Fennel root: its composition and calorie content, how the product is useful and why it can be harmful. In what dishes it can be added. If a baby appears in your home, there should certainly be fennel tea in the medicine cabinet. One of the main problems of an infant is colic, while the list of medications that can be used to treat a newborn is strictly limited. Fennel tea is included in this small list and helps to effectively fight colic by improving the functioning of the digestive system. As an additional beneficial effect, this tea helps in bone formation due to its rich calcium content.
Harm and contraindications to fennel root
So, fennel root is a unique product that is very useful for humans. At the same time, it is noteworthy that he practically has no contraindications. However, there is still a group of people who cannot eat the plant, it includes:
- People with epilepsy … The ban in this case is explained by the content of a substance called dopamine in the root, which is harmless to a healthy person, but can cause an attack in people with epilepsy.
- Pregnant … The plant also contains substances that can compete with estrogen - the female sex hormone. For the expectant mother, this state of affairs is undesirable.
- People with individual intolerance to the components of fennel … Usually, it is not difficult to determine an allergy to the root of a plant, a slight dizziness and / or nausea is felt from its very smell.
There is also a group of people who should limit the consumption of the product, that is, you can eat it, but not often and in small quantities. People should limit the use of fennel root:
- Suffering from diseases that may be accompanied by bleeding, such as hemorrhoids. The fact is that the use of a product in large quantities can provoke bleeding.
- With cardiac arrhythmias. In general, the plant has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, however, in case of serious heart disease, expressed in rhythm disturbances, it is better to limit the consumption of fennel root in food.
- Suffering from diarrhea. The product has a positive effect on the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, but has a slight laxative effect, and therefore, with diarrhea, its use must be limited.
Doctors still do not come to a consensus regarding the use of fennel root in food for women during lactation. On the one hand, the plant stimulates milk production, and tea from it is prescribed to newborns to fight colic. On the other hand, fennel root contains many biologically active substances that can cause allergies in young children. A sensible conclusion, in our opinion, is as follows: it is better for mom to refuse fennel root, and for the baby to use tea from the plant only as prescribed by the doctor in the indicated doses.
Fennel Root Recipes
Fennel root is actively used in cooking: it is prepared as an independent side dish that goes well with both meat and fish. The baked root in combination with low-fat white fish is a real dietary dish, which is very tasty and nutritious at the same time. The bulbous part of the plant is also added to soups, salads, vegetable stews, sauces to enhance the benefits of the dish and give it a new unusual flavor. Let's take a look at the most successful and interesting recipes using fennel root:
- Fennel puree soup … Finely chop the fennel root (500 grams) and onions (1 head). In a heavy-bottomed saucepan in olive or vegetable oil, simmer the vegetables for 5-10 minutes. Add fennel seeds (0.5 teaspoon), salt and pepper, mix everything thoroughly and cook for a couple of minutes. Pour water or any broth (500-700 ml) into a saucepan and cook for another 15 minutes. Cool the soup a little, beat with a blender until smooth and serve with sour cream and croutons.
- Spicy chicken breast with fennel … Mix together paprika (0.5 teaspoon), salt (0.5 teaspoon), cumin (1 teaspoon), red pepper (pinch). Slice chicken breast into portions and roll in spices. Fry the spicy breast in a skillet over high heat for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove the meat from the pan, put the fennel cut into small pieces (2 onions) into it, sauté for 5-7 minutes. Return the breast to the pan, add lemon juice (2 tablespoons). Pour in chicken broth (2 cups), you can replace with another broth or water, bring to a boil, then cook for 15-20 minutes until the fennel is cooked. Add chopped cilantro (1 bunch) and olives (50-70 grams), simmer for another 5 minutes. Season the finished dish with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
- Sea bass with vegetables and rice … Peel and remove the entrails of the fish (5-6 small carcasses of sea bass). Finely chop the fennel (2 heads), put a little in the belly of each fish. Also place lemon wedges in carcasses. Rub the fish with salt, pepper, minced garlic and olive oil. Wrap each perch in parchment paper and bake at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes. In a frying pan in olive or vegetable oil, fry the garlic (5-7 cloves) for a couple of minutes, add the juice of two lemons and add rice (2 cups). Fry dry rice for 1-2 minutes so that it is saturated with garlic, oil and lemon juice, pour water (1 liter) into the pan and add sugar (50 grams). A couple of minutes before the rice is ready, put chopped basil (1 bunch), finely grated zest of two lemons into a dish. Combine fish and rice, serve with white wine.
