A common mouth-freshening herb, fennel seeds, can offer tremendous benefits. This Mediterranean spice is a mainstay in Indian kitchens, and regular consumption can keep many ailments at bay. If you're on your weight loss journey, fennel seeds could be a boon. Thanks to its multiple nutrient content, high fibre, and antioxidant properties, fennel seeds can help you lose weight quickly. So, to leverage these benefits, learn how fennel seeds can aid in your weight loss journey and how you can incorporate them into your diet.
How fennel seeds can aid in weight loss
- Fennel seeds are high in fibre, which helps you stay fuller for longer, preventing you from craving food and overeating. This results in less calorie consumption and helps in weight loss.
- Fennel seeds enhance your body's vitamin and mineral absorbency, which lowers the amount of fat stored in your body.
- Fennel seeds have diuretic properties, which help flush out toxins from your body. And this, in turn, contributes to weight loss.
- Fennel seeds also boost your body's metabolism. A regulated metabolism is essential to healthily losing weight.
- It contains various antioxidants like Phosphorus, selenium, zinc, manganese, choline, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. All these antioxidant minerals protect your body from free radicals, which cause oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can lead to obesity and diabetes.
- Fennel seeds contain volatile oils like estragole, fenchone, and anethole. These oils help kick-start digestion by increasing the secretion of gastric enzymes. Good digestion is essential for weight loss.
How to consume fennel seeds
Incorporating fennel seeds into your regular diet can significantly help your weight loss journey. But if you're confused about how to consume fennel seeds for weight loss, here are some ways you can try.
Raw fennel seeds
Raw fennel seeds with lukewarm water and some drops of lemon juice can kick-start your metabolism and help you lose weight. Consuming fennel in this way releases nutrients in the body and relieves all the stomach issues you might have. Chewing some raw fennel seeds after a meal is also beneficial.
Fennel water
Soak half a teaspoon of fennel seeds in a glass of water overnight. Then, in the morning, strain the seeds and drink this water. Fennel water can increase your metabolic rate, which is vital for weight loss. This is because the nutrients present in the seeds infuse with water when soaked in for five to six hours. And when you consume the water, all these nutrients get into your body.
Fennel seed powder
The powder is the best solution if you don't like to chew fennel seeds and want to consume them. Fennel seed powder gives you all the nutrients without you putting in the effort of chewing these hard seeds. Just grind fine powder with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and take a teaspoon of powder at regular intervals with water.
Roasted fennel seeds
If you are sweet-toothed, it is difficult to control the sweet cravings. Sugar is an enemy of weight loss, and therefore, sugary items should be avoided at all costs if you want to lose some fat. But fennel seeds can help you satiate these sweet cravings. You can roast some fennel seeds and mix them with brown sugar or jaggery to make them sweet. This will help you healthily satisfy your taste buds.
Fennel tea
Fennel tea is one of the best ways to consume fennel seeds. You often reduce your meal portion when you are on a weight loss journey. This leads to feeling hungry in between your meals. Fennel seed tea can be a great way to curb these cravings. This not only reduces hunger but also improves digestion. To make fennel tea, just boil a pinch of seeds in water and consume this. You can add some herbs and spices like lemongrass, mint, basil, ginger, or cinnamon. To make it sweet, use jaggery or honey instead of sugar.
Precautions for consuming fennel seeds for weight loss
Generally, consuming fennel seeds is safe, but there are some cases when you avoid consuming these seeds or at least take them with precautions. Here are some precautions you should consider before consuming fennel.
- If you are pregnant, you should avoid consuming fennel seeds. Consuming this spice during pregnancy could lead to premature birth.
- Lactating women should avoid fennel tea because it can damage a child's nervous system.
- People allergic or sensitive to plant seeds are advised not to take fennel seeds as they can give an allergic reaction.
- People with hormone-sensitive conditions like breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine fibroids, or endometriosis must avoid fennel as it acts like oestrogen and can worsen these conditions.
Key takeaway
Fennel seeds contain various vitamins and minerals that can aid in your weight loss journey. Therefore, consuming fennel seeds regularly has been associated with healthy weight loss. However, if you want to take this spice daily, you may have to buy fennel seeds in bulk. We have also mentioned some of the best methods to effectively derive fennel seeds' benefits.
