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Fennel or sweet dill bulb ( Foeniculum Vulgare Miller), is a crunchy, slightly sweet product, the addition of which to Mediterranean dishes adds its own unique refreshing note.

Most often used in Italian cooking recipes, especially during periods of shortage of fresh vegetables: from autumn to early spring.

Fennel is a white or pale green bulb that produces closely set, fleshy stems. These stems are covered with feathery green leaves that resemble dill in appearance.

Bulb, stem, leaves and seeds - all parts of the plant are edible. Fennel belongs to the Umbelliferae family and is considered a close relative of carrots, dill and coriander.

Since ancient times, fennel has managed to acquire a rich history. The ancient Greeks knew this sweet dill under the name “marathron” (literally “marathon”). It grew on the field of a grandiose ancient battle, which was later called the “Battle of Marathon” in honor of this amazing plant. Fennel was also awarded to the runner who brought the ruler news of the Persian invasion of Sparta. And according to Greek myths, knowledge was given to man by the gods from Olympus in a fennel stalk filled with coal. Sweet dill was respected by both Greeks and Romans alike for its beneficial medicinal and culinary properties.

For centuries, fennel has been grown in Europe, especially in areas close to the Mediterranean coast, and also in the Middle East. Today, the leading producing countries of this healthy vegetable include the United States, France, India and Russia.

Like many of its close edible relatives, fennel contains its own unique combination of substances, flavonoids (rutin, quercetin), kaempferol and various glycosides, which give the plant powerful antioxidant properties.

• Perhaps the most striking representative of phytonutrients in fennel is anethole, the primary component of the essential oil. In animal studies, anethole has been shown to work best in reducing inflammation and preventing cancer. It was also able to protect the livers of experimental animals from toxic chemicals. The researchers proposed to the scientific community a biological mechanism that would explain the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of the substance in question. This mechanism, called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), shuts down the intercellular signaling system responsible for altering potentially potent genes involved in tumors and inflammation.
• In addition to the list of rare and therefore especially valuable phytonutrients, fennel bulb is rich in vitamin C, this primary antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals in all aqueous environments of the body. A daily supplement of vitamin C is especially beneficial for those who suffer from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Another well-known benefit of this vitamin is immune system support and its powerful antibacterial properties.
• As a very good source of dietary fiber, fennel bulb helps lower blood cholesterol levels. And because fiber also easily removes potentially harmful toxins from the intestines, this vegetable may be helpful in preventing colon cancer.
• In addition to fiber, sweet dill is high in folate and vitamin B, which are essential for converting the dangerous molecule homocysteine ​​into other, less aggressive molecules. At high concentrations, homocysteine ​​damages the walls of blood vessels and can lead to a heart attack.
• Healthy fennel is a good source of potassium, a mineral that lowers blood pressure. Contains manganese, molybdenum, niacin, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and copper.

What are the benefits for human health?

Sweet dill is used in the production of mouth fresheners, toothpastes, antacids (acid neutralizers) and in cooking.

Fennel has many medicinal properties thanks to the essential oils and other biologically active substances in its composition.

1. Anemia. Iron and histidine (an amino acid found in fennel) are beneficial in combating anemia. Since iron is the main “building block” of hemoglobin, and histidine stimulates its reproduction and helps the formation of other blood elements.
2. Stomach upsets. Chewing fennel seeds after every meal is a common practice, especially among people in the Indian subcontinent. This makes food easier to digest and prevents bad breath. Some of the essential oil components contained in sweet dill are biological stimulants of digestive and gastric juices, reducing gastrointestinal upset and facilitating the absorption of nutrients.
3. Bloating. Fennel may be helpful for increased gas and bloating. The secret lies in the carminative properties of aspartic acid found in this plant. For appropriate medicinal purposes, sweet fennel extract can be used by everyone from infants to the elderly.
4. Constipation. Fennel seeds ground into powder can be safely used as a laxative. Its stimulating effect supports the necessary peristaltic movements in the intestines, helping to combat constipation.
5. Diarrhea. Fennel is useful in treating diarrhea, especially if it is caused by microbes. Individual components of its essential oils, such as anethole and cineole, have disinfectant properties. Some amino acids, such as histidine, help digest food, thereby helping to treat diarrhea caused by indigestion.
6. Renal colic. Complex polymers are useful in the treatment of renal colic. Such polymers (phytoestrogens) have been found in anethole, the main component of fennel essential oils.
7. Breathing problems. Fennel can provide significant assistance in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory system accompanied by cough, since it contains the same cineole and anethole, which, in addition to all the advantages already listed, are an excellent and, most importantly, natural expectorant.
8. Menstrual irregularities. Fennel is also useful in easing menstruation and normalizing hormonal levels in women.
9. Eye diseases. Regular consumption of fennel, thanks to its antioxidants (vitamin C and arginine) and stimulants (essential oils, cobalt and magnesium), protects the eyes from inflammation, age-related diseases and macular degeneration. The juice of sweet fennel leaves can be dropped into the eyes to reduce irritation and fatigue.
10. Diuretic property can rightfully be called another useful property of this plant. Eating it increases the number and frequency of urination, promoting the removal of toxic substances from the body, helping to get rid of rheumatism, bloating and other related problems.
11. For nursing mothers, fennel increases breast milk production.

