Fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
Spices. Ayurveda, Western & European and Dr. Sebi's list.
Also called Sweet fennel, Saunf, Finocchio
Spanish: Hinojo
Oil risky for young childrenA licorice-scented plant whose seeds and bulb are eaten, and whose seeds are used in traditional remedies for gas and digestion.
Did you know? Fennel is a relative of carrots and dill, and it has been used as food and medicine for thousands of years.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Digestion & gut health. Small trials found fennel oil or tea eased bloating and cramps in some people. Results are mixed.Early proof
- Women's health. Used in tradition to raise milk supply. Human studies are few, and the effect is not proven.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Ayurveda uses fennel for digestion and eye comfort. Western herbalists have used the seed tea for colic and gas, and nursing mothers have taken it to support milk.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Carminative, Antispasmodic, Galactagogue. Energy: warming.
How people take it
Chew seeds after meals, steep crushed seeds in hot water for tea, or cook the bulb as a vegetable. Fennel tea has been tried for infant colic in small studies, but parents should ask a doctor first.
Food, tea and essential oil.
Where to get it
Grown in Europe, India, Egypt and China. Buy whole seeds in spice shops and bulbs in produce sections. Choose oils only from makers who list dose and safety information.
Be careful
Food amounts are safe. Fennel essential oil is strong and can cause seizures in small children. Anethole, a compound in fennel, may act like estrogen, so avoid medicine amounts if you are pregnant or have hormone-sensitive cancer.
Avoid if: pregnancy; hormone-sensitive cancer; epilepsy; children under 12.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
A common milk-supply herb in folk and Ayurvedic practice.
- Works well together
Both are used in traditional milk-supporting blends.
- Works well together
Jeera, dhania and saunf form a common digestive trio.
- Works well together
Common digestive trio in Indian home remedies.
- Works well together
Both are sweet, licorice-flavored seeds used in teas and cookies.
- Works well together
Similar anise flavor, often used together in spice blends.
- Works well together
Similar anise-like seeds, used together in digestive teas.
- Works well together
Both are seed carminatives used in European digestive blends.
Found in these formulas
CCF tea (Ayurveda)
The honest take
Fennel is a safe food and tea, and small trials support it for gas and colic. Its oil is strong and not safe for young children. Claims about milk supply and hormones need better human proof.