Skip to content
Fast & Free Delivery over $45 How fast will I receive my order? ZIP Code: - Receive it More Info
Enjoy 15% off Sitewide! Use Code: PREPARE

Fennel 101

3 Min Read
Fennel 101
Updated on August 21, 2017

Throughout the ages, humans have enjoyed fennel as a food, a spice, a flavoring, a medicinal herb, and even as a protective charm. More than many other plants, it offers tremendous range. In addition to its many digestive benefits, herbalists have used fennel for everything from helping alleviate water retention to facilitating breastfeeding in nursing mothers*. It’s the perfect herb for both your pantry and herbal medicine cabinet.

Fennel’s versatility has made it useful in countless herbal formulas. For this reason, our herbalists have used fennel as a key ingredient in so many of our teas and herbal products, such as our Fennel tea, Mother’s Milk®, Belly Comfort™, Breathe Easy®, EveryDay Detox Dandelion®, Gas Relief®, Pregnancy Tea®, Smooth Move®, Smooth Move Chamomile®, Smooth Move Peppermint®, Throat Coat®, Throat Coat Lemon Echinacea®, and Weightless Cranberry®. But not all fennel is created equal.

There are three types of fennel: sweet (or Roman) fennel with its sweet bulbs, used in Mediterranean cooking; onion-fennel, with its edible leafy sheaths; and bitter fennel, which has traditionally been used in herbal medicine. For this reason, we are partial to bitter fennel, aka Foeniculum vulgare spp. vulgare var. vulgare. Its genus name comes from the Latin name for the plant, foen, or “hay,” the scent of the plant’s dried leaves. Native to the entire Mediterranean region, bitter fennel is a hardy and short-lived perennial with yellow flowers organized in the form of an umbrella and threadlike leaves that resemble dill—not surprising given that both are from the Apiaceae family. Bitter fennel thrives in full sun and loves well-drained soils. European settlers first brought fennel to North America, and while it seems to grow well in coastal areas, it thrives particularly well on the West Coast, gracing rural roadsides throughout the summer.

fennel

But fennel’s history dates much farther back than that. Many ancient cultures throughout the ages revered fennel for its charming properties and its power to bestow long life, courage, strength and even to ward off evil spirits, which may have been loosely linked to the plant’s actual medicinal benefits. In India, Ayurvedic healers praised fennel for its ability to balance the three body types, or doshas. Farther northeast, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners used fennel as a warming herb to address issues related to the stomach. In the Mediterranean region, fennel’s native home, ancient physicians like Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides praised fennel for its ability to soothe indigestion and to help mothers in the production of breast milk.*

Today, our herbalists have tapped into these traditional uses to formulate our herbal teas and products. As a carminative, fennel helps relax muscles to alleviate cramping, gas and bloating.* The key to fennel’s herbal power lies in its high essential oils, typically found in the seeds. Anethole lends fennel that characteristic licorice-like taste and helps to fight free radicals; fenchone calms discomfort. Some of our favorite fennel comes from small, organic family farms in Bulgaria, where the fennel is high in these beneficial compounds.

The next time you find a fennel seed in your sausage or bread or sip on a glass of absinthe, consider the good reasons it may be included in the recipe. Fennel is a great herb to have handy in the kitchen, and by adding some of our fennel-based teas to your pantry, you’ll have a leg up on healthy digestion. Once you open your eyes to fennel’s benefits, don’t be surprised if you start seeing it everywhere!

You might also enjoy...

Shop All
Popular
Lemon Balm Tea. light & citrusy and relieves stress A cup of Lemon Balm Tea, renowned for its soothing effect on the nervous system, rests next to a box of Traditional Medicinals organic lemon balm on a wooden table by the window.

Lemon Balm Tea

Lemon Balm calms the nervous system and supports digestion
Popular
Box of Turmeric & Ginger with Meadowsweet Tea featuring vibrant images of turmeric and ginger roots, enhanced by the soothing notes of meadowsweet. Ginger and turmeric rest on a wooden board next to a cup of meadowsweet tea and a box of Turmeric & Ginger with Meadowsweet Tea on a rustic table.

Turmeric & Ginger with Meadowsweet Tea

This blend supports a healthy response to inflammation associated with an active lifestyle
Popular
Traditional Medicinals logo. Daily. Herbal. Organic Dandelion Leaf & Root. Balanced & Earthy. Detox + Kidney Health. Caffeine Free. 16 Wrapped Tea Bags. Herbal Supplement. NET WT .99 OZ (28g). USDA ORGANIC logo Copper kettle, Dandelion Leaf & Root Tea bag on a yellow dish, and a cup of tea promoting kidney function placed on a tray with flowers atop a wooden table.

Dandelion Leaf & Root Tea

Dandelion Leaf & Root supports digestion & kidney health while aiding the body's natural detoxification process
Popular
Peppermint Tea. soothes the belly A box of Peppermint Tea sits beside a steaming cup on a wooden table, surrounded by fresh mint leaves. This soothing blend is perfect for easing digestive discomfort while providing a refreshing flavor.