It also strengthens hair, prevents hair loss, relaxes the nervous system, sharpens memory and has an amazing cooling effect in hot weather. To beat the heat, mix a small amount of fennel juice with water, add a little sugar and sea salt.

The impressive list of beneficial properties of sweet dill contributes to the growth of its popularity among fans of healthy food.

What is the harm?

But any healthy product is good in moderation. The components of fennel essential oils can be dangerous in overdose: they cause breathing problems, rapid heartbeat and a number of neurotic problems. So don't overdo it!

Umbrella, reaching 1-2 meters in height. Even in ancient Rome, it was used as a seasoning and medicine against many diseases. Fennel has a bright aroma and a pleasant sweet taste.

In appearance, fennel, the photo of which is presented in the article, resembles dill: it has a straight stem, feathery leaves with a whitish coating and thread-like lobes. The flower is a complex umbrella of bright yellow color. The fruit is a two-seed with a sweet taste. The root is fleshy, spindle-shaped. Flowering begins in mid-summer and continues until September.

The fennel herb (from cultivated species) is divided into ordinary (Voloshsky dill) and vegetable (Italian) fennel, with a more fleshy, powerful stem. Both of them are well known to Russian gardeners.

This is a medicinal plant that was used in their medicinal practices by Avicenna and Hippocrates. It has also found its use in modern medicine. An infusion of this herb is an excellent expectorant and is used for coughs. Essential oil helps improve intestinal motility and activates the excretory system of the kidneys. Fennel tea is an excellent diuretic that complements medications in the treatment of urolithiasis, and also helps in lactating women. Water prepared from the seeds of the plant is used to treat flatulence in infants. The roots are used as a laxative. Decoctions are used in the treatment of colds. In addition, the flavonoids and vitamins contained in the plant will help cope with the blues and ward off the danger of the onset associated with a lack of heat and sunlight.

Vegetable fennel is a herb that is successfully used in cooking. All parts of the plant can be eaten. Its seeds and leaves are used as flavorings when preparing for the winter. They serve as an excellent decoration in salads, first and second courses, as well as when preparing lemonades and infusions. Baked or stewed onions are a great light side dish for meat dishes. But the most advantageous combination of the taste of fennel is with fish: cod, flounder, halibut, haddock. If you use it with ginger when stewing, they will further emphasize the taste of your dishes.

It should be remembered that every day the aroma of the collected herb loses its brightness, so fennel bulbs, like its greens, should be used in the first 3-5 days after cutting. If this is not possible, the greens can be wrapped in cling film and stored in the refrigerator. When purchasing on the market, you should pay attention to the quality and freshness of the herb. Young, freshly cut bulbs are dense, light, with an anise aroma.

Fennel is a real natural pantry. The plant contains such important microelements for the human body as iron, zinc, chromium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, aluminum, and copper.

- (PHARMACEUTICAL DILL) Fennel has a strong spicy aroma and a rather pungent taste, goes well with fish and vegetable dishes, and is a good spice for sauces and marinades. (Culinary Dictionary. Zdanovich L.I. 2001) * * * genus... ... Culinary dictionary

A genus of one, two and perennial herbs of the Apiaceae family. 5 species, mainly in Europe and Africa. Common fennel is a spicy (green leaves), essential oil (seed oil) and medicinal (oil, seeds) crop in Eurasia, northeastern... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Foeniculum), a genus of plants of the family. umbrella Biennial or perennial herbs with leaves repeatedly pinnately dissected into filamentous segments. The flowers are yellow, in complex umbels. 5 species, in Europe and the Mediterranean. In the USSR there is 1 species of F. vulgaris (F.... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Dill Dictionary of Russian synonyms. fennel noun, number of synonyms: 3 star anise (6) plant... Dictionary of synonyms

FENNEL- English Fennel German Fenchel French Fenouil amer Lat Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (Umbelliferae) see 6 ... Phytopathological dictionary-reference book

FENNEL- Cuisine: Cuisine of the Maghreb countries Type of dish: Main courses Products: As a spice, fennel is used in the preparation of liqueurs, confectionery, fish dishes, mayonnaise, sauces, soups. It gives a pleasant taste to sauerkraut,... ... Encyclopedia of culinary recipes

