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Fennel bulb is a
versatile vegetable, used since ancient times for its nutritional and medicinal
properties. This winter season has some noteworthy essential oils, flavonoid
anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins that have known health benefits.
Bulb fennel is
one of very low calorie vegetables. 100 g bulb provides just 31 calories.
Further, it contains generous amounts of fibre (3.1 g/100 g or 8% of RDI), very
little fat and zero cholesterol.
Fresh bulbs give
sweet anise-like flavour. Much of it is due to high concentration of aromatic
essential oils like anethole, estragole, and fenchone (fenchyl acetate).
Anethole has been found to have anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
The bulbs have
moderate amounts of minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimum
health. Their juicy fronds indeed contain several vital vitamins such as
pantothenic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and
thiamin in small but healthy proportions. 100 g fresh bulbs provide 27 µg of
folates. Folic acid is essential for DNA synthesis and cell division. Their
adequate levels in the diet during pregnancy can help prevent neural tube
defects in the new-born babies.
In addition,
fennel bulb contain average amount of water-soluble vitamin, vitamin-C. 100 g
of fresh bulbs provide 12 mg or 20% of vitamin C. Vitamin C helps body develop
resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory
free radicals. Further, it has small amounts of vitamin A.
The bulbs have
very good levels of heart-friendly electrolyte potassium. 100 g provides 414 mg
or 9% of daily-recommended levels. It is an important electrolyte inside the
cell. Potassium helps reduce blood pressure and rate of heartbeats by
countering effects of sodium. Fennel also contains small amounts of minerals
such as copper, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and selenium.
Anaemia: Iron and histidine, an amino acid found in fennel, are both
helpful in treatment of anaemia. Whereas iron is the chief constituent of haemoglobin,
histidine stimulates production of haemoglobin and also helps in the formation
of various other components of the blood.
Indigestion: It is a common practice, particularly on the Indian
Subcontinent, to chew fennel seeds after meals. This is done to facilitate
digestion and to eliminate bad breath.
Some of the components of the essential oils
in fennel are stimulants and they stimulate secretion of digestive and gastric
juices, while reducing inflammation of the stomach and intestines, and
facilitating proper absorption of nutrients from the food. Furthermore, it can
eliminate constipation and thereby protect the body from a wide range of
intestinal troubles that can stem from being blocked up. It also has anti
acidic (basic) properties and is extensively used in antacid preparations. In
culinary applications, it is also used as an ingredient of focal point of many
appetizers.
Flatulence: Fennel is very popular as an ant flatulent, due to the
carminative properties of the aspartic acid found in fennel. Its extract can be
used by everyone, from infants to the elderly, as a way to reduce flatulence
and to expel excess gas from the stomach. It is commonly used in medicines to
reduce symptoms of non-ulcer dyspepsia and flatulence in infants and young
children
Constipation: Fennel seeds, particularly in powdered form, can act as a
laxative. The roughage helps clear the bowels, whereas its stimulating effect
helps maintain the proper peristaltic motion of the intestines, thereby helping
promote proper excretion through the stimulation of gastric juices and bile
production. Fennel is also commonly found in medicines that treat abdominal
pain, diarrhoea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), and other intestinal issues.
Heart Disease: Fennel is a great source of fibre, as mentioned above, but
besides the advantages to digestion that fibre provides, it also helps to
maintain healthy levels of cholesterol in the blood stream. This means that it
can stimulate the elimination damaging LDL cholesterol, which is a major factor
in heart disease, arthrosclerosis, and strokes.
Cancer: The raw vegetable itself hasn’t been extensively studied in
regards to cancer protection, but the fennel seed extract has, and the findings
regarding cancer protection are quite impressive. It shows that the extract can
not only inhibit the growth of tumours, thanks to its concentrations of
flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenols, but that it can even be somewhat
chemo-protective against the harmful effects of radiation during cancer
treatment. Fennel seed extract has been found to be preventative of various
breast cancer and liver cancer strains.
Blood Pressure: Fennel is a very rich source of potassium, which is an essential
nutrient in our bodies and is vital for a number of important processes. One of
the attributes of potassium is its quality as a vasodilator, which means that
it relaxes the tension of blood vessels, thereby reducing blood pressure. High
blood pressure is connected to a wide range of health issues, including heart
attack, stroke, and arthrosclerosis. Also, for diabetic patients, blood
pressure issues can make management of their insulin and glucose levels very
difficult, and can be the cause of many potentially lethal complications. A cup
of fennel bulb in your daily diet will pump you full of potassium and all the
benefits that come along with it.
