If you’ve ever eaten Italian sausage, then you’ve definitely worked with fennel before. Fennel is a common spice that’s included in heavy dishes, usually those with red meat like sausage. This isn’t just because fennel tastes great (which it does) but also because of its herbal actions on the digestive system. This fennel monograph is going to get into what those are.
In this fennel monograph, we are going to talk about fennel’s tastes, energetics, medicinal plant parts, herbal actions, body systems affinities, constituents, and cautions. Then, we’ll go over which conditions are indicated for fennel, how to best prepare it, and which other herbs to pair it with. Plus, you’ll get to download the free fennel monograph in PDF format so you can reference it anytime.
Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and shouldn’t be used as a replacement for medical attention or diagnosis. It’s recommended to talk to a doctor before beginning any herbal regimen, especially if you are taking pharmaceutical medication. Because every body is different, the following information may or may not apply directly to you.
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
As a member of the Apiaceae family (aka the umbellifer or carrot family), fennel lives up to its relatives. Other members of this family include parsley, carrots, dill, anise, and celery, all of whom have distinct aromatic and flavor profiles. The Latin root, “api-” means “bee,” indicating that plants in this family are loved by our favorite pollinators, and fennel definitely is.
Fennel Monograph
In this section of the fennel monograph, we’re going to discuss fennel’s energetics, tastes, medicinal plant parts, herbal actions, body affinities, constituents, and cautions.
Tastes & Energetics
Fennel is warming, moistening, and relaxing and tastes very aromatic, pungent, and sweet.
Medicinal Plant Parts
When we’re working with fennel for its medicinal benefits, we work primarily with the seed. However, the bulb and fronds are also commonly used in cooking, although they have less medicinal potency.
Herbal Actions
Let’s talk about fennel’s medicinal properties.
Carminative
Fennel stimulates blood flood to the GI tract, warming up the core and aiding in digestion.
Choleretic
Fennel seed, especially in tincture form, stimulates the production of bile in the liver.
Cholagogue
Not only does it stimulate bile production, but it aids in bile secretion.
Antispasmodic
Because of its carminative effect, fennel soothes tension and cramping in the GI tract and reproductive system.
Galactagogue
Fennel seed tea helps ramp up the production and secretion of breast milk.
Anticatarrhal
Fennel seed helps break up excess mucous in the lungs, throat, and intestines.
Diuretic
Fennel stimulates urine production and helps pull excess fluids from the body.
Body Systems Affinities
Now that we understand fennel’s herbal actions, let’s talk briefly about fennel’s love of the digestive system.
The Digestive System
Fennel is the digestion herb. Almost all of fennel’s herbal actions act on the digestive system to aid in digestion and soothe digestion discomfort. It warms up the core, stimulates bile flow, soothes spasms in the GI tract, dispels gas, breaks up access mucous, and eliminates excess fluids.
Notable Constituents
- volatiles (anethole, fenchone, methyl chavicol)
- flavonoids
- coumarins (bergapten)
- sterols
Cautions When Working with Fennel
Good news: there are none! Fennel is safe and effective for everyone to work with. As always, it’s still in good practice to check in with your doc before seriously using fennel if you have serious health conditions or are taking pharmaceutical medications.
Working with Fennel
Fennel has a few areas where it shines in its medicinal actions.
Many Forms of Digestive Discomfort, Especially Gas
Because of its carminative action, fennel helps to bring ease to digestive discomfort of many forms, especially gas and bloating. Fennel’s carminative action helps move gas out of the intestines and helps stimulate lymph movement, the primary two causes of bloating. When you eat a heavy meal that your body is having trouble digesting, fennel is a great resource to help you out there, too.
Also, fennel is a warming and moistening liver stimulant, which isn’t very common. Most bitters and digestive herbs are cooling and drying. Therefore, fennel is a great herb to work with if you have a dry and/or cold constitution but still need help with digestion.
Excess Mucous In Lungs & Intestines
Do you ever feel like you have junk in your throat but no matter how hard you try, it’s stuck back there? This is the perfect time to reach out to fennel for help. Drinking fennel tea or taking fennel tincture can help break up and thin out that garbage in your throat and lungs so you can more easily cough it up or swallow it.
