The humble fennel can actually have five wonderful uses, so let's take a look.

When cooking braised pork or stewed fish, there are always some spices such as cinnamon fennel, so when it comes to fennel, I don't think everyone will be surprised. Fennel can remove the fishy smell of meat and make food fragrant again. However, you may not know that fennel is also a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine. So what is the special effect of fennel, which is homologous to medicine and food? Are there any precautions for daily consumption of fennel?

Fennel, as a condiment, can remove fishy smell and enhance fragrance. However, Chinese medicine believes that fennel is pungent and light, and mainly enters the liver, kidney and spleen and stomach meridians of human body. Fennel can be widely used by Chinese medicine because of its five functions.

First, promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and relieve stomach pain symptoms.

It is understood that the special fragrance of fennel comes from fennel oil components such as fennel ketone and fennel aldehyde, and this effective component can actively stimulate the gastrointestinal nerves of the human body and promote the secretion of saliva and gastric juice, which can not only significantly increase people's appetite and accelerate the peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract, but also alleviate the problem of gastrointestinal spasm and improve discomfort symptoms such as stomach pain. Chinese medicine often decocts fennel with dried ginger, radix aucklandiae and other medicinal materials to treat anorexia, abdominal distension and abdominal pain or nausea and vomiting.

Second, sterilization.

After analyzing the fennel extract, scientists found that fennel contains anisole, which can effectively kill Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli and other bacteria. Fennel also has the function of warming the stomach, so it has a good therapeutic effect on infectious gastrointestinal diseases.

Third, anti-ulcer effect

Clinical mouse experiments have proved that fennel can inhibit the secretion of gastric juice in mice and has anti-ulcer effect. Fennel can also prevent the proliferation or infection of bacteria in ulcer area. Chinese medicine will also grind fennel with angelica dahurica, Cyperus rotundus, corydalis tuber and other medicinal materials into pills, which can inhibit gastric acid and promote the healing of ulcer surface.

Fourth, the role of protecting liver and gallbladder.

Fennel oil in fennel can promote the regeneration of liver cells and inhibit the growth of liver disease cells. In addition, the nutrients in fennel can also promote the secretion of bile and increase the solid content of bile, so fennel has good medicinal value of protecting liver and benefiting gallbladder.

Fifth, the role of menstrual regulation.

Fennel is warm and has a good effect of dispelling cold and warming uterus, and anisaldehyde and anisone in fennel have the effects of dispelling cold and dredging blood stasis, so women with dysmenorrhea can take fennel with cinnamon, linderae and agarwood, which can obviously relieve dysmenorrhea symptoms and regulate menstruation.

We know that everything has two sides. Although fennel is effective, eating fennel incorrectly often causes discomfort or affects health. So how to eat fennel correctly in daily life?

First of all, avoid excessive consumption of fennel: when cooking, adding fennel properly can make dishes fragrant, but excessive consumption of fennel can cause allergic reactions, and fennel with spicy taste can cause problems such as dry mouth and aphtha.

Secondly, fennel should be taboo: because fennel is a hot and dry food, don't eat garlic, pepper and other foods that will get angry after eating fennel.

Finally, these groups of people should avoid eating fennel: people with inflammation in the small intestine and bladder or symptoms of yin deficiency and excessive fire such as stomach heat and lung heat are not suitable for eating fennel, because fennel with spicy taste is easy to aggravate the condition or cause serious symptoms of getting angry; Eating too much fennel can lead to constipation and symptoms of returning to milk, so pregnant women should not eat fennel.

References:

Yang Xiaoyong and Liu Hongxing Huang Chusheng, study on chemical constituents of Illicium verum, chemical technology and development, technology and; Development of Chemical Industry (2009) 10.

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