The fennel essential oil is obtained from the seeds of the perennial fennel plant, or the Foeniculum Vulgare, as it is scientifically known, through the steam distillation process. Fennel is best known for its sweet, licorice-like fragrance and taste, which might not be to everyone’s liking.

Yet, the herb and its essential oil has numerous health benefits that should not be dismissed. In fact, it has been used since earlier centuries!

For example, the Romans, especially their warriors, consumed fennel to strengthen and boost their energy levels so that they would be ready for battle. Even the ancient Egyptians used fennel as a medicine and the ancient Chinese used it as a snake bite remedy.

As such, the benefits of fennel extend since ancient times and it still continues to be of tremendous and great use today due to its various valuable properties and constituents. Read on to find out more about its uses!

Health Benefits of Fennel Essential Oil:

1. Relieves Stomach Problems

Sweet fennel essential oil can be an effective all-natural remedy to treat various stomach problems such as stomachaches, indigestion, flatulence, bloating and helps with clearing the bowels easily. Being a carminative and stomachic, it helps to remove any excess gas within your digestive tracts and prevents the formation of gases in the stomach.

Also, it helps to maintain proper and smooth functioning of the stomach in that it regulates the secretion of digestive enzymes and bile, thus preventing stomach ulcers and acid reflux from happening. As such, fennel essential oil is a very good remedy to relieve and prevent gas and constipation, and ensures a smooth functioning of the stomach and digestive system.

Furthermore, as fennel oil is a volatile oil, this means that it evaporates rapidly, thus providing fast relief. As such, it is also recommended for those who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or diarrhea.

2. Antispasmodic

Being an antispasmodic and a relaxant, fennel essential oil is extremely useful for preventing spasms and nervous muscular contractions within the gut. As a result, it undoubtedly helps to prevent pain and cramping in the intestines as it relaxes the muscles found within the intestinal region. Therefore, it provides quick relief from nausea, pain and muscle spasms.

A 2003 research study published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine investigated fennel oil’s ability to reduce intestinal spasms and increase motility of the small intestine by using the oil to treat the colic disease in infants. They found that there was a significant reduction in the intensity of infantile colic by using the oil, as compared to placebo.

As such, fennel oil offers a much more viable alternative to various prescription drugs that deal with spasms, as those might offer serious side-effects while fennel oil is all-natural.

3. Augments Mental Health

Like many essential oils out there, fennel oil can also be used to relieve anxiety and stress to induce feelings of relaxation and tranquility within you. It helps to uplift your spirits and induces positive feelings, thus getting rid of any depression, anxiety and tension from the demands of the day. If you are a fan of the licorice-like fragrance, then try diffusing the oil in your room to promote relaxation!

A 2014 study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine seeked to evaluate the anxiolytic activity of the fennel essential oil by testing it on mice. They found that the mice which were treated with fennel oil performed better on anxiety measurement tests in that they had markedly decreased anxiety levels than the groups which were not treated with fennel oil.

Furthermore, fennel oil can greatly help to improve mental clarity and provide the much-needed focus as well as concentration. Thus, if you find yourself unable to concentrate on your work, try diffusing some fennel essential oil by your desk!

4. Helps in Weight Loss

Being a stimulant and a tonic, fennel essential oil ultimately boosts the various systems within the body, especially the digestive system. It helps to promote better digestion and increased metabolism levels, while suppressing your appetite for more. Furthermore, because it helps to detox and rid your body of unwanted, harmful substances, this aids in weight loss partially.

Of course, it takes a balanced diet and commitment to some lifestyle changes for true and substantial change to take place, but using fennel essential oil can partially help with that too!

5. Helps to Kill off Bacteria

Some essential oils are antiseptic and antimicrobial, which means they can be used as an all-natural remedy to get rid of bacteria and fungal infections as well as viruses. Sweet fennel essential oil is one such essential oil!

Fennel essential oil, with the presence of certain constituents that contribute to its antiseptic nature, can help to kill wounds, cuts and scrapes and prevent them from getting infected or by becoming septic. This is done through killing off various bacteria and viruses which can potentially cause such infections and complications from lingering on your skin. As such, it helps to protect wounds and speed up healing times.

