Get to Know the Health Benefits of Fennel
Some aspects of our diet have the ability to truly transform how we approach health and wellness. What we put into our bodies plays such a significant role in our health outcomes over long periods of time and when we focus on eating a clean, balanced diet, we can see that we feel better, our biomarkers improve, and our health and wellness is at its highest capacity. So how can we secure positive health outcomes for the long term.
A seemingly obscure but extremely powerful produce item that we can add to our diets to maximize our health and wellness outcomes and ensure that our bodies are protected is fennel. Your only understanding of fennel may be from the little seeds you see in sausage, meatballs, or in other hearty foods, but fennel is actually a great source of nutrition.
For those with deficiencies in iron, ranging from anemic to less serious iron deficiencies, fennel is one of those heralded green vegetables that we hear so much about in terms of their iron content. Along with high amounts of iron, there is an amino acid found in fennel called histidine. This amino acid is crucial in that is mimics the production of hemoglobin, which is a main component in the blood where iron is contained.
Fennel is also an important produce item for our digestive health. There are extremely high amounts of dietary fiber. Additionally, the density of fennel helps facilitate the production of gastric juices as food moves through the digestive tract which facilitates the process overall and maximizes nutrient absorption from the food we are eating.
The aforementioned fiber also plays a role in promoting cardiovascular health. Dietary fiber stimulates the production of bile salts. The process of constructing bile salts requires input in the form of cholesterol so when we eat a lot of dietary fiber, we are effectively lowering our low density lipid cholesterol, which can prove to be dangerous when it builds up in our blood vessels.
Fennel can be worked into so many different recipes as its fresh and crisp flavor match many dishes perfectly. If you are looking for a diverse nutritional boost, definitely do not count out fennel as something to incorporate into your diet. Perfect on pizza and fantastic with salad, fennel can keep you healthy and make your tongue dance!
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble