What is anise? Well, anise is a kind of flowering plants which belongs to Apiaceae and are native to Southwest Asia and Mediterranean region. This flowering plant is known as Pimpinella anisum and has the similarities flavor with licorice and fennel. Besides, this plant can grow up to 1-meter tall and has thin and feathery green leaves. Also, it has white flowers grouped in umbrella-like clusters.
Back to the history, anise has been cultivated in Egypt since many centuries ago. Now, this plant is cultivated widely throughout the world and are harvested when ripe in autumn. As anise has a sweet and aromatic taste or used as a “licorice” flavor substitute so that it is being used as a flavoring agent including to be in soap, creams, and perfumes. Also, it is commonly used in dairy products such as gelatins, candies, and meats.
Moreover, anise is included as a herb which the seed, root, and leaf are beneficial as the natural medications. It is believed that anise is beneficial to be the treatment for upset stomach, cough, insomnia, and seizure.
Here’s we list the nutritional value of anise below.
| Nutrient Information | Amount per 100g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Water | 9.5 g |
| Total Calories | 337 |
| Total Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 15 g |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Monosaturated Fat | 9.8 g |
| Omega-6 Fatty Acids | 3.2 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 586 mg |
| Vitamins | |
| Folate | 10 mcg |
| Niacin | 3.1 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid | 797 mcg |
| Riboflavin | 290 mcg |
| Thiamin | 340 mcg |
| Vitamin A | 311 IU |
| Vitamin B6 | 650 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 21 mg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium | 646 mg |
| Copper | 910 mcg |
| Iron | 37 mg |
| Magnesium | 170 mg |
| Manganese | 2.3 mg |
| Phosporus | 440 mg |
| Potassium | 1.4 g |
| Selenium | 5 mcg |
| Sodium | 16 mg |
| Zinc | 5.3 mg |
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As you have seen on the table, anise provides really great nutrients contained in it. Consequently, to know more about detail information of the health benefits of anise, you can check the following statements below.
1. Have Antibacterial Effect
Not only providing rich flavor but anise also has beneficial treatment for people. This plant is known to have antibacterial effects which are great to protect the body against viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Also, this antibacterial effect has a role to promote oral health as well as to prevent the presence of microbial infections.
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2. Have Polyphenols Compounds
Anise is a plant that provides a powerhouse of nutrients including vitamins and minerals. One of the great nutrients which contained in anise is the polyphenols. This primary compound has a role to fight and prevent cancer as well as protecting against sunlight damage and prevent microbial infections.
Moreover, you may have never expected that polyphenols are really great in promoting the health. Also, it acts as the antioxidant which neutralizes hazardous oxygen radicals. Consequently, consuming polyphenols food will help you to prevent against hypertension, asthma, and diabetes.
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3. Have Antioxidant Properties
This statement will be linked to the previous statement due to the presence of polyphenols compound in anise. Not only for that, anise also contains a good source of Vitamin C which is associated to an excellent antioxidant nutrient. By having that kind of nutrients, anise will help you to protect against certain diseases including cancer.
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4. Source of Great Nutrients
The great nutrients of anise also come from its seeds. The seeds are extracted into essential oil that has sweet and aromatic flavor. There are great nutrients compounds including anethole, anise alcohol, estradiol, acetophenone, pinene, and others. Moreover, the oil is also applied to be alternative treatment including as an antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, and tonic agent.
Additionally, the oil of the seeds contains essential B-complex vitamins like pyridoxine, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin that are essential to promote neuro-chemicals functioning in the brain. To conclude, with those great nutrients, they are working together to promote our overall body health.
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5. Source of Minerals
As you can see on the table above, anise contains a good source of minerals including potassium, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium. For instance, with 100 g consumption of anise will lead you to have 37 mg or 462% daily required levels of iron.
On the other hand, anise also contains a good source of potassium which helps to control heart rate and blood pressure. Also, potassium nutrient is valuable to promote muscle functioning as well as to build great body muscle. Further, a tablespoon of anise will also provide 3-4% of the daily dietary requirement of calcium. Hence, it couldn’t be denied that anise provides a vital role to promote bone health.
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6. Source of Copper
To fulfill copper nutrient in the body, you can consume seafood like oyster and octopus, raw kale, mushrooms, and kinds of seeds. Therefore, by having anise seeds oil to consume, you have succeeded in fulfilling nutrient needs in your body. Besides, copper has a great role in promoting the proper enzymatic reactions and increasing energy production. Consequently, as copper is beneficial to produce red blood cells, then you need to eat copper foods regularly.
