Health Benefits of Fennel
By Madhusudhan Tammisetti
Fennel looks like celery but has a licorice-like flavor that most people are unfamiliar with. Its scientific name is Foeniculum vulgare, and its long green stalks and white-colored bulbs distinguish it. Its seeds, stalks, and bulbs are all edible.
Harvesting normally occurs in late autumn, and it's frequently used in winter. Therefore it is traditionally viewed as a winter vegetable. However, since it has a plethora of nutrients that correlate to health benefits, its usage now goes well beyond its use in food.
Fennel has a number of health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, promoting bone health, promoting skin health, reducing blood pressure, acting as remediation for infant colic, addressing anemia, maintaining brain function, preventing bacterial infections, stimulating appetite, and managing seasonal allergies. Coughing and bronchoconstriction are relieved, and it aids in the promotion of eye health, weight reduction, and cancer prevention.
Promotes Eye Health
The presence of numerous antioxidant compounds and bioactive chemicals in fennel helps retain your eye health, preventing excessive damage that leads to early macular degeneration. They also help with night vision, the health of the optic nerve, and the prevention of retinal damage.
Good for Treating Anemia
Fennel has two components, iron and histidine, which are helpful in the production of red blood cells. Histidine is an amino acid that promotes the production of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of blood. This is better than iron alone since the process of blood formation involves a variety of other factors and nutrients.
Supports Bone Health
While fennel doesn't have a lot of calcium, when you're a vegetarian and can't find non-dairy calcium sources, every little bit helps. The bulbs contain a lot of calcium, but it's not the sole bone-supporting ingredient. Magnesium, phosphorus, and Vitamin K can be found in fennel to help with bone mineralization.
Prevents Cancer
One way to avoid cancer is to make sure you get enough antioxidants from fruits and vegetables to counteract free radicals produced by metabolism. While this directly aids in the suppression of cells' inflammatory processes, some of its substances, such as anethole, have been shown to limit the development of malignant cells in their early stages, preventing the fast expansion that cancer cells are renowned for.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Fennel is high in potassium, a mineral that aids fluid equilibrium by serving as a salt counterbalance. Sodium increases water retention and raises blood pressure, while potassium aids in the removal of excess water and sodium, lowering blood pressure. It's not a quick treatment for acute high blood pressure since the effect takes time to materialize.
Fennel is a plant that may be used in a variety of ways, including food, health, and medication. Many people consume fennel in some form, but you may benefit greatly by increasing your intake.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Mountain Brook, Ala.