Gut Health
Fennel
A crisp, anise-flavored vegetable whose seeds and bulb have both been traditionally used to ease digestive discomfort.
Gut Health
Hormone Balance
Anti-Inflammatory
Serving
1 cup, sliced, raw (87g)
Calories Per Serving
27
Key nutrients
Fiber, vitamin C, potassium, anethole
Nutrient density
Not officially rated
Why it’s worth eating
Fennel contains fiber, vitamin C, and unique phytonutrients. It supports digestion and has anti-inflammatory benefits. Eat raw in salads or roasted for a sweet, aniseed flavor.
What you may notice
Digestive comfort and bloating
Energy levels
Markers worth tracking
Fasting blood glucose
Lipid panel
How to eat it
Eat the bulb raw in salads for crunch and vitamin C, or roast it to mellow the anise flavor and bring out natural sweetness.
Pairs well with
Citrus, a classic Mediterranean pairing that also adds vitamin C
Olive oil, helps round out a simple raw fennel salad
Storage
Refrigerate in a loose bag in the crisper drawer; use within about a week.
The numbers, per 1 cup, sliced, raw (87g)
NA
Vitamin K
1%
Vitamin A
12%
Vitamin C
3%
Calcium
4%
Iron
4%
Magnesium
8%
Potassium
0%
Vitamin B12
0%
Vitamin D
Fiber
2.7g
Fennel, bulb, raw (FDC 169387)
Evidence
B
Genuine though small RCT evidence for primary dysmenorrhea, comparable to NSAIDs. Trials are small, mostly Iranian and heterogeneous.
Study dose vs. serving
Typical regimen: standardised fennel extract about 30 mg every 4-6 hours started premenstrually, over 1-3 cycles. Some studies used 3-5 drops of extract three times daily.
Lee HW, et al. Nutrients. 2020;12:3438. Meta-analysis of 12 RCTs. Pooled 7 trials, n=502, SMD 0.07 (95% CI -0.08 to 0.21) versus mefenamic acid or ibuprofen - essentially equivalent to drug therapy, and superior to placebo.
Use caution if
You have an estrogen-sensitive condition, fennel contains mild plant estrogens (anethole-related compounds); discuss higher intakes with a doctor
You're allergic to celery or carrots, fennel is in the same plant family and can cross-react
Details
Type
Fruits & Veg
Season
Bulb autumn; seed late summer
Forms
Fresh bulb, seed, tea, essential oil (restricted)
Price
Mid
Bioactive
Anethole (sweet aroma) and estragole, plus fenchone
Heat stable
Partial
Watch
ESTRAGOLE AND EMA RESTRICTIONS: estragole is a genotoxic carcinogen in animal studies. The EMA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (EMA/HMPC/137212/2005 Rev 1) sets safety guidance values and restricts fennel and fennel-oil medicinal preparations, warning that even 3 g/day of fennel tea can push estragole intake above the guidance value (1.0 ug/kg bw) for children aged 4-11, and recommending against prolonged use and caution in infants. The culinary spice is generally low-risk; concern centres on concentrated oil and high tea intakes in babies.
Reliability
2 / 5
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