Fennel Seed

Maximum order 4oz. 

A member of the Apiaceae family, Foeniculum vulgare hosts umbels of sweet-smelling golden flowers that ripen into a fruit known as fennel seed. Fennel seeds gently support healthy functioning of the digestive system and are often served after meals as fennel tea. Fennel seeds are used by incorporating their aromatics and flavor in a host of culinary dishes and can also be used in herbal tea blends or for tincturing.

Fennel seed supports healthy digestion and was traditionally used to relieve occasional gas and bloating. Due to fennel's gentle nature, it can be used to support digestion in children and can be given to lactating parents.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), fennel is used for its aromatic and warming properties and effects the liver, kidney, spleen, and stomach meridians (energetic pathways) and is therefore administered to increase appetite, quell nausea, and to allay occasional bloating.

In Ayurveda, fennel is called 'samf' or 'saunf', 'madhurika', or ‘shatapushpa’ (amongst other names) and believed to taste bitter, pungent, and sweet. It is considered neutral to slightly warming energetically and balancing to all three of the constitutional body types (vata, pitta, and kapha). It is considered to be one of the best carminatives and has been utilized to relieve gas and enhance digestion. 

In North America, fennel was used by the Cherokee as a carminative and thus administered to soothe digestion. The Pomo Indians used fennel as an eyewash and a digestive aid and the Hopi used fennel as a tobacco substitute for smoking.

In recent times, fennel is utilized mostly in the same way that it has been for thousands of years. It is an incredibly helpful digestive aid, an effective expectorant, a delicious food and spice, and may offer gentle support with stimulating milk production / lactation.