All about Fennel Seeds / Saunf

Fennel seed - The mouth freshening spice that has some wonderful health benefits. Know the ways of consuming them for maximum benefit.

Introduction
Health benefits
How to consume
Did you know?
Video summary

INTRODUCTION

Fennel seeds are spices that are commonly used in India, as a mouth freshener, or in making garam masala. They are called "Saunf" in Hindi and "Sombu" in Tamil. It looks somewhat like cumin seeds (jeera), but is greenish in colour and it's slightly larger than cumin. Fennel seeds have a pleasant sweetish scent and a sweet, yet pungent taste. This pungent taste along with it's fibrous texture, make a lot us hate eating it. But hopefully, after you've read this article, you probably won't avoid it anymore. Although the flower and root of fennel seeds are said to be useful, most of us only use the seeds. So, let's look at the health benefits of this wondrous food.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Fennel seeds (saunf) heat the body, reduce flatulence i.e, wind, reduce phlegm and improve metabolism.
They also cure stomach problems like stomach ache, indigestion, acidity, bloating, gas, improve appetite, help with irritable bowel problems and boost digestion. This improved digestive health aids with weight loss and weight management.
For women, fennel seeds are said to relieve diseases around the womb opening - they improve menstrual flow, help with easy delivery, increase breast milk production and cure cramps.
Apart from these, saunf also relieves fever, flatulence, liver problems, cough, hoarse voice, running nose, sneezing and other phlegm related problems.
According to old medicine books, the fruit of the fennel plant is said to remove flatulence and increase appetite by improving digestion.
As per Unani system, fennel seed improves milk secretion in breast feeding women, removes urinary blockade, blockades in liver, gallbladder and chest. It is also good for eyes and stomach. Taken with other Unani medicines, it cures cough, swooning, heart problem, wind, chronic indigestion, etc.

HOW TO CONSUME

You can use fennel seeds in any one of the following ways :

In cooking : For getting the above mentioned benefits from saunf, you can include about 1/2 to 1 tsp of fennel seed powder in your regular diet. Using it in normal cooking is probably the easiest way to do this. We commonly
Detox water : Soak 1/2 tsp of fennel seeds in a glass of water for about an hour. Then, drink this water on an empty stomach in the morning. This drink removes accumulated toxins from the body and boosts our metabolism, which in turn aids weight loss.
Saunf candy? Eat 1/2 tsp of roasted and powdered fennel seeds with some sugar twice a day. A similar combination is sold as "Saunf candy" (sugar-coated fennel seeds) in India. In restaurants, it is served after meals (free-of-charge) or in combination with some other roasted spices. It has multiple benefits, namely : aiding digestion, as a mouth freshener and a palate cleanser.
Disease prevention : Taking about 7 gm of saunf powder daily from mid April to mid July will prevent us from getting diseases till the year end.

Note : Avoid eating too much of saunf, as they increase body heat significantly. Also people who have too much heat in the body should avoid eating fennel seeds too often. It is best to always practice moderation even with the healthiest of foods.

DID YOU KNOW?

A 15 - 20 ml distillate of fennel seeds is prepared in the ratio 1:20 to get it's oil (the oil floating on top of the distillate). 1/2 to 3 drops of this oil is mixed with suitable ingredients to cure various illnesses.
The distillate of fennel flowers, prepared by the above method, is said to cure loose motion, flatulence, stomach worms in children. Adding it with other medicines will suppress vomiting tendency.

Note : These "Did you know" things are for informative purposes only. Do not try them at home. It requires professional expertise to prepare them.

That's all for today. Like and share this article with your loved ones, if you found it useful. Stay healthy. Stay happy. Bye.