Fennel Foeniculum vulgare, Foeniculum dulce, - saunf The Latin name is derived from the phrase meaning ‘little hay’, (foenum - hay), describing its very fine, strand-like leaves. The original wild, bitter fennel, (vulgare), is thought to have originated in the Mediterranean and has been used in a culinary capacity since ancient times. It was soon discovered, however, that it held quite valuable medicinal properties and it has been used throughout recorded history for a quite a variety of purposes: for easing flatulence and constipation; as a digestive; in infant colic cures and gripe waters; as a breath freshener; a hang-over cure; even as a slimming aid, the seeds being chewed to ward off hunger pangs. The plant is a mild stimulant and a wash of fennel leaves was used at one time as an eye wash. Hindu and Chinese medical texts recommend fennel as an antidote to snakebite and Indian women have used fennel for centuries to stimulate milkflow during nursing. Not surprisingly, it was cultivated by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans for both its stems and seeds, as it is also totally edible, leaf, stem, seed and root . Pliny recommended it as a virtual cure-all and Apicius, the author of the only cookbook to have survived from the Classical Age, mentions its use as a seasoning, a herb and as a vegetable in stews. Sweet fennel (dulce) contains more anethole than its bitter relative, giving it more of an aniseed flavour. It was mentioned in an edict issued by Charlemagne in the 9th century and has been a popular flavouring in fish dishes in Italy and France, including in the Provençal dish, where fish are grilled au fenouil, over burning fennel, which imparts a characteristic smokiness. Several Anglo-Saxon recipes also used fennel, especially in those using salted fish, traditionally eaten during Lent. This fulfilled the dual role of both checking flatulence and constipation and also of making the fish more palatable. The third member of the family is Florence fennel or finocchio, the stumpy, thick stalked variety which is used as a vegetable and is very popular in Italy. Culpeper, the botanist who combined herbalism with astrology, assigned fennel to the planet Mercury. Anglo Saxon superstition utilised fennel as a ward against evil and disease and it is listed as one of the nine sacred Saxon herbs. It was hung from windows and doors to keep away all harm and evil spirits, small amounts were placed in keyholes to prevent ghosts entering a house, and cows’ udders were smeared with a paste made from fennel to prevent their milk from being bewitched. The herb figures strongly in Greek mythology, too. The Titan, Prometheus was said to have brought the gift of fire to Mankind, hidden in the hollow stem of the fennel plant. As a punishment for this, Zeus ordered that he be chained to a mountainside where his liver was eaten by an eagle. Each night the liver grew back, and each day the eagle feasted again, a torture from which he was eventually rescued by the great hero, Hercules. The links with certain elements in this story of one of the earliest benefactors of Man led to its use in rituals for purification, protection and healing. Nutritionally, 1 teaspoon of ground fennel weighs around 2g and equals 7 kcalories. It contains some vitamin A, vitamin B1 - good for the nervous system and eyes; vitamin B2 - thought to somehow defuse harmful carcinogens in alcohol and tobacco that cause cancer of the oesophagus; and niacin - which recent studies have shown may help to prevent certain cancers and lower overall blood cholesterol levels. The minerals in fennel are sodium, which helps to maintain body fluid balance; potassium, which is good for blood pressure and normal heart rhythm; iron, necessary in the production of red blood cells; magnesium, needed to help the body utilise vitamin C and calcium in the diet and may help in relieving the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome; zinc, important in cell growth and repair and the proper functioning of the male reproductive system; a fairly high amount of calcium, which is not only important for bone and tooth growth and maintenance, but is necessary in the proper function of every other bodycell. Calcium has also been the subject of various health studies in recent years which have claimed to show a beneficial effect of calcium in helping colonic cancer, heart cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, pre-menstrual syndrome, and stroke. Maybe Pliny was right!