Fennel seed is a nutrient dense aromatic seed derived from the herb, Foeniculum vulgare. It is native to India as well as Mediterranean areas. It has been traditionally used for various medicinal and culinary purposes.

Nutritional profile

• It contains lesser amount of carbohydrate but significantly rich in fibre
• It also contains too some extent of proteins
• It contains negligible amount of fat
• It is considered as low glycemic and low calorie food as it is a poor source of carbohydrates as well as fats and does not provide enough calories on its oxidation
• It is packed with several micronutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium and manganese
• Essential oil present in fennel seed contains several imperative volatile compounds like chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid, apigenin and quercetin, which help to exert several nutraceutical activities
• It is also composed of various important plant compounds such as fenchone, limonene, methyl chavicol and anethole that are responsible for exhibiting antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities

Biological activity

Antioxidant activity

• Apigenin, chlorogenic acid, rosmarinic acid and quercetin are four imperative components present in fennel seed that act as antioxidant and help to protect the body from the harmful effects of free radical induced oxidative damages

• Its consumption is extremely helpful for decreasing the risk of developing various diseases like cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, cancers and neurological disorders as it is directly linked with decreasing oxidative stress

Anti-inflammatory activity

• Quercetin component of fennel seed exerts anti-inflammatory activity, which helps to prevent inflammation by decreasing the concentration of inflammatory markers within body
• It also helps to prevent joint swelling thus its consumption is thought to be very effective for improving the symptoms of arthritis
• It helps to reduce pain as well

Antimicrobial activity

• Extract of fennel seed helps to inhibit the growth of diseases causing microbes within host as it exerts potent antimicrobial activity
• It has seen that it is very effective against some bacteria and yeast like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans and protects the body from their harmful effects

Anti-carcinogenic activity

• It is loaded with various important plant compounds that exert anti-carcinogenic activity thus help to decrease the prevalence of carcinoma
• Anethole component of fennel seed is considered as one of the most important anti-carcinogenic substances of fennel seed that hinders the growth of malignant cells in body by promoting programmed cell death
• It is also associated with preventing metastasis
• Its consumption is enormously effective for lessening the prevalence of liver cancer and breast cancer

Health benefits

Role on digestive health

• Individual suffer from indigestion should include fennel seed in their diet as it contains various important biologically active substances that help to improve overall digestive health and it also promotes digestion by enhancing gastric acid secretion
• Its fibre content plays important role in preventing constipation as it helps to facilitate defecation by enhancing bowel movement and stool bulkiness
• Fenchone, estragole and anethole components of fennel seed exhibit potent anti-inflammatory activity and antispasmodic activity that help to protect the gastrointestinal tract from inflammation as well as from spasm thus plays vital role in preventing inflammatory bowel syndrome
• It helps to prevent bloating, flatulence, stomach cramp and diverticular disease as well

Role on weight management

• Consumption of fennel seed extract is considered as one of the most effective remedial actions for preventing obesity
• It is better to consume fennel seed extract at morning, especially in empty stomach for supporting weight reduction goal as it plays imperative role in improving metabolism, which ultimately facilitates weight reduction
• Its fibre content is recognized as another important component that helps in reducing body weight. Being a rich source of fibre its consumption is associated with exerting a feeling of satiety that subsequently decreases appetite hence reduces over eating

• Consuming fennel seed with a balance diet and proper workout helps an individual to reduce his or her body weight more rapidly

Role on blood purification

• It helps in blood purification hence promotes nutrient absorption
• It has seen that the fibre and essential oils found in fennel seed play important role in flushing out toxins from body thus helps to cleanse the blood

Role on eye health

• Fennel seed extract has been used for centuries for improving the symptoms of glaucoma
• It contains significant amount of vitamin A, which helps to improve eye health and vision
• Being a good source of Vitamin A, its consumption is thought to be extremely beneficial for decreasing the susceptibility of developing eye disorders

Role on oral health

• Its consumption is very effective for promoting oral health
• Its antibacterial activity is responsible for protecting the mouth from bacterial infestation thus improves oral hygiene
• Aromatic essential components of fennel seed also play vital role in preventing bad mouth odor as these components also exert antibacterial activity that helps to freshen the breath
• It is associated with increasing the secretion of saliva that also helps in killing harmful oral microbes

Role on lactation

• Fennel seed contains an important component named anethole that acts as galactagogue. Galactagogue is generally defines as lactogenic food that helps to increase milk supply
• Consumption of fennel seed during lactation is very much helpful for enhancing milk secretion
• Actually anethole of fennel seed imitates the action of estrogen hormone thus helps to promote lactation

Role on skin

• It helps to promote skin health by improving the longevity of skin cells
• Its antioxidant activity is responsible for preventing ageing
• It is also associated with improving skin elasticity
• It is very useful for preventing various skin ailments like skin dryness, rashes and acne

Therapeutic uses

• It is associated with increasing the nitrite content in body especially in saliva that plays imperative role in preventing hypertension
• Its potassium and magnesium contents help to control heart rate as well
• It acts as diuretic thus its consumption is very much helpful for eliminating toxins as well as excess fluid from body by promoting urination. On the other hand it also exerts diaphoretic activity that promotes perspiration thus its consumption is very much useful for preventing water retention in body
• It also helps to prevent sinuses, asthma and bronchitis

• It helps to relieve menopausal symptoms and also helps to reduce menstrual pain

Ayurvedic uses

• Fennel seed has been extensively used in Ayurveda as a cooling agent as it exerts potent cooling effects on body. Consumption of fennel seed extract especially in summer significantly relieves heat from body
• In Ayurveda, it is also used for promoting mental health as the oil present in fennel seed has carminative property thus plays imperative role in calming the nerves thus promotes mental clarity

Culinary uses

• It can be consumed with salads
• It can be used for preparing bread as well
• It can also be added with soup or stews
• It can be used for preparing curries
• It can also be roasted with a little sugar or salt for preparing delicious snacks
• It can be used for preparing desserts as well

Risk factors

As it has potent estrogenic properties thus it is better for pregnant women to avoid its consumption.

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