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7. Prevents Constipation
Due to the presence of great fiber in anise, it helps to relieve constipation. Indeed, fiber is one of the beneficial nutrients which has the main role to cure constipation. As a result, if you want to get rid of constipation, try to consume anise regularly. Besides, consuming other fiber fruits and vegetables is also recommended.
8. Promotes Healthy Digestion System
As described before, anise takes part in preventing and curing constipation. This benefit is linked to the presence of fiber in anise. Thus, not only for preventing constipation, fiber also can make the better performance to bowel movements. Therefore, anise is really beneficial to promote healthy digestion system including to prevent vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas problem, and gastritis. Additionally, anise also helps in stimulating appetite by promoting the work of enzymes.
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9. Promotes Babies Health
Not only promoting adult’s health but anise also has a role to maintain babies health. As the consequence, anise is believed to treat severe stomach pain including hiccups.
10. Boosts Lactation
After reading about health benefits of anise to the babies, now you will know about anise’s benefit to the breastfeeding mother. It is known that anise helps to boost lactation due to the presence of dianthrone and photoantheole contained. These nutrients have estrogenic effects that can improve lactation. Additionally, if the mother wants to use anise as the treatment to boost lactation, it is recommended to consult with the doctor firstly.
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11. Treats Insomnia
If you suffer from sleeping disorders or insomnia, you may have to consume best foods to recover. For instance, before you go to sleep, you can drink milk to boost your sleep quality. On the other hand, you can consume anise seed tea to treat insomnia. This benefit is linked to its therapeutic properties. For the tips, you can add a tablespoon of honey to add more flavor to the tea.
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12. Treats Cataract
As anise acts as antioxidant properties, then it will also help to prevent inflammation. Moreover, anise contains a great source of vitamin A. Then, by having vitamin A, anise is beneficial to promote eyes health and prevent macular degeneration. Therefore, anise is a really great herb to be a natural treatment for cataract.
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13. Treats Respiratory Problems
Due to the expectorant benefit, drinking one cup of an anise tea will help to reduce a cough and allergic asthma. It is known that using anise seeds to consume can be a natural treatment for certain respiratory health problems. The way anise works for it is by losing phlegm within the throat and the lungs. This herb is also known as the effective treatment for a cough, bronchitis, influenza, and pneumonia.
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14. Acts as Antispasmodic
Loaded with great nutrients contained, anise essential oil helps to relax and relief certain ailments which caused by spasms, an excessive contraction of the respiratory tract, muscles, nerves, and blood circulations. As a result, by acting as antispasmodic, it is beneficial to deal with cramps, coughs, aches, nervous afflictions, and convulsions.
15. Promotes Oral Health
As described before, anise has the antibacterial effect that can help to promote oral heart. Indeed, this benefit will help you to against breath problem. As a result, anise seeds is commonly used as natural homemade mouthwash recipes. Additionally, in India and Pakistan, anise seeds are chewed after the meal to get fresh breath.
16. Acts as Anti-epileptic Properties
One of health benefits of anise is the way it has the sedative effect. It is known that anise essential oil helps to relieve epileptic disease as well as being anti-hysteric properties. Moreover, anise works well in these function by reducing blood circulation, respiration, and nervous response.
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17. Treats Seizures
As explained in the previous statement, anise has anti-hysteric properties which can also help to treat seizures. This benefit has been proven by the researchers and has pointed that anise is beneficial to manage convulsions as well as avoiding seizures.
18. Promotes Heart Function
Anise oil is beneficial to promote the health by detoxifying the blood. At this point, it enhances the blood flow and keeps the heart healthy. Also, anise oil help to lower the blood pressure level by cutting down the pressure on the heart. Indeed, by consuming anise, it will lead to the healthier life as well as balance each part of body functioning.
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19. Relieves Joint Pain
Anise also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent which help to prevent the inflammation including arthritis and rheumatism. As it helps to promote blood circulation, then it is valuable to be a natural pain killer within the muscles. Then, if you want to have an alternative medical treatment for joint pain, try to consume anise as well.
20. Prevents Thrombosis Formation
As have described before, anise takes part in promoting blood circulation greatly. This benefit is great to prevent thrombosis since it reduces the formation of the blood clot within blood vessels. Also, the presence of essential oil anethole shows the positive result in preventing thrombosis. Hence, having anise to consume is a good idea so that you can prevent certain health problems including the formation of thrombosis.