If you deal with any kind of gut inflammation, then it’s likely you also have some mucous build-up in your intestines. This excess mucous can make it difficult for your body to absorb nutrients and prevent toxins and pathogens from getting in. Drinking fennel tea regularly can help break that mucous up and help the body clear it out, allowing for more efficient assimilation.
Breast Milk Production
Fennel is the all-star player in the milk production league, only second to goat’s rue. Drinking fennel seed tea will help ramp up milk production and secretion. In fact, fennel seed is almost always in “mother’s milk” tea blends.
Preparing Fennel
There are a few ways we work with fennel when we are looking to receive its herbal benefits.
Fennel Tea
When preparing fennel tea, you can either make a long infusion or decoction. Fennel is a common addition to a gut-heal tea blend (check out the calendula monograph for a recipe) or for an after-meal digestion aid. Because this herb is very safe to work with, you can work with it for either temporary or long-term digestive discomfort.
Fennel Tincture
Fennel tincture is a great way to stimulate the liver. I love adding fennel to warming bitter blends along with other herbs like angelica, chamomile, calamus, and ginger.
Candied Fennel Seed
Eating a small handful of fennel seeds after a big meal is a good way to get that fennel digestion boost, and what better way to make fennel seeds appetizing than by candying them! Add 1/2 cup of sugar to a 1/2 cup of water and gently bring it to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Then, add 1/2 cup of fennel seeds and keep stirring. Turn off the heat once the seeds begin to crystalize and keep stirring until finished. And voila! A tasty treat for an after-meal snack!
Fennel in Food
Putting fennel in food is probably the most common way to work with this herb (and it’s a perfectly valid form of herbalism!) Fennel pairs particularly well with heavy meals, like those that include red meat. That’s why it’s a common herb in sausage! But fennel also makes a yummy vinegarette when infused into vinegar with other herbs like garlic and ginger.
Fennel Herbal Pairings
Not only do these herbal pairings taste great together, but they also emphasize each other’s herbal actions.
Sourcing Fennel
Fennel is one of those herbs you can find at almost any grocery store, both in fresh bulb form as well as seed in the spice and bulk section. This is a cheap and easy source of fennel. This is also a super easy herb to grow, so if you can, I recommend growing it yourself! It’s the best way to develop a deeper relationship with the plant and ensure quality. You can buy fennel seeds here.
If that’s not an option for you, I recommend looking into a local herb farm to buy your fennel from. Herb farms are becoming more common and can be found nationwide. By purchasing your herbs from a local herb farm, not only are you ensuring high-quality products (most of the time) but you’re also supporting your local economy. You can also try buying from a local herbal apothecary.
If you’re looking to buy your fennel online, I recommend looking into Mountain Rose Herbs. This company sells the best quality dry herbs I’ve seen, plus they have a system of checks and balances to make sure their practices are environmentally and socially responsible. Here, you can buy fennel seed, fennel seed powder, fennel seed tincture, fennel essential oil, and more.
Free Fennel Monograph PDF
More Herbal Monographs
Want to learn about more herbs? In my online Materia Medica, you will find all of the herbs I have written about. Here, you can click on any herb you want to learn about and you’ll get a thorough herbal monograph that’s always being updated, just like this one. Plus, you can download the free monograph for every herb! Learn more here.
The Best Herbalism Books
In this article exploring the world of herbalism literature, we explore a selection of the best herbalism books available. This comprehensive list includes titles from experienced herbalists, covering topics such as medicinal plants, herbal remedies, plant identification, and natural healing techniques. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned practitioner, these books will undoubtedly serve as valuable resources in your journey to discover the humble power of herbs. From the timeless classics to the latest releases, this article offers a guide to the must-have herbalism books for any enthusiast or aspiring herbalist.
Summary: Fennel Monograph
Hopefully, by now, you understand that fennel isn’t just a spice that makes Italian sausage taste so good, but it’s a medicinal herb with so much to offer us. In this fennel monograph, we discussed the herb’s energetics, tastes, medicinal plant parts, herbal actions, body systems affinities, constituents, and cautions. Then, we went over when we work with fennel, how we prepare it, and which herbs to pair it with. Plus, you downloaded the free fennel monograph PDF so you can reference this information whenever you need to.
What are your favorite ways to work with fennel? Is there anything you’re excited about? Put your thoughts in the comments, I would love to hear from you!
Thanks for reading and I hope to see you back here soon!
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