Fennel - light-loving sweetish-spicy vegetable culture originating from the Mediterranean, was used for medicinal purposes even in ancient times. Yes, and in ancient culinary recipes, this plant was mentioned, reminiscent of the appearance and taste of dill. In food( in contrast to it) all parts of this representative of the umbellate family go - the bulb, seeds, greens. Fennel grows in the Crimea, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Ukraine and Moldova.
- chemical composition
- Useful properties
- Methods
- therapeutic use
- Tea
- Slimming and stones
- kidneys from pain
- joints from stress and overwork
- When cold
- Coughing
- Bronchitis
- From
- pancreatitischronic constipation with dolichosigma
- With painful menstruation
- To normalize digestion
- When treating gastritis
- In cosmetic
- Mask from wrinkles
- Anti-aging mask
- Tnick from junior rash
- Baths for skin improvement
- mask to strengthen
- hair from dandruff and hair loss
- hair in culinary
- Sauce
- Salad
- fennel baked with cheese
- Soup
- harm and contraindications
- Harvesting and storage
chemical composition
main wealth of fennelis, contained in its fruits( seeds), essential oil, which here is more than 6%.It gives the plant a sweetish-spicy taste and a strong aroma. It contains the following substances:
- camphor;
- limonene;
- cineole;
- is terpinolene;
- citral and others;
- a number of essential amino acids: arginine, valine, lysine, leucine and others;
- interchangeable amino acids: aspartic, glutamic, glycine and the like;
- more than 12% of fatty oils with petrozelin, oleic, palmetonic, linoleic acids.
In addition, the seeds and green parts of the plant are rich:
- glycosides;
- with vitamins A, C, group B;
- micro- and macro elements: calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium, zinc and others.
Useful properties
The use of medicinal dill as a medicine is due to the rich chemical composition of almost all its parts. Thus, the fruits of fennel have useful properties( and some contraindications relating to excessive infatuation with them) due to essential oil.
When applying fennel oil, its numerous healing properties for the human body are revealed:
- Displays toxins and toxins, relieves bloating and constipation. Has the ability to mitigate the effects of overeating and alcohol abuse.
- Normalizes digestion, useful for the liver and spleen. Due to diuretic effect improves kidney function, helps to fight against urolithiasis.
- Chewing fennel seeds helps to freshen breath and prevent the development of caries.
- Eliminates diarrhea.
- Useful properties of fennel oil for women are expressed in the fact that it stimulates the production of estrogen. This helps to normalize the menstrual cycle, facilitates the condition with menopause. It is included in homeopathic preparations for stimulation of lactation and in toxicosis of pregnant women.
- Beneficial effect on the genital area.
In addition, the healing plant benefits in such cases:
- As a wound-healing and anti-inflammatory agent.
- With increased nervous excitement, insomnia.
- For the removal of spasms, improve the separation of sputum, with asthmatic attacks.
- To improve appetite.
- With poor eyesight.
- As a remedy for conjunctivitis and ulcers on the skin.
- When losing weight, fennel eliminates excess fluid, helps fight hunger, normalizes metabolism.
The useful properties of fennel extract are successfully used in cosmetology:
- Phytoestrogens, vitamins and antioxidants in its composition help to slow down the aging processes of the skin, reduce wrinkles.
- Helps in the production of collagen, which refreshes the skin, makes it supple and elastic, starts the process of its regeneration.
- Promotes the fight against cellulite.
- Improves the condition of the teenage skin, vitaminizes it, fights acne.
Methods of application
The indications of various preparations based on fennel for various diseases and other problems of the body are known. In medicine, these funds were used thousands of years ago. Cultivated and growing in nature fennel is widely used in cooking, dietary and children's nutrition. Examples of how and for what to use it are given below.
to table of contents ^For therapeutic purposes
to table of contents ^Tea
Especially note the beneficial properties of tea from fennel for infants. It helps to strengthen immunity, to get rid of painful infantile colic and to facilitate gas separation. This effect is due to the prebiotic inulin. And calcium, which is rich in vegetables, strengthens the bones of the baby. Therapeutic tea is used only from 4 months, otherwise the potent drug can harm the baby.