- Tuna and Fennel Salad … This recipe will require not only the onion itself, but also the greens. Cut the root (400 grams) into thin strips, chop the herbs (50 grams) finely. Cut red onions (60 grams) into half rings, olives (6-8 pieces) in half. Mix all ingredients, add feta cheese (100 grams). Season the salad with white balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
- Grilled vegetables with unusual pesto … Cut into quarters fennel root (1 head), zucchini (2 pieces) into thin strips, mix with oil. Preheat the grill, place the prepared vegetables, cook for 3 minutes. Add green beans (150 grams) and cook for another 7 minutes. In the meantime, make an unusual pesto sauce: mix in a blender mint leaves (80 grams), feta cheese (100 grams), lemon juice (1 tablespoon), olive oil (100 ml). Add spices to taste to the sauce and serve with cooked vegetables.
- Salsa sauce for fish … Finely chop tomato (1 piece), fennel (1 small onion), red onion (1 head). Combine all ingredients, add chopped dill (2 tablespoons), red wine vinegar (1 tablespoon), salt. This sauce goes especially well with grilled fish, but is also suitable for baked, fried and even boiled fish.
As you can see, the "relative" of dill is in perfect harmony with a variety of products. Unfortunately, the use of fennel root in recipes is not often practiced in Russian cuisine. And, I must say, in vain our hostesses deprive this product of attention. And the point here is not even so much in the excellent nutritional qualities, although many cooks highly respect the delicate aroma and sweetish taste of fennel, but in the exceptional benefits of the product.
Interesting Fennel Facts
The name "fennel" comes from the Greek word "feniculum", which has a very prosaic translation - "hay". But the Greeks also called the plant "marathon", because, according to the legends, it grew in abundance on the field of the famous Marathon battle (490 AD), where the inhabitants of Hellas defeated the Persians. In ancient Greece and Rome, the plant symbolized victory and success. In addition, it was believed that it was able to ward off evil spirits, and therefore it was very often used as a personal and home amulet. In Ancient Saxony, fennel was generally considered one of the nine sacred herbs. In old Italy there was a tradition to arrange staged battles in the name of saving the harvest from various disasters - drought, pests, etc. Weapons were made from various improvised means, one of which was fennel stalks.
In the Middle Ages, the seeds of the plant were chewed after a meal, especially if an important meeting was coming - this procedure perfectly freshened the breath. By the way, in India, the tradition of chewing fennel seeds after a meal is still preserved, only they are pre-fried in a pan in oil to make the taste sweeter. It is also noteworthy that in India, fennel root is considered an aphrodisiac. The Arabs had the same opinion about the plant.
Fennel oil is actively used in cosmetology and aromatherapy. It is believed that the smell of this oil has an interesting effect - it relaxes and tones at the same time, and therefore it helps well to escape from the hustle and bustle, to sort out your own thoughts and feelings.
Fennel today is cultivated literally all over the world, excluding, perhaps, only the Arctic and Antarctica.
Watch the video about fennel:
Fennel root is a very useful product that we recommend to introduce into the diet of every person, except, of course, those for whom it is contraindicated. And, pay attention, it is not only healthy, but also very tasty. You cannot find it in every store, but in a large supermarket, the chances are great. And you also need to remember that fennel grows well in our climate, so you can grow it yourself.
