We know the fennel closely
The wild fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, also called fennel or finocchina, is a Mediterranean plant of the Umbelliferae family. The yellow flowers are in fact arranged in characteristic "umbels" of ten or more rays each, and appear from June to August.
Known since ancient times for its aromatic properties, its horticultural cultivation seems to date back as far as 1500.
The fennel grows in almost all of Italy, vegetating even on uncultivated soils up to 1000 meters of altitude . The fennel has excellent phytotherapeutic properties. Thanks to the substances it contains, that is essential oils (anethole, which gives it its characteristic taste, and variable amounts of fencone, a bitter compound) and polyphenols, it is one of the most precious herbaceous plants used in herbal medicine. In particular, the fennel is used to prepare tasty and healthy natural teas.
Here are the properties of fennel
The fennel has multiple properties: aromatic, aperitif, digestive, carminative, diuretic, antispasmodic. Drugs use both leaves and fruits and flowers and even roots.
The flowers can be used both fresh and dried; the fruits or diacheni, improperly called seeds, are used abundantly for the preparation of herbal teas ; while the leaves are used both fresh and chopped to flavor soups, fish dishes, salads, pasta and cheese.
The fennel tea
The fennel is ideal as an anti-fermentative and digestive, to obviate the annoying abdominal swelling .
An herbal tea is prepared with about ten grams of fruit per liter of water. It would be ideal to drink a cup before and one after meals. Fennel also goes well with spices such as cumin, for example. An effective composite infusion involves the use of coriander, fennel, ginger and lemon . Boil all the ingredients for a few minutes, let them rest, pour into the cup and add a couple of drops of lemon and honey.
An anti-inflammatory and anti-flu, as well as a natural carminative with a surprising taste. Let's not overlook the fact that rinsing with an infusion of fennel fruits helps fight halitosis!
Curiosity: Bad wine was often treated with fennel seeds to mask bad odors and not excellent taste! Fennel, together with cumin, are useful for cooking vegetables!