I; m. [German] Fenchel from Lat. feniculum dill] Essential oil plant of the family. Umbelliferae, the oil of which is used in the food and perfume industries, as well as in medicine. F. grows in Ukraine and the Krasnodar region. * * * fennel is one genus,… … Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Foeniculum) is a genus of herbaceous biennial and perennial plants of the Umbrella family. The stem is round, branched; leaves are multipinnate, divided into long thread-like lobes with multi-rayed (up to 20) umbels of yellow flowers and fruits... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

A genus of one, two and perennial herbs of the family. umbrella 5 types, mainly in Europe and Africa. F. vulgare accumbens (green leaves), essential oleaginous (seed oil) and medicinal. (oil, seeds) culture in Eurasia, Northern. East Africa, USA, Ukraine,... ... Natural science. Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (German fenchel) Voloshsky dill is a genus of umbelliferous plants, from the fruits of which essential oil used in medicine is extracted. New dictionary of foreign words. by EdwART, 2009. fennel [German] Fenchel] – Voloshsky dill; essential oil and... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Books

• Fennel. Stronger than ginger and ginseng, Tatyana Zaitseva. Fennel is a plant that has helped people cope with diseases for thousands of years. Many sources coming from Ancient Greece already describe the healing powers of this... e-book
• Fennel. Treatment and prevention of diseases, Viktor Zaitsev. From the publisher: Among the many medicinal plants in the “green pharmacy” that nature has prepared for us, fennel stands out especially...

In the article we discuss fennel - preparation of the plant, beneficial properties, recipes. You will learn how fennel is useful, what it is, how to prepare salads, meat and vegetable dishes with it, and what parts of the plant can be eaten.

Seeds, herbs, and fennel root are used in cooking.

Fennel is a perennial plant from the Apiaceae family that looks similar to dill and has a taste and aroma similar to anise.

Although all parts of the plant are edible, recipes for cooking with fennel include the bulb. The onion is added as a vegetable to meat and vegetable dishes, marinated, and made into broths and sauces.

How to eat fennel:

• The stems and leaves are used as an aromatic herb, which gives dishes a refreshing and sweet taste and decorates salads.
• The seeds are dried and added as a seasoning for baking baked goods and some confectionery products, as well as for meat dishes.

In addition to its culinary benefits, fennel has beneficial medicinal properties.. It has an expectorant and carminative effect, stimulates the intestines and activates the kidneys. Thanks to vitamins and flavonoids, the plant copes well with colds, flu and spring vitamin deficiency.

How to cook fennel at home

Before you cook fennel, be careful when purchasing it.. If you choose the wrong plant, it will quickly lose its aroma and brightness of taste. To prevent this from happening, follow our tips:

1. Choose dense white tubers with bright, lush greens.
2. Sniff the product - the aroma should be fresh and slightly aniseed.
3. Store fennel in paper bags for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Also keep in mind that no matter what fennel dishes you choose, recipes call for the use of carefully prepared bulbs.

How to prepare fennel:

• Wash the plant under running water and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Cut the onion into several slices and remove the inner core.
• Remove any tough outer leaves.

Fennel recipes

There are a large number of fennel dishes in cooking - recipes with photos are full of a variety of ingredients. Fennel is added to desserts, appetizers, soups, broths, stews, sauces, meat dishes, poultry and sea fish dishes. The plant goes well with fruits, zucchini, soft salty cheese, baked potatoes and tomatoes, pine and walnuts. When raw, fennel has a bright dill-mint flavor, and when cooked it has a more delicate aftertaste.

Fennel and orange salad

If you are looking for a delicious dish that will not only please your family, but will also help during the cold season, try orange salad with fennel - the recipe will delight you with its simplicity and health benefits.

You will need:

• fennel bulb - 1 pc.;
• orange - 1 pc.;
• olive oil - 2 tbsp;
• balsamic vinegar - 2 tbsp.
• parsley - 1 bunch;
• salt, pepper - to taste.

How to cook:

1. Cut the fennel in half and thinly slice into half rings or strips.
2. Peel the orange, cut out the pulp, avoiding the membranes, and cut the segments into small slices. Collect the juice that escaped when peeling the fruit into a glass.
3. Add balsamic vinegar and oil to orange juice and stir.
4. Place the orange and fennel on a plate, season with salt and pepper, season with oil-vinegar sauce and garnish with parsley.

Calorie content:

Calorie content per 100 g. product 121.5 kcal.

