: Aloe & Olive Moisturizer, Kiss My Face, 16 fl. oz.
Aloe & Olive Moisturizer is highly recommended for sensitive skin, this moisturizer softens with Olive Oil, Aloe Vera, natural herbs & flowers.
Herbal Remedies: Aloelax Maximum Strength Aloe Laxative, Nature's Way, 350 mg, 100 Caps
Use Nature's Way Aloelax Maximum Strength, Aloe Laxative, for relief from occasional constipation (irregularity). This product generally produces bowel movement in 6 to 12 hours. Aloelax is an all natural remedy for constipation.
Herbal Remedies: AloeMaxLax (Aloe Laxative), All Natural Remedy For Constipation, Nature's Way, 445 mg, 100 VCaps
AloeMaxLax, aloe laxative natural remedy for constipation, from Nature's Way is specially formulated for those with tough constipation.
Herbal Remedies: Aloe Vera Latex & Leaf, All Natural Laxative, Nature's Way, 550 mg, 100 VCaps
Aloe Vera Latex & Leaf from Nature's Way is an all natural laxative that offers healing benefits to the digestive system.
Herbal Remedies: Back To Youth, TCM Formula, Congrong Huanshao, 100% Natural, 60 Caps
Back to Youth, TCM Formula is made of extracts from prepared rehmannia root, common yam, achyranthes, wolfberry, dogwood fruit, poria, salty eucommia bark, polygala prepared with licorice, roasted morinda, schizandra fruit, salty fennel, chinquapin seed, cistanche, acorus root and common jujube fruit, chinese herbs for aging.
Herbal Remedies: Bee Propolis & Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste, All Natural, Made in New Zealand, 3.5 oz.
This New Zealand Bee Propolis and Tea Tree Oil Tooth Paste offer a natural relief from unhealthy mass market tooth pastes.
Herbal Remedies: Burt's Bees Color Keeper Green Tea & Fennel Seed Conditioner, 12 fl. oz.
Conditioning Manula oil and moisturizing honey repair and strengthen your color-treated hair while the Green Tea extract provides you with all natural UV protection.
Herbal Remedies: Burt's Bees Color Keeper Green Tea & Fennel Seed Shampoo, 12 fl. oz.
This wonderfully natural Burt's Bees shampoo formula starts with Coconut and Sunflower oil to create a cleansing complex that is one of the most effective, gentle, and richly foaming available.
Herbal Remedies: Cold Season Tea Sampler, Caffeine Free, Certified Organic, Yogi Tea, 16 Tea Bags
For comforting relief, keep Yogi Tea Cold Season Tea Sampler on hand and these assorted healing herbal teas will assist you in the prevention of common ailments during the cold season and bring you balance and harmony in any type of weather.
Herbal Remedies: Colon & Liver Cleanser, 16 fl. oz.
CAC liquid is a colon and liver cleanser and detoxifier as well as a blood cleanser that serves to regulate the bowel movements so that the stool is so soft it breaks up into a cloud.
Herbal Remedies: Diet Support Tea With Fennel & Dandelion, NOW Foods, Caffeine Free, 30 Tea Bags
A unique combination of herbs, Diet Tea will nicely supplement a healthy diet. Diet Tea has been formulated by NOW Foods certified nutritionists and is a helpful between or during meals.
Herbal Remedies: Digestion Enzymes, Liquid Gel, Nature's Secret, 60 Softgels
Nature's Secret has once again set a new standard for intestinal health with the world's first digestive enzyme in a liquid gel cap. Liquid-Gel Digestion Enzymes helps soothe the stomach and fuel the digestive system.
Herbal Remedies: Digestion Supplement With Enzymes, Nature's Way, 530 mg, 100 Caps
Nature's Way Digestion Supplement has concentrated enzymes help in efficient breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, while the herbal bitters support gastric activity and soothe digestion.
Herbal Remedies: Digestive Enzymes, 750 mg, 100 Caps
Since cooking destroys many of the digestive enzymes in food, taking plant fiber-based digestive enzymes aids in digesting even the heaviest meal.
Herbal Remedies: Fennel Extract Tincture, Herbal Remedies USA, 2 fl. oz.
Fennel Extract is useful for cleansing the blood, improving digestion, expelling mucous accumulations and digesting fats efficiently.
Herbal Remedies: Fennel Seed Powder (Foeniculum Vulgare), 4 oz. Bulk
Recent studies have found Fennel to possess diuretic, choleretic (increase in production of bile), pain-reducing, fever-reducing, and antimicrobial actions. Fennel was formerly an official drug in the United States and was listed as being used for indigestion and possibly for stimulating milk flow in women. Whole seeds may be chewed or used in tea. The German Commission E recommends 5 to 7 grams of seeds daily.
Herbal Remedies: Fennel Seed Supplement, Nature's Way, 480 mg, 100 Caps
Fennel assists in the dietary management of IBS symptoms, and is exceptional for IBS bloating, gas and abdominal pain. Fennel is also a traditional digestive aid for colic, heartburn, indigestion, and stomachaches.
Herbal Remedies: Heather's Tummy Tea, Organic Fennel, Heather's Tummy Care, 45 Tea Bags
Fennel Seed has historically been used to aid digestion and sweeten the breath.
Herbal Remedies: Stomach Ease Tea, Heartburn Relief, Certified Organic, 16 Tea Bags
Stomach Ease is formulated to relieve occasional heartburn and indigestion as it soothes the digestive tract.
Herbal Remedies: Fennel Supplements & Products
Herbal Remedies: Fennel Information
Mountain Rose Herbs: Fennel Seed (Foeniculum Vulgare), Certified Organic, Bulk Herbs
Mountain Rose Herbs: Fennel Seed Powder, Certified Organic, Bulk Herbs
Mountain Rose Herbs: Fennel Essential Oil (Sweet), Certified Organic, Essential Oils
Shaman Shop: Fennel Seed, Certified Organic, Starwest Botanicals, 1 lb. Bulk
Shaman Shop: Fennel Seed Essential Oil, Starwest Botanicals, 4 fl. oz.
Shaman Shop: Fennel Seed Extract, Health & Herbs, 2 fl. oz.
Shaman Shop: Fennel Seed Extract, Health & Herbs, 8 fl. oz.
Shaman Shop: Fennel Seed Powder, Herbal Extracts Plus, 90 VCaps
Shaman Shop: Fennel Seed Powder, Certified Organic, Frontier, 1 lb. Bulk
Shaman Shop: Fennel Seed, Whole, Certified Organic, Frontier, 1 lb. Bulk
Shaman Shop: Fennel, Sweet Essential Aromatherapy Oil, Aura Cacia, 1/2 oz.
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