What is the difference between aniseed and fennel?

Fennel is produced all over China. Fennel oil is good for stimulating gastrointestinal nerves and blood vessels. Regular consumption can be beneficial to human digestion, gastrointestinal motility, and has the benefits of nourishing the stomach and promoting qi. There are two types of fennel, large fennel and small fennel. There is a difference between the two. Large fennel is star anise seasoning, and small fennel can be said to be a vegetable. What is the difference between large fennel and small fennel? Let’s take a look at it next.

1. Difference between fennel and cumin

There are two types of fennel: one is big anise, which is the star anise we use as seasoning. Its fruit can also be used as a spice. It is mainly cultivated artificially in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan and other places. Another one is fennel, a vegetable whose fruit is used as a spice and whose stems and leaves are edible organs.

Fennel likes cool weather and has strong adaptability. It is mainly cultivated in spring and autumn in northern my country. (Open field cultivation)

Spring sowing: late March to early April, harvest in mid-to-late May.

Autumn sowing: July-August, harvest in September.

Fennel has a spicy, sweet and warm flavor. It has the effects of regulating qi and strengthening the stomach, dispelling cold and relieving pain.

Fennel can be stir-fried, eaten cold, or used to make buns or dumplings. It has a unique fragrance. It's worth a try.

2. Benefits of Fennel

1. Improve appetite

The aniseone and anisealdehyde in fennel can produce a special aroma, stimulating the secretion of human saliva and gastric juice; in addition, fennel also contains beneficial substances that can stimulate the gastrointestinal nerves and blood vessels, helping people increase their appetite, and the secretion of gastric juice helps the stomach and intestines digest and absorb food.

2. Strengthen the stomach and regulate qi

The fennel oil contained in fennel can stimulate the gastrointestinal nerves and blood vessels, eliminate the gas accumulated in the stomach and intestines, and have the effect of strengthening the stomach and promoting qi. Additionally, fennel contains anethole, which can effectively relieve inflammation, irritation, and cramps caused by nausea and vomiting.

3. Sterilization and infection prevention

Fennel contains a substance called anisol, which has the effect of killing bacteria and warming the stomach. It is especially effective in eliminating Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae. People with cold and weak stomachs can add a small amount of fennel when cooking to prevent infectious diarrhea.

4. Regulate menstruation

Women often use fennel, angelica, and fructus aurantii with water and fluoride to regulate menstruation. The specific method is to use 15 grams of fennel and angelica, and 12 grams of fructus aurantii to boil into a soup and take it once in the morning and evening every day. It can dispel cold and warm the uterus, and has a good effect on the symptoms of amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea.

5. Protect your eyes

Fennel is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. It can reduce eye inflammation and irritation, which has the benefit of protecting eye health and preventing degenerative diseases.

3. Nutritional value of fennel

Fennel fruit contains about 3-6% volatile oil, the main components of which are 50-60% aisole and 18-20% fenchone. It also contains: α-pinene, α-phellandrene, camphene, dipentene, anisaldehyde, anisic acid, and ophiopogon. It also contains cis-anisole and p-cymene.

1. The main ingredient of fennel is fennel oil, which can stimulate the gastrointestinal nerves and blood vessels, promote the secretion of digestive juices, increase gastrointestinal motility, and eliminate accumulated gas, so it has the effects of strengthening the stomach and promoting qi. Sometimes gastrointestinal motility will decrease after excitement, which helps to relieve spasms and reduce pain.

2. Fennel is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C, and also contains high levels of carotene and calcium. The seeds can be used as medicine or spice, and have the effects of dispelling wind and phlegm, dispelling cold, strengthening the stomach and relieving pain.

3. Fennel is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Can reduce eye inflammation and irritation, which has the benefit of protecting eye health and preventing degenerative diseases