Funnel fruit, better known locally as saunf, is an integral part of our diet. The plant is a member of the parsley family which has yellowish flowers and can grow up to eight feet tall. Fennel radiates a sweet, warm liquorice odor. Although native to southern Europe, fennel is grown commercially in Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Hungary and Romania.
Fennel doubles as a vegetable and a spice; each part of the plant – the seeds, leaves, stalks, and the bulb – are edible. It can be diced into soups and salads, or used for savoring stews and stir-fry vegetables. The feathery leaves can also be used to flavor vegetable dishes.
The grooved seeds can be used for flavoring a variety of items such as bread, entrees, vegetable dishes, tomato-based sauce and even desserts such as apple pie.
In addition to its many uses in cooking, fennel fruit has a considerable amount of medicinal value and is often used as a home remedy for many common ailments.
Here’s a closer look:
- Fennel seeds boiled in water and administered as drops to children act as a digestive carminative and help to reduce flatulence, indigestion and colic.
- Tea prepared by crushing a few fennel seeds and dissolving them into hot water is good for soothing a recurring cough. It also helps in loosening phlegm.
- Although though to increase the appetite, fennel has actually been used as an appetite suppressant and can be a part of weight loss programmes.
- Chewing small amounts of fennel seeds, every so often during the day, reduces blood pressure.
- Fennel seeds can be crushed and mixed with water to make a paste which can alleviate stiff or painful joints by being rubbed on the affected body parts.
- Fennel seeds boiled with water and mixed with milk are said to cure insomnia. Similarly, seeds boiled in water are also a good home remedy for headaches, earaches and a hoarse voice.