7 Health Benefits of Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds offer multiple health benefits, from heart health to reducing inflammation, and aid in digestion.

Benefits of Fennel Seeds.

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Benefits of Fennel Seeds: Fennel seeds are a spice that comes from the Fennel plant, which is grown in different parts of the world. The seeds have a strong, sweet flavor that is similar to licorice.

Fennel seeds have traditionally been used in Italian cooking, but they are now being used in many other parts of the world. Western culture has opened its doors to creative uses of fennel seeds in recent years.

In addition to their culinary uses, fennel seeds are also being used in traditional medicine to treat conditions such as menstrual cramps, bad gas, and more. There is some scientific evidence to support these health benefits, although more research is needed to confirm them.

7 Amazing Health Benefits of Fennel Seeds

Following are some of the impressive health benefits of fennel seeds.

1. Improve Heart Health: Eating fennel seeds may be beneficial for heart health. They are rich in fiber, which may reduce certain heart disease risk factors like high cholesterol. A 1-cup serving of raw fennel bulb contains 3 grams of fiber, which is 11 percent of the Daily Reference Value (DRV). A diet high in fiber has been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease.

2. Promote Digestive Health: For thousands of years, people have utilized fennel as a digestive aid because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Fennel may be beneficial for digestive diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to some laboratory research. Fennel seed extract improved the intestinal epithelium (the outer layer of tissue) in one such trial. These results gave researchers hope that fennel may help with IBD as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment.

3. Prevent Cancer: Anethole, a compound found in fennel seeds, has shown promising results in fighting cancer. Lab studies indicate that anethole can destroy breast cancer cells and halt the progression of both breast and liver cancer cells. While these findings are promising, they have not yet advanced beyond the lab.

4. Promote Lactation in Breastfeeding Women: Research studies suggest that fennel seeds may act as a galactagogue, a substance that is responsible for increasing the production of breast milk in lactating mothers. In addition, the volatile oil of fennel seeds contains anethole (a phytoestrogen) and other bioactive ingredients that may stimulate some aspects of lactation. According to some studies, fennel seeds may also increase prolactin in lactating mothers, a hormone that produces breast milk.

5. Alleviate Menopause Symptoms: Although some research results are conflicting, fennel is believed to help alleviate different menopausal symptoms when combined with other herbs. In a brief clinical study, topical fennel cream helped to delay vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal women.

6. Improve Dysmenorrhea: Fennel has been reported to have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that may help with dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation. In one review, it was discovered that fennel considerably reduced the intensity of period cramp discomfort when compared to a placebo. This might be a result of the herb's antispasmodic (spasm-reducing) and analgesic (pain-reducing) properties.

7. Reduce Inflammation: Fennel seeds are rich in some powerful antioxidants, including vitamin C and quercetin. These antioxidants may be effective in reducing inflammation and levels of inflammatory markers.

(Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated by AI and published after the content was editorially modified and verified by a human based on their own judgement and expertise. The Quint does not publish AI-generated content without direct human involvement and oversight).