Fennel tea has been consumed over the ages as it is rich in health benefits. It is also called as “saunf” and can be often confused with jeera seeds because of its similarity in shape and size. Fennel seeds are often used for culinary purposes to enrich and enhance the flavour of the food because it has a distinct flavour and taste.
Here are the health benefits of drinking fennel tea:
1. Can help improve heart health and keep blood pressure in check:
Fennel seeds contain nutrients like magnesium, potassium and calcium. These nutrients can help play a major role in keeping the heart healthy. Fennel seeds are packed with fibre and can reduce the risk of heart disease and high cholesterol.
2. Can promote better digestive health:
Consuming fennel tea can help stimulate the secretion of digestive juices and gastric enzymes in turn helping to improve one’s digestion. Fennel tea consumption can help keep the digestive tract clean and healthy. Fennel tea can therefore relieve constipation (as it has laxative properties), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion and bloating. Fennel seeds contain organic compounds like anethole, fenchone and estragole. These organic compounds have antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties which can benefit digestive health.
3. Has anti-inflammatory properties to reduce acne and promote better skin health:
Fennel tea can improve skin appearance and increase skin cell longevity. Fennel seeds are abundant in minerals such as potassium, calcium, zinc and selenium which can help balance hormones and regulate the oxygen balance in your bloodstream. It can also treat skin ailments like acne, rashes, dryness etc.
4. Can improve cognition and mental health:
Fennel tea can help cool down the nerves and uplift one’s mood. Therefore, it acts as a cognitive stimulant and improves mental health. READ MORE – PROTEIN HAIR WATER FOR THICKER HAIR GROWTH
5. Helps freshen breath and maintains oral health and hygiene:
Fennel tea has refreshment properties and can act as a mouth freshener and combats bad breath. Fennel tea can increase the secretion of saliva, which helps kill harmful bacteria in the mouth, improving oral health and hygiene.
6. Other benefits of fennel tea:
- Can detoxify the body and purify the blood: Fennel seeds are diuretic in nature and can help increase the amount of water and salt expelled from the body as urine, in turn flushing out the toxins from the body, acting like a natural detoxifier.
- Can help promote better respiratory health: Fennel seeds have high amounts of phytonutrients (natural plant compounds) which can help clear the sinuses and offer bronchial relaxation and relives congestion.
- Can help fight diseases: Fennel seeds are high in antioxidants and can help the body fight against free radicals (particles which are known to damage the healthy cells in our body) and beat oxidative stress. One of the major organic compounds found in fennel seeds is anethole, which are known for having cancer fighting properties.
- Can help promote weight loss: Fennel tea is generally consumed on an empty stomach as it can help weight loss and also suppress appetite to a large extent and reduce calorie intake.
How to make fennel tea at home:
Ingredients:
1 tsp raw fennel seeds
1 cup of hot water
Method:
In a cup, add in one tsp of fennel seeds and then top the cup with hot water. Please see that the water is not boiling hot, but just hot enough. Then, give it a slight mix and cover the cup and let it sit for around 10 to 15 minutes. When you take off the lid after 10 to 15 minutes, the seeds would have swollen as the water would have got infused into the seeds and the colour of the water would have turned into light green. Then, the fennel tea is ready to consume, just the way it is, without having to strain out the seeds, as consuming the seeds is good for health.
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Tip: Consume this on an empty stomach 30 – 45 minutes before breakfast, as it can help reduce fat storage and fennel tea is best drunk on an empty stomach.