Scroll to Recipes with Fennel Seeds / सौंफ के बीज as ingredient

Fennel belongs to the carrot family. It is an aromatic herb that originates from the Mediterranean region. Its botanical name is Foeniculum vulgare.


Fennel is used in culinary and many times in alcoholic drinks. Apart from that, the plant, as well as the seeds, is used for medicinal purposes. They possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Commonly known as

Fennel seeds are commonly called Saumph in Hindi.

Language Name Written as
Arabic budhur alfianal بذور الفينل
Bengali Mauri bīja মৌরি বীজ
Gujarati Variyāḷī bīja વરિયાળી બીજ
Hindi saumph ke beej सौंफ के बीज
Kannada Sōmpu kāḷugaḷu ಸೋಂಪು ಕಾಳುಗಳು
Malyalam peruṁ jīrakaṁ പെരും ജീരകം
Marathi Baḍīśēpa बडीशेप
Punjabi Phainila bīja ਫੈਨਿਲ ਬੀਜ
Tamil Peruñcīrakam vitaikaḷ பெருஞ்சீரகம் விதைகள்
Telugu Sōpu gin̄jalu సోపు గింజలు
Urdu saunph ke beej سونف کے بیج
Sanskrit śāleya शालेय

Nutritional Profile of Fennel Seeds

Nutritional profile per 100 gms

  • Calories: 31
  • Protein: 1.2g
  • Carbohydrate: 7g
  • Fiber: 3.1g
  • Fat: 200mg
  • Sodium: 52mg
  • Potassium: 414mg

Source: USDA & Google

Benefits

Benefits of Fennel Seeds.

Helps with Anaemia

Fennel seeds are a rich source of an organic molecule of an amino acid called histidine, as well as, iron. Hemoglobin’s main component is iron. Histidine regulates hemoglobin and other constituents of blood.

Are a great Laxative

A laxative is a substance that helps with bowel movement and intestinal health. It cures constipation, stomachache, and other intestinal diseases.

Helps with digestion

The components present in fennel seeds help to release digestive juices in our bodies. This reduces the bloating of the belly and excessive gas in the stomach.

Good Potassium Source

Potassium regulates the balance of water in our system as well as the acid-base balance too. Potassium also helps with the functioning of the brain. Fennel seeds possess potassium in good quantity and thus will help with these functions.

Acts as an Antacid

Fennel seeds are a naturally cool ingredient. Therefore, they can be great to help with neutralizing acidity and heartburn. They can be some sort of heat repellent for the body.

Regulates Cholesterol Level

Fennel seeds contain a good amount of fibers. The fibers keep cholesterol levels low in our bodies. It is important to have cholesterol levels under control and fennel is a great option for that.

Also Read:
Variyali sharbat is a healthy summer drink popular in India. Fennel is the base ingredient here. Click to read the flavour profile.

Side Effects

Fennel is safe when consumed moderately, yet sometimes it can have side effects.

Fennel has estrogenic properties. This means it can act similarly to estrogen hormone. It can disturb fetal growth and development. This can be problematic for pregnant women. They must be careful consuming it or avoid it altogether.

And it also may interfere with certain medications like estrogen pills or medication for cancer.

Source: lybrate.com

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you eat fennel seeds?

You can have them ground as spice mixture or crushed in cooking or drinks. Or you can eat that whole and raw if you want.

Is fennel seeds safe?

Consuming fennel seeds can be safe as long as it is in the recommended proportion. However, it can have side effects for pregnant women.

Source: lybrate.com

Is fennel seeds good?

Fennel seeds are rich in iron and potassium and both are important for our body. It also contains a good amount of fiber that decreases the risk of heart.

Where is fennel seed from?

It is originated from Southern Europe. But now it is also cultivated in Australia and North America too.

What family fennels are?

Fennel is from the Umbelliferae family and therefore are closely related to parsley, carrots, and dil.