This healing drink benefits adults as well. In addition to the above properties, this tea facilitates the condition in diseases of the upper respiratory tract, acts as an antipyretic, helps with poisoning, and serves as a preventive measure against oncological diseases.
For its preparation, enough 2 teaspoons of seeds for a glass of boiling water. It takes a few minutes to brew tea. The daily dosage of the drink:
- for adults - from a quarter to half a glass;
- for elderly people and expectant mothers - no more than a quarter of a glass;
- for babies from 4 months to 2 years - up to a quarter of the adult portion;
- for children from 2 to 6 years - a third of this portion;
- for children aged 6 to 12 years - half portion.
For weight loss and kidney stones
When combating obesity, you can chew the fruits of fennel. It is also useful to drink tea from them, boiling a spoonful of raw materials in a glass of boiling water for a couple of minutes and withstood it for half an hour. This drink is also useful as an expectorant, with stones in the kidneys and gall bladder.
to the table of contents ^From joint pain
Joints relieve joint compresses from diluted in a small amount of warm water 5 drops of fennel oil. Such compresses need to be done twice a day.
to table of contents ^From stress and fatigue
A few drops of fennel ether in aromalamp or a dozen in a bath is a reliable remedy for nervousness and fatigue.
to the table of contents ^For cold
Massage of the sternum is shown diluted three times with water with fennel oil, and with pain in the abdomen - massage of the problem area.
When coughing
It is useful to breathe over the steam with the addition of a dozen drops of fennel essential oil, covering your head with a towel.
to contents ^With bronchitis
, 6 drops of fennel oil is added to 220 milliliters of warm milk. Drink before bedtime.
to table of contents ^From pancreatitis
A few medium-sized garlic heads are cleaned and passed through the garlic. Half a cup of fennel fruit is ground to a powdery state. This mixture is poured into half a liter of alcohol and, after 10 days in a closed container, pour into opaque dishes. Drink the obtained tincture for a month three times a day according to the following scheme: start with 1 drop, increase the dose per drop every next time for 15 days. Then, in the remaining time, reduce the dose in a similar way.
to the table of contents ^For chronic constipation with dolichosigma
Mix the herb collection: buckthorn bark, licorice root, fennel seeds, birch leaves, elderberry, three-color violet - all in equal parts. Spoon this product in a glass of boiling water to half an hour and drink a couple of times a day for a quarter cup after a meal.
to table of contents ^With painful monthly
Mix equal parts of wild rose berries, parsley roots, half the number of fennel seeds, parsley, juniper berries, St. John's wort. A couple of spoons collecting in 2 cups of boiling water for half an hour. Drink half a glass twice a day for several months.
to table of contents ^To normalize digestion
Mix a glass of kefir, over a tablespoon of walnut kernels and herbs of medicinal dill. Drink to take at night. Powdery fennel seeds are used in winter.
to table of contents ^When treating gastritis
Mix in equal proportions rhizomes of wheatgrass, licorice and althea, fennel seeds and chamomile inflorescences. A teaspoon of collection to stand an hour in a glass of boiling water and drink overnight.
to the table of contents ^In cosmetic
Several recipes for using fennel in cosmetology.
to the table of contents ^Anti-wrinkle mask
Mix the egg yolk, white clay and a couple of drops of fennel oil to the state of liquid sour cream. Apply to the face, wait for the clay to dry out, rinse.
to contents ^Anti-aging mask
Apply to the face and hands a mixture of yolk, cottage cheese and a couple of drops of fennel oil. It is good to add a little quince puree. Keep up to 30 minutes.
to the table of contents ^Tonic from youthful rash
In a quarter of a glass of alcohol add 5 drops of fennel essential oil and 10 drops of tea tree oil and lavender. Daily wipe face.
to contents ^Baths for skin improvement
Dissolve in water a tablespoon of soda with the addition of 8 drops of therapeutic fennel oil.
to table of contents ^Mask for strengthening hair
Mix 4 drops of fennel ether and 12 milliliters of burdock oil. The composition should be rubbed into the scalp 40 minutes before washing the hair.
to the table of contents ^From dandruff and hair loss
To get rid of these symptoms, you should wash your head with the addition of 10 drops of fragrant essential oil of fennel to the shampoo or balm.
to the table of contents ^In the culinary
Useful properties of the root of fennel as a dietary product that increases immunity and helps to get rid of excess weight, are actively used in cooking, for example, as a side dish to fish and meat. These bulbs are also used in the preparation of soups, sauces, drinks.