Peppermint Tea

Peppermint soothes your belly and alleviates digestive discomfort
Popular
Roasted Dandelion Root Tea packaging box Roasted Dandelion Root Tea

Roasted Dandelion Root Tea

This blend stimulates the liver and supports healthy digestion
Popular
Traditional Medicinals logo. Daily. Herbal. Organic Ginger. Pleasantly Spicy & Warming. Digestion Support. Caffeine Free. 16 Wrapper Tea Bags. Herbal Supplement. NET WT .85 OZ (24g). USDA ORGANIC logo Boxes of Ginger Tea, highlighting organic ginger root and fresh lemon, are elegantly arranged beside a potted lemon tree on wooden blocks against a calming blue background, providing a delightful blend that supports healthy digestion.

Ginger Tea

Ginger promotes healthy digestion and prevents nausea due to motion
Popular
Traditional Medicinals logo. Daily Herbal. Organic Chamomile. Soothingly Sweet & Floral. Supports Relaxation. Caffeine Free. 16 Wrapped Tea Bags. Herbal Supplement. NET WT .74 OZ (20.8g). USDA ORGANIC logo Chamomile Tea

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile calms your nerves and supports healthy digestion

Fennel Tea

Fennel promotes healthy digestion; eases uncomfortable feelings of fullness, bloating and gassiness

Dandelion Chai Probiotic Tea

This blend supports healthy digestion

Belly Comfort® Peppermint Tea

This blend soothes the belly and relieves occasional indigestion

Licorice Root Tea

Licorice Root soothes the digestive tract and promotes respiratory health
Popular
Traditional Medicinals logo. Herbal. Lozenges. Organic. Belly Comfort. Relieves Nausea. Lemon Ginger. Herbal Supplement. 30 Individually Wrapped Lozenges. NET WT 4.13 OZ (117g). USDA ORGANIC logo. belly comfort lozanges

Belly Comfort® Lozenges

Belly Comfort Lozenges helps relieve nausea and occasional indigestion

Green Tea Ginger

This blend gently invigorates, while promoting healthy digestion
New Look
Triple Mint Daily Probiotic Tea Triple Mint Daily Probiotic Tea- New Look VS former look.- Same Great Formula

Triple Mint Daily Probiotic Tea

This blend supports healthy digestion

Gas Relief™ Tea

This blend relieves gas and bloating

Lemon Ginger Tea

This blend promotes healthy digestion

Green Tea Peppermint

This blend gently invigorates, while alleviating digestive discomfort

Ginger & Chamomile Tea

This blend relieves occasional indigestion or nausea

Related Articles

View All

Whatever you’re feeling, there’s a tea for that!

Often, shifting to drinking specific teas to support our emotional state requires knowledge and expertise to guide these choices. We’ve taken the guesswork out of the process of choosing your...

Herbal Basics: Nervines 101

It's no secret that life's pace can sometimes leave us feeling out of sync. In our fast-paced world, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, leading to occasional stress and moments of...

Herbal Basics: Adaptogens 101

We can all agree that sometimes our natural rhythm falls out of step. We live in a world where it is easy to take on too much, flaring up stress,...

Dandelion Date Shake

By Sarah Kate Benjamin of The Kosmic Kitchen If you've never had a date shake you're in for a real Southern California treat. Invented in the 1930's by a date...

A Conversation with Nioma Narissa Sadler: Empowering Women and Transforming Communities

Author: Jules Benefico Join us for an insightful conversation with Nioma Narissa Sadler, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, and Goodwill Ambassador at Traditional Medicinals®. Nioma is not only...

Voices Are For Using, Not Losing™: Get to know Jake & Shelby Singer/Songwriter Duo

Jake & Shelby, the dynamic pop duo aged 18 and 19, are rapidly climbing the music charts with their mature and fresh sound, drawing inspiration from John Mayer, Madison Cunningham,...

Identity Herbalism with Erin Masako Wilkins of Herb Folk Medicine

Erin Masako Wilkins is an Asian American herbalist and acupuncturist. She has been a practicing herbalist for over a decade specializing in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine. She aims to...

Celebrating the Holidays and the Planet

Tis the season of green! We are proud to announce that we at Traditional Medicinals have joined forces with the Environmental Media Association (EMA), using our voices to elevate eco-consciousness...

Q&A with Rosemary Gladstar, “Godmother of Modern Herbalism” and Traditional Medicinals Co-Founder

Photo taken by Danielle Cohen Meet Rosemary Gladstar, known as the godmother of modern herbalism, she has captivated a global audience with her wealth of knowledge and passion for herbal...

Voices are for Using, Not Losing™: Tips from a Celebrity Voice Coach

Meet RAab Stevenson, singer, songwriter, vocal coach, arranger, producer, artist and developer. Robert “RAab” Stevenson has worked with some of the most famous voices and producers heard on pop radio...

How Tea can Protect Ecosystems: FairWild collection with the BBC Storyworks Commercial Production

Climate change is altering landscapes. It’s harming global ecosystems and the people who depend on them. Over 40% of medicines found in western pharmacies are derived from plants, many of...

3 Herbal Hacks for Mental Health

Big emotions are often natural reactions to very real challenges. Occasional stress, overwhelm and stretches of melancholy can feel scary. And yet, you’re not alone. We’ve all had seasons of...