The Health Benefits of Anise

herbs Anise is an annual herb that grows up to eighteen inches in height. Though native to Egypt and the Mediterranean region, it is now being grown all over the world. Its flowers are small, yellowish white and grow in umbels, whereas the leaves are feather shaped. The fruit of anise is oblong and grayish white in color. It is this part that has a wide variety of medicinal as well as culinary uses. In fact, its use dates as far back as the ancient era.

Different periods of time saw anise being used for different purposes. For instance, in the seventh century, anise was used as a remedy for curing coughs and also the Romans used it to control bad breath. In the sixteenth century, owing to its feathery appearance, it was used often as bait to trap mice. Due to its popularity, anise was listed as a taxable drug in the fourteenth century.

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Even today, anise is a very widely used herb. It is especially known for its digestive properties. Anise seeds are consumed after meals to help in the process of digestion. If crushed and added to tea, not only does it enhance the flavor, but also works as a digestive and helps relieve the problem of flatulence.

Anise, due to its antimicrobial properties, is found in a lot of over the counter remedies. The oil extracted from anise seeds is used as an expectorant. It relieves congestion by working on the secretary cells in the respiratory tract.

Though anise can be used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, a word of caution is in order. It is recommended that people with high blood pressure should not consume anise as it might exacerbate the condition, though there is no concrete scientific evidence for this.

Anise is also a popular culinary herb that is used extensively in cooking and liqueurs. Also, due to its fresh scent, it is often used as a herbal fragrance in aroma therapy. Moreover, anise is added to oral hygiene products like toothpaste and mouthwash in order to enhance their flavor and effectiveness.

Back in the ancient times, the Romans used anise to make scented oils and soaps. Perhaps the tradition of wedding cakes can be traced back to the Roman period when anise tea and cake were served after a wedding feast.

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