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21. Promotes Body Metabolism System
All the health benefits of anise above pointed that this kind of herbs really plays the main role in promoting overall health. Moreover, the detoxifying function which removes the harmful toxins in the body will help to maintain the body metabolism system. Further, anise oil also helps in stimulating the enzymes to reach the optimum health.
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22. Reduces Male Climacteric
By having phytoestrogen which is an estrogenic agent can help to reduce male climacteric. Indeed, anise is beneficial herb to deal with the signs of “male menopause”. As a result, if you want to prevent from menstrual disorders, it is better to consume anise regularly.
23. Regulates Menstruation
If you are a female who wish to manage the ideal menstruation cycle, then have anise to consume as a food option. By having an estrogenic effect, it is valuable to help healthy reproductive health. Also, anise seed powder is known to be a great treatment of the menstrual disorder. Therefore, with a regular consumption of anise, then you do not need to worry the delaying moment of the monthly period.
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24. Boosts Sexual Health
It is believed that anise also acts as an aphrodisiac. This benefit is linked to anise function which helps to improve libido. For the tips, you can mix crushed anise seeds into the water as a drink.
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Now you know the health benefits of anise. However, anise will make you be more surprised due to the beauty benefits it has provided. Hence, if you want to know what are beauty treatments which anise has offered, then check the following statements below.
Anise Benefits for Beauty Treatments
25. Prevents Earlier Aging
Rich in antioxidant nutrients makes anise a good herb to promote beauty skin. As a result, due to the presence of vitamin C in anise, it will help to prevent the sign of earlier aging. Indeed, by consuming anise regularly, you can prevent the presence of wrinkles on the face. So, what are you waiting for? Start consuming anise from now on to keep the skin youthful.
26. Promotes Beauty Skin
Who doesn’t want to have a good skin? Well, to enhance a healthy and beauty skin, you may have to take some treatment and consuming beauty supplements. However, you can take the natural and alternative way to deal with it. In the same way, anise has the great role in promoting beauty skin. With antioxidant nutrients contained in anise, it helps you to get rid of blemishes, dark spots, and acne. As a result, consuming anise tea will also help you to have clear and beauty skin as well.
27. Treats Skin Problems
Being a good antibacterial property, anise help to deal certain skin ailment. To use anise, you have to dilute the anise oil with the lotion to reduce the chance of discomfort. Indeed, by applying this mixture will help you to treat scabies and psoriasis.
28. Treats Head Lice
Surprisingly, anise works as a great anti-pesticides. Then, with this function, it helps you to get rid of head lice. Besides, using anise to get this benefit is also quite simple. You just have to spray the anise oil to the hair scalp. Consequently, the head lice will be completely removed from your hair scalp.
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As the consequence, to have you more information, then kindly check the tips of consuming of anise below.
Tips of Consuming
- Anise is likely safe to be eaten and found in many kinds of foods and cuisines. It is also safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women. However, you have to consume it in moderate and better to consult your doctor firstly.
- Next, you can find the dried and powder of ground anise in the spice market. Also, it is advised to choose anise seeds from authentic organic herb stores. Then, you can buy in small quantities since they will lose the flavor if you store them in a long time.
- For the tips, if you buy anise seeds, take the bright olive-green to grey-brown color and has a rich aroma to choose. Avoid the one who has broken tips and searches for the best quality. After that, you can store anise in a cool or dark place. Put it on the containers and prevent from the direct exposure to sunlight.
- Since anise has been used in many Asian countries and is the most important spices in Chinese cuisine, then you can consume anise seeds since it as the sweet and aromatic flavor. Then, you can use the anise seeds powder to be as a spice.
- Moreover, you can use anise spice as a flavoring for your favorite soups, sauces, bread, cakes, and biscuits. For the tips, you can combine anise seeds with cinnamon within pastries which will boost the sweetness.
- Besides, anise can be use as flavor drinks like period, French pastis, Spanish ojen, herbal tea, and a liquor called anisette. Even, anise seeds are also the basis for a number of alcoholic beverages, including anisette, sambuca, and absinthe.
- Last, to make anise tea, you can follow these simple ways. Just add the crushed anise seeds in the cup of boiling water and stir it thoroughly. Then, let them steep for 10 minutes and your relaxing tea is ready to be enjoyed.
To summarize, anise has a vital role to maintain the body health. Loaded with great nutrients makes this kind of herbs provide excellent health benefits. Yet, you have to consume it wisely and properly and avoid consuming high doses to get the best benefits. Then, if you want to have healthier body, try to consume anise as your favorite food option.