Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

Adas or fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a species of flowering plant in Apiaceae and has long been known as a seasoning, medicine and oil contained in seeds. This plant lives in the lowlands to an altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level.

F. vulgare has a sweet smell, 2 m tall, standing tall and bright green. Ribbon-shaped leaves, grow to 40 cm long with the last segment in the form of hair to a width of 0.5 mm.

Compound flower at the end of the stem, 5-15 cm in diameter and each panicle has 20-50 small yellow flowers on short pedicles. The fruit is a dry seed with a length of 4-9 mm and has a groove.

The leaves are eaten as a vegetable. Ripe and dried fruit powder is distilled to produce fennel oil with a sweet and bitter taste. Both are used in the medicine, seasoning, corrigentia saporis and herb fragrances.

A 100g of fennel fruits provides 1,440 kilojoules of energy and more than 19% of the DV protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins and several dietary minerals, especially calcium, iron, magnesium and manganese, all of which exceed 100% DV. Fennel fruits are 52% carbohydrates, 15% fat, 40% dietary fiber, 16% protein and 9% water.

The aromatic character of fennel fruits derives from volatile oils imparting mixed aromas, including trans-anethole and estragole (resembling liquorice), fenchone (mint and camphor), Limonene, 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom). Other phytochemicals found in fennel fruits include polyphenols, such as rosmarinic acid and luteolin, among others in minor content.

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Foeniculum
Species: F. vulgare

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