Brain Function: Potassium, found in high levels in fennel bulbs and seeds, is an
electrolyte, which means that it facilitates increased electrical conduction
throughout the body. This includes connections within the brain, which is a
veritable switchboard of electric currents. Potassium can help increase brain
function and cognitive abilities through this quality. Also, fennel is a
vasodilator, which means more oxygen reaches the brain and neural activity can
work at optimal functionality.
Diarrhoea: Fennel is helpful in curing diarrhoea if it is caused by
bacterial infection, because some components of the essential oil in fennel
such as anetol and cineole have disinfectant and antibacterial properties. Some
amino acids, such as histidine, can aid in digestion and the proper functioning
of the digestive system, thereby helping to eliminate diarrhoea due to
indigestion. Fennel has long been used by indigenous cultures as a way to
eliminate diarrhoea.
Colic: Polymeric and heavy molecules are useful in the treatment of
Renal Colic. Such polymers, also called Phytoestrogens, are found in Anethole,
a component of the essential oil in fennel. This attribute of fennel makes it
quite helpful in the treatment of Renal Colic. Fennel has certain antispasmodic
qualities which also help it relax smooth muscles and reduce the discomfort
associated with the condition.
Immune System: 1 cup of fennel bulb contains almost 20% of the daily
requirement of vitamin-C, which makes fennel quite a rich source of this
beneficial element of our diet. Vitamin-C improves general immune system
health, produces and repairs skin tissue, helps to form collagen, and also
protects the blood vessel walls as an antioxidant against the harmful effects
of free radicals that can frequently lead to heart disease!
Menstrual Disorders:
Fennel is also an Emenagogue, meaning that it eases and
regulates menstruation by properly regulating hormonal action in the body.
Furthermore, fennel is used in a number of products to reduce the effects of
PMS, and it is also used traditionally as a soothing pain reliever and relaxing
agent for menopausal women.
Breast Enlargement: The flavonoids present in fennel seeds increase the amount of estragon
thereby acting as a stimulant and tonic. Fennel seeds helps increase the size
of the breasts as they increase the formation of new cells and tissues in the
breast.
Eye Care: Using fennel in food helps protect the eyes from inflammation,
as well as helping to reduce disorders related to premature aging and macular
degeneration. This is due to the high abundance of antioxidants (vitamin-C and
amino acids like Arginine which are very beneficial for rejuvenation of tissues
and the prevention of aging), detoxifiers and stimulants. They are more
specifically in fennel essential oil, as well as minerals like cobalt and
magnesium. Finally, the juice of fennel
leaves and the plant itself can be externally applied on the eyes to reduce
irritation and eye fatigue.
Fennel is also a rich source of flavonoids,
which are very useful in protecting against pigment cells dying due to
oxidative-stress-induced death. By protecting against this destruction of the
pigment cells, fennel can safely be classified as effective in eye health for
numerous reasons.
Respiratory
Disorders: Fennel is useful in respiratory disorders
such congestion, bronchitis, and cough due to the presence of Cineole and
Anetol which are expectorant in nature, among their many other virtues. Fennel
seeds and powder can help to break up phlegm and prompt loosening of the toxins
and build-up of the throat and nasal passages for elimination from the body and
quicker recovery from respiratory conditions.
Other Benefits &
Uses: Fennel is diuretic, which means that it increases the amount and
frequency of urination, thereby helping the removal of toxic substances from
the body and helping in rheumatism and swelling. Fennel also increases
production and secretion of milk in lactating mothers and since this milk
contains some properties of fennel, it is an anti-flatulent for the baby as
well. It strengthens hair, prevents hair loss, relaxes the body, sharpens
memory and has a marvellous cooling effect in summer. This can be achieved if
the pale, greenish-yellow water, in which it fennel is soaked, is ingested with
a bit of sugar and black salt.
A Few Words of Caution: You must remember that there are two sides to any story and too
much of anything is harmful. This is obviously true for fennel as well. Certain
components of the fennel essential oil such as Anethol, and a few chemicals
present in the plant itself, besides being beneficial, can be dangerous if
ingested in too large of a quantity. You
must remember that the compounds which can kill bacteria and microbes in low
doses can be harmful for you too. Excess use of fennel can cause difficulty
breathing, increased palpitations, irregular heartbeat, and various neural
problems.
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