Fennel

Fennel, is a green and white herb with feathery leaves and yellow flowers. It is a flavorful herb that is also often used as a medicinal plant. Aside from its many culinary uses, fennel and its seeds offer a wide array of health benefits and may provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. All parts of the plant can be used however, the seeds are the most potent due to its essential oils and have been used over centuries for a variety of healing remedies. Fresh fennel bulb is a good source of vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin critical for immune health, tissue repair, and collagen synthesis. Vitamin C also acts as a potent antioxidant in your body, protecting against cellular damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals. Essential oil of the plant has been shown to contain more than 87 volatile compounds, including the polyphenol antioxidants rosmarinic acid, chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and apigenin. These antioxidants are highly effective against cell decomposition. Studies have also shown Fennel seeds are effective for appetite suppression due to a compound called Anethole. Fennel has been shown to have galactogenic properties, meaning it helps increase milk secretion. Research suggests that specific substances found in anethole, such as dianethole and photoanethole, are responsible for the galactogenic effects of the plant and Fennel may increase milk secretion and blood levels of prolactin — a hormone that signals the body to produce breast milk.