Vegetable stew with fennel

A tasty and healthy dish - vegetable stew with fennel

Vegetable stew has a spicy, pungent taste and quickly drives away the blues and energizes you. If you don't like spicy dishes, change the dosage of red pepper before cooking fennel - recipes advise reducing it by 2 or 3 times. Prepare the dish immediately before serving, as the zucchini may release juice.

You will need:

• fennel bulb - 2 pcs.;
• zucchini - 1 pc.;
• sweet pepper - 3 pcs.;
• carrots - 1 pc.;
• potatoes - 2 pcs.;
• tomato - 3 pcs.;
• garlic (clove) - 1 pc.;
• olive oil - 1 tbsp;
• parsley - 1-2 sprigs;
• salt - to taste.

How to cook:

1. Rinse the zucchini and pat dry with a paper towel to remove any moisture.
2. Dice the zucchini, peppers, carrots, potatoes and fennel bulbs.
3. Chop the tomato into slices.
4. Fry the fennel pieces, pepper and a clove of garlic in oil.
5. Add the remaining vegetables to the mixture, add salt and simmer until they become soft. Stir in the tomato, bring the stew to a boil and remove from heat.
6. Place the stew on plates and garnish with parsley.

Calorie content:

Calorie content per 100 g. product 28.8 kcal.

Pickled fennel

An interesting recipe that can be prepared from fennel for a meat dish is pickled tubers. This snack can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

You will need:

• fennel bulb - 3 pcs.;
• yellow mustard in seeds - 0.5 tsp;
• black peppercorns - 0.5 tsp;
• olive oil - 3 tbsp;
• white wine vinegar - 1 glass;
• granulated sugar - 0.5 cups;
• salt - to taste.

How to cook:

1. Roughly chop the fennel.
2. Prepare a jar for seaming - sterilize it in the oven or over steam.
3. Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add black pepper and mustard and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring until fragrant. Grind the spices into powder in a mortar or grinder.
4. Pour water into a saucepan, add olive oil, add sugar, salt and spices. Bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Add vinegar to the liquid and remove the pan from the heat.
6. Place the fennel in a jar, fill it with marinade and place the container in a water bath. Boil for 15 minutes, then close the jar with a screw-on lid.

Calorie content:

Calorie content per 100 g. product 127.3 kcal.

Fennel with chicken

Fennel goes great with chicken

Chicken goes well with fennel and is suitable for cooks looking for recipes on how to prepare fennel at home for a hearty family dinner. The dish can be either independent or complementary with rice, pasta and potatoes.

You will need:

• fennel bulb - 1 pc.;
• chicken thighs - 6 pcs.;
• cream 30% fat - 300 g;
• mustard beans - ⅔ tbsp;
• garlic (clove) - 3 pcs.;
• pepper, salt - to taste;
• seasoning for chicken - to taste.

How to cook:

1. Wash the chicken thighs, peel them, pat dry with paper towels and season with salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken until golden brown.
3. Reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer the thighs for 10 minutes.
4. Cut the fennel bulb into strips or half rings, add to the chicken and continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
5. Grind the garlic and mustard in a mortar and pour into a small frying pan. Pour in the cream, add chicken seasonings and heat through.
6. Pour the sauce over the fennel chicken thighs and bring to a boil.

Calorie content:

Calorie content per 100 g. product 164.5 kcal.

Beef with fennel

Fragrant beef with fennel is so tasty that it can even be used for a romantic dinner. Before you cook fennel, buy good meat - young, up to 2 years old, 1 cm thick and the size of your palm. Serve while hot, along with roasted potatoes or grilled vegetables.

You will need:

• fennel bulb - 1-2 pcs.;
• beef meat - 1 kg;
• carrots - 1 pc.;
• potatoes - 4-6 pcs.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• garlic (head) - 1 pc.;
• vegetable oil - 1 tbsp.

How to cook:

1. Cut the meat into strips or small pieces. Fry in a frying pan with pepper and salt until golden brown.
2. Cut the garlic and onion into rings, the carrots into slices, and the potatoes into cubes. Cut the fennel along the grain into several pieces.
3. Add vegetables to the fried meat, pepper and salt.
4. Pour some water into the pan so that the dish simmers but does not cook.
5. When the meat and vegetables are ready, turn off the heat and transfer to plates.

Calorie content:

Calorie content per 100 g. product 129.3 kcal.

How to prepare a salad with fennel, watch the video:

What to remember

1. Fennel is added to salads, used for fish and meat dishes, and used to make sauces, broths, snacks and baked goods.
2. If you're looking for something to cook with fennel for the holidays, look no further than beef and chicken recipes.
3. Pickled fennel is a delicious preparation for the winter.
4. A salad with fennel and vegetable stew will help strengthen your immune system during the cold season and give you energy.