FENNEL SEEDS

Fennel: Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel seeds are the dried seeds of the fennel plant, they look a little like cumin seeds but have a light green hue. We often chew fennel seeds after meals for digestion and refreshment. You sometimes find colourful sugar coated fennel seeds in South Asian restaurants - these are always there to help settle a tummy filled with hot and spicy food. However, these tiny seeds are not just for refreshment but also essential for medicinal and culinary practices (p.s. Gripe water!).

Ways with fennel seeds:

• Dry roast to extract the most essential oils.

• Used in Chinese five spice and Bengali panch puran spice seed mixes. Great with veg, fish and meat.

• Alternate with caraway or dill seeds.

• Full of fibre - known to suppress appetite and hunger pangs.

• Combats bad breath for sure!

• Fennel seed essential oils stimulates the secretion of digestive juices and enzymes that improves your digestion. Fennel seeds contain anethole, fenchone and estragole that act as antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory. This is why fennel seeds work for constipation, indigestion and bloating.

• Add in soups, salad dressings and homemade sourdough bread for a real gut boost.

• Eating too much in one day can cause a loose tummy so stick to about 1 tbsp a day max.