Because of the high content of fat in the seeds, not inferior in quality to cocoa butter, fennel found application in the recipes of liqueurs, bread and baking. A fragrant spice is added to sauerkraut, cold snacks, with canning vegetables and cooking marinades. Sweet dill is an indispensable ingredient in many Italian and French dishes.
Sauce
Ingredients:
- large fennel bulb;
- clove of garlic;
- half a cup of vermouth;
- half a cup of low-fat broth;
- yolk;
- a quarter of a pack of butter;
- half a cup of fat cream;
- salt.
Fennel clean, green leaves set aside. Shred the fennel root pulp with garlic. Fry the mixture in butter for a few minutes. In the frying pan add salted broth and vermouth, all heated to a boil. Beat the yolk, stir it with cream and send to the first mixture. With constant stirring, the resulting substance is brought to a thickening. After this, the sauce is removed from the plate, add to it finely chopped upper green fennel leaves.
to contents ^Salad
Ingredients:
- fennel bulb;
- a pair of zucchini or zucchini;
- 4 kiwifruit;
- a little green onion.
For refueling:
- tablespoon of peanut butter;
- a tablespoon of lemon juice;
- 2 tablespoons of white dry wine;
- 2 kiwi fruit;
- salt, cayenne pepper and a bit of liquid honey.
Fennel cleaned from green leaves and washed. Then cut the vegetables into strips. Zucchini cut into slices half a centimeter thick, chop the green onion, and kiwi clean and cut into 8 pieces. Put all the pieces in a salad bowl. For the preparation of salad dressing, all ingredients, except kiwifruit, must be mixed. Kiwis should be cleaned, kneaded to a puree state and added to the total mass. Salad pour ready dressing and decorate with the top leaves of fennel.
to table of contents ^Fennel baked with cheese
Composition:
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan;
- 3 heads of fennel;
- 2 glasses of chicken broth;
- 175 grams of mozzarella;
- water.
Fennel cut in half. Broth dilute with water almost twice, and within half an hour to cook vegetables in it. Then drain the liquid, and put the fennel in a mold for baking upwards with a cut. Chees grate and add to them a couple of twigs of chopped parsley. With this mixture sprinkle the vegetables, and all this is sent to the oven, where at 220 degrees bake until the appearance of an appetizing crust.
to contents ^Soup
Ingredients:
- 3 fennel bulbs;
- 200 grams of celery, carrots, leeks;
- 600 grams of potatoes.
Vegetables( except potatoes) cut into cubes and simmer in vegetable oil for a couple of minutes. Potatoes cut into cubes, boil in boiling water for a few minutes, and then add to it the remaining vegetables. The dish is brought to readiness in boiling salted water for a few more minutes. To the soup is suitable sour cream or cream.
to table of contents ^Harm and contraindications
Fennel tea for infants is a useful but potent drug that also has contraindications. It is important not to abuse it, to use dosed and only with a 4-month-old age.
In addition, fennel can harm in the following cases:
- When allergic to this seasoning.
- In combination with the use of beta-blockers - drugs prescribed for hypertension. This is due to the high content of potassium in the vegetable.
- For the same reason, it can not be taken in any form in renal failure.
- In persons suffering from epilepsy, the abuse of fennel can cause an attack, and in pregnant women - it can provoke a miscarriage.
Harvesting and storage of
Fennel greens are harvested during the growing season. And the roots are excavated in the autumn. Having cleared from the ground, they cut into pieces and dried or frozen.
Fruit of sweet dill does not mature at the same time. For harvesting solid, brown seeds are suitable, on which oily grooves are visible. At the end of September, the umbrellas in the center of the plants are cut. And in a few days it's time to collect the remaining parts of the healing herb. With this collection method, the best quality raw materials are obtained.
Then the umbrellas with the seeds are left for a few more days until they finally ripen. This should be a warm and dry room. After that, the umbrellas are threshed, and the seeds are dried for a while. For this you can use a special dryer. The finished raw material is stored in a sealed container for up to 3 years.