Additionally, fennel essential oil helps to kill off bacteria within your bodies as well! Part of the reason why the oil truly helps the gut is because of its ability to combat bacteria and intestinal worms present within your stomach and intestinal tracts. Research has shown that fennel oil can help to combat bacteria responsible for gastric flu.

A 2010 research study published in Pubmed found that fennel essential oil is one of the potent oils that can be used to combat gastric diseases which contributes to peptic ulcer disease and gastric carcinoma.

6. Helps in Detoxification

Fennel essential oil is also an efficient detoxifier. With its stimulating and diuretic properties, it helps to increase the frequency and quantity of urination, as well as stimulates sweating. This thus helps to get rid of excess water, salts, uric acid, urea, bile and other toxic, unwanted substances that might be lingering in your body. As such it helps to purify the blood within the bloodstreams and cleanse the kidneys as well as other vital organs.

Thus, this oil truly helps in maintaining the smooth and proper functioning of the organs and various systems within the body. Because of its detoxification properties, it also helps to lower blood pressure levels to a healthy level, reducing the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

7. Relieves Respiratory Problems

Being an expectorant, fennel essential oil has been found to be extremely helpful in clearing up nasal and throat congestions due to a buildup of excess phlegm and mucus. It helps to clear off these substances, thus providing freer and unobstructed airflow through the nasal tracts.

Therefore, it makes for a good natural treatment for the common cold, sinuses or allergies. Simply inhale from the bottle or from your hands can do you much good!

Other health properties of fennel essential oil include being able to tone and moisturize the skin, aids in stimulating menstruation and alleviating painful menstrual cramps such as dysmenorrhea due to its emmenagogue nature and being able to increase breast milk production because of its galactagogue properties.

How to Use Fennel Essential Oil:

Now that you have read about the myriad benefits of sweet fennel essential oil, here are some ways in which you can use it to optimize its benefits:

• For digestive and menstrual relief, you can rub diluted fennel essential oil on your abdominal area or at the bottoms of your feet. Alternatively, you can also add one drop of the oil to a glass of water or to a cup of peppermint tea and ingest it to solve stomach problems. However, do seek medical advice first before proceeding to ingest it.

• For relaxation, you can mix one drop of fennel oil with 1-2 drops of lavender oil and a carrier oil (such as coconut or jojoba oil) and proceed to gently massage on your neck and chest area.

• Alternatively, you can also diffuse fennel essential oil around your workplace or home to induce feelings of relaxation or to promote mental focus.

• For effective respiratory relief, you can also add a few drops of fennel oil and the same amount of peppermint oil into a bowl of hot water and inhale the vapors emanating out.

• You can also create your own essential oil bath by adding 4-5 drops of the oil into your warm bathing water and soak inside for a few minutes to enjoy the therapeutic goodness.

Safety Precautions:

When ingesting fennel oil, do seek the advice of a medical expert/doctor first to find out if it is feasible for you and your unique health conditions.

Caution should be taken for pregnant women and young children when using fennel essential oil as it contains an organic compound called trans anethole which actually boosts the production of the estrogen hormone. This might be dangerous for pregnant women, women with breast cancer, uterine cancer or tumors.

Those who have epilepsy should avoid taking fennel oil. Also, do seek the advice of a medical practitioner if you are taking prescribed drugs, especially those who have diabetes or are on anticoagulant medication, before using fennel essential oil together as they might cause negative reactions when taken together.

Before applying it topically onto the skin, be sure to dilute with a carrier oil first (such as almond, coconut or jojoba oil) and do a skin patch test first to ensure no sensitive or allergic reactions come up.

References:

Alexandrovich I, et al., “The effect of fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare) seed oil emulsion in infantile colic: a randomized, placebo-controlled study”, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine (2003); 9(4)

Mesfin M, Asres K, Shibeshi W, “Evaluation of anxiolytic activity of the essential oil of the aerial part of Foeniculum vulgare Miller in mice”, BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2014)

Cwikla C, et al., “Investigations into the antibacterial activities of phytotherapeutics against Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni”, Phytotherapy Research (2010); 24(5)