Papaya - a world class meat tenderizer, natural digestive aid, prevents ulcers, and also a soft contact lense cleaner.Fennel The Safety Factor
Fennel has at best only a mild estrogenic effect, but estrogen, a key ingredient in birth control pills, has many effects on the body. Women advised by their doctors not to take the Pill should not use medicinal amounts of fennel, nor should anyone with a history of abnormal blood clotting or estrogen-dependent breast tumors.
Pregnant women should not use medicinal amounts of fennel.
Liver Questions
One study suggests fennel has oddly contradictory effects on the liver. It aggravates liver damage in experimental animals but spurs liver regeneration in animals with parts of their liver removed. Until its effects are clarified, people with a history of alcoholism, hepatitis, or liver disease should err on the side of caution and not take medicinal amounts of this herb.
Fennel seeds are safe, but fennel oil may cause skin rash in sensitive individuals. When taken internally, the oil may cause nausea, vomiting, and possibly seizures. Don’t ingest it!
Other Cautions
Fennel is included in the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, fennel is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.
Fennel should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If fennel causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.
Smells like Licorice
Fennel is a striking, o-foot perennial with feathery leaves and tall stalks capped by large umbrella-like clusters of tiny yellow flowers. The tiny oval-shaped fruits (”seeds”) are ribbed and greenish gray. All parts of the plant have the herb’s characteristic anise/licorice fragrance.
Fennel grows easily from seeds sown in rich, moist soil in fall or after danger of frost has passed. Germination takes about two weeks. Thin seedlings to 12-inch spacing. Do not overwater seedlings, but as plants develop, extra water increases stem succulence. Leaves may be harvested once plants are established.
When stems are about an inch thick, hill the soil over them to cause blanching, which results in milder flavor. Harvest about ten days after hilling.
Harvest seeds in late summer as they turn greenish gray. Fennel may damage some neighboring plants: bush beans, tomatoes, caraway, and kohlrabi. If coriander is planted nearby, fennel will not fruit.
Alert: In the wild, fennel may be confused with poison hemlock, which has caused fatalities. Don’t gather wild fennel unless you’re sure you’ve identified it correctly.