Summary
Medicinal plant, with anti-spasmodic and expectorant effect, indicated for various ailments, in particular digestive ones
names
Name in Portuguese: fennel, fennel, national fennel, common fennel, fiolho
Binomial name: Foeniculum vulgare Mill.
French name: fenouil
English name: fennel, common fennel
German name: Fenchel
Italian name: finocchio
Note: some sources, mainly North American, refer to the scientific name Foeniculum vulgare Mill. This means that instead of L. in reference to the Swedish botanist Carl von Linné they use Mill. in reference to the Englishman Philip Miller.
Family
Apiaceae
Constituents
Essential oils (anethole), hydroxycoumarin, vitamin A.
parts used
Dried fruits, seeds
Effects
Antiflatulent, antispasmodic, expectorant, promoter of appetite, carminative.
Indications
– Digestive problems: flatulence (you can take half a teaspoon of fennel fruit or seeds at the end of the meal, chew and swallow), newborn colic , colitis, stomach ache , aerophagia, bad breath .
– Catarrh of the respiratory tract: cough .
– Lactation (encouragement of lactation). Note: the effect on lactation is not scientifically proven.
– Typical postmenopausal symptoms : hot flashes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness and anxiety. For this indication, it is recommended to be consumed preferably in capsule form (for example, 100 mg of fennel per capsule) twice a day for several weeks.
Read more under Observations below on Fennel and (post)- menopause
Secundary effects
we do not know
contraindications
we do not know
Interactions
we do not know
Fennel-based preparations
Where does fennel grow?
Fennel grows in Europe and America. Fennel is a plant native to southern Europe. Some sources also speak of an Asian origin.
When does fennel bloom?
Fennel usually blooms from July to October (Europe).
Comments
– Fennel, a plant that does not have any known side effects, (however, fennel essential oil should not be given to small children and babies) and that allows an advantageous treatment for various frequent ailments (cough, digestive problems, phlegm, breastfeeding) . That said, a special edition of the French journal Science & Vie on medicinal plants published in July 2020 estimated that the effect of fennel on gastrointestinal pain, such as flatulence or spasms, as well as on infant colic, has not yet been demonstrated, due to lack of publication of serious scientific studies. Anethole, which is found in the essential oil, may be at the root of the digestive effects. Fennel’s effect on promoting lactation in women is not questioned by the Science & Vie review., which estimates that several clinical trials have shown that fennel increases breast milk production.
– There are several varieties of fennel, three of which are particularly cultivated: common fennel (Foeniculum vulgare subsp. vulgare var. vulgare), fennel or fennel (Foeniculum vulgare subsp vulgare var dulce), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare subsp. vulgare var. azoricum), the latter has its bulb used as a vegetable in cooking.
– The genus name Foeniculum is a reference to the Latin term Foen , meaning hay. The smell of fennel leaves is similar to that of hay.
– Many times when we eat fennel we feel the taste of anise, in fact, this plant contains anethole in all its parts.
– American Puritans used fennel as an appetite suppressant during religious services.
– To treat colic in the newborn , fennel can be combined with two other medicinal plants: chamomile and lemon balm .
Fennel and (post)-menopause
Fennel would act against typical post-menopausal symptoms: hot flashes, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness and anxiety. These conclusions are based on work carried out by Iranian researchers on 79 women between 45 and 60 years old. These participants took a capsule containing 100 mg of fennel twice a day for 8 weeks. Compared with women in the control group (placebo), those who took fennel had a significant improvement in postmenopausal symptoms. Ultimately, the researchers concluded that fennel was effective in treating these symptoms and did not cause any serious side effects. This study was published on May 17, 2017 in the American scientific journal Menopause .
I’m a stylist trainer, a content creator, and an entrepreneur passion. Virgo sign and Pisces ascendant, I move easily between my dreams, the crazy world I want, and my feet on the ground to carry out my projects.