Fennel

You're at an Indian restaurant waiting to be seated when you notice a small bowl of fennel seeds on a table by the door. You wonder what they're for, and before you know it, you're entertaining some odd possibilities: Seasoning for the mango chutney? Something to be tossed over your shoulder for good luck? The answer: Pssst, they're to relieve gas, says Ayra H. DerMarderosian, Ph.D., professor of pharmacognosy and medicinal chemistry at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science.

Contemporary herbalists recommend fennel to aid digestion, and yes, it does help expel gas. It works by relaxing muscles in the digestive and reproductive systems. It's been used traditionally to boost mothers' milk production and promote menstruation.

Studies have shown that fennel is effective in relieving infant colic. However, not all of fennel's uses have been supported by scientific research.

Healing with Fennel:

To make fennel tea, steep ½ teaspoon of crushed fennel seed in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Allow the tea to cool sufficiently if you're giving it to an infant.

For a digestive aid, either chew a handful of seeds or try an infusion or tincture. The seeds have a pleasant, licorice-like flavor. Reach for fennel to:

• Soothe Indigestion: Like many other aromatic herbs, fennel appears to relax the smooth muscle lining of the digestive tract to help expel gas. European research shows it also kills some bacteria, lending support to another of its traditional uses-to treat diarrhea.

• Stimulate menstruation: One study suggests the herb has a mild estrogenic effect, meaning it acts like the female sex hormone, estrogen. This action may have something to do with its traditional use as a milk and menstruation promoter.

• Cure colic: In a recent Israeli study, researchers gave an herbal fennel tea to 33 colicky babies and a non-medicinal drink to 35 other colicky infants for seven days. More babies who received fennel tea showed improvement that those who received the placebo drink. Although the study is from conclusive, it can't hurt to try giving fennel tea to a colicky baby. "It' worth a try, because colic is such a complex thing," says Dr. DerMarderosian.
  

Grow Your Own:

Fennel is a striking 6-foot tall perennial with feathery leaves and tall stalks capped by large umbrella-like clusters of tiny yellow flowers. The tiny oval fruits (seeds) are ribbed and greenish gray. All parts of the plant have the herb's characteristic licorice fragrance.

To grow fennel, plant seeds in rich, moist soil after danger of frost has passed. Germination takes about two weeks. Thin seedlings to 12 inches apart. Do not over-water. Harvest seeds in late summer as they turn greenish-gray.

Note: Fennel may damage neighboring plants, including bush beans, tomatoes, caraway and kohlrabi. Also, if coriander seeds are planted nearby, fennel won't fruit.

Safety Considerations:

Fennel is included on the Food and Drug Administration's list of herbs generally regarded as safe. But because of its estrogenic effect, pregnant women should avoid medicinal amounts of the herb.

Warning: Don't harvest fennel in the wild; it closely resembles poison hemlock, which can cause death if ingested.

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