Anise

Category: Food

Type

Voluntary

Introduction and description

Anise or Pimpinella anisum, also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. Its flavor has similarities with some other spices, such as star anise, fennel, and liquorice. Western cuisines have long used anise to flavor some dishes, drinks, and sweets, and the word is used for both the species of herb and its liquorice-like flavor.

Background

The main use of anise throughout the world is as an aid to digestion, whether in food or drinks. But as the following indicates it also has some other interesting properties:

The seed wasteth and consumeth winde, and is good against belchings and upbraidings of the stomacke, alaieth gripings of the belly, provoketh urine gently, maketh abundance of milke, and stirreth up bodily lust: it staieth the laske (diarrhea), and also the