What to remember:
- Fennel is an aromatic plant used in particular in herbal medicine.
- Its fenchone, anethole and estragole content gives it hepatoprotective properties and promotes optimal digestive transit.
- It is important to respect the dosage and contraindications of taking fennel seed supplements.
What is Fennel?
Fennel is an aromatic plant belonging to the Apiaceae family native to the Mediterranean basin used in cooking as a condiment and in the food industry as an additive. It is very similar to certain other aromatic plants such as caraway , cumin or dill. Its seeds are mainly used for their medicinal properties. The active ingredients are recovered in the form of essential oils. Among its components are trans-anethole, estragole and fenchone.
The benefits and virtues of fennel
Fennel and digestion
Scientific studies have highlighted the benefits of fennel. They have shown it supports digestive health by relieving discomforts such as bloating. This is essential for an optimal digestive system .
Fennel and liver
Fennel's benefits also extend to the liver. In fact, fennel seed supplementation has been shown to have hepatoprotective effects. Like many plants , it has been found to better protect liver cells from potential damage and oxidation.
Fennel and the immune system
Fennel seeds help support the immune system. Consuming them reduces lipid peroxidation, a cell oxidation reaction that reduces oxidative stress.
Indications and dosage of Fennel
The consumption of fennel seed supplements in the form of essential oil, powder or capsules is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women and for women who have had ovarian, uterine or breast cancer due to its phytoestrogen (anethole) content. In addition, it is not recommended for people with an allergy to Apiaceae (celery, cumin, dill, etc.) and for people undergoing treatment that may cause photosensitization indicated by a sun present on the packaging of the medicine.
To avoid the risk of anethole toxicity, the daily dose of dried fennel should not exceed 7 g per day and should not be taken for more than 2 continuous weeks. Overconsumption can cause seizures and severe fatigue.
Side effects are rare but some people may experience an allergic reaction after ingesting it.
Bring Fennel to your body with DIJO
To reduce bloating, at DIJO, we have developed a supplement to combat digestive discomfort . We have included fennel seed powder in the composition of our 5-day reset , a real ally to fight bloating, flatulence and regain a flat stomach. It wonderfully complements our dream stomach pack cure .
This treatment should be taken as part of a balanced lifestyle in order to obtain deep and lasting effects.
Sources :
[1] Fennell. (2023). In Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
[2] Samadi-Noshahr, Z., Hadjzadeh, MA, Moradi-Marjaneh, R., & Khajavi-Rad, A. (2020). The hepatoprotective effects of fennel seeds extract and trans-Anethole in streptozotocin-induced liver injury in rats. Food science & nutrition, 9(2), 1121–1131. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2090
[3] Ozbek, H., Uğraş, S., Dülger, H., Bayram, I., Tuncer, I., Oztürk, G., & Oztürk, A. (2003). Hepatoprotective effect of Foeniculum vulgare essential oil. Fitoterapia, 74(3), 317–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0367-326x(03)00028-5
[4] Liu, H., Li, J., Lin, S., Liu, T., & Zheng, C. (2021). Effects of dietary fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) seed powder supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, small intestinal morphology, and carcass traits of broilers. PeerJ, 9, e10308. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10308
[5] Das, B., Rabalais, J., Kozan, P., Lu, T., Durali, N., Okamoto, K., McGeough, MD, Lee, BJ, Barrett, KE, Marchelletta, R., & Sivagnanam, M. (2022). The effect of a fennel seed extract on the STAT signaling and intestinal barrier function. PloS one, 17(7), e0271045. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271045
[6] Yakut, HI, Koyuncu, E., Cakir, U., Tayman, C., Koyuncu, İ., Taskin Turkmenoglu, T., Cakir, E., Ozyazici, A., Aydogan, S., & Zenciroglu, A. (2020). Preventative and therapeutic effects of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed extracts against necrotizing enterocolitis. Journal of food biochemistry, 44(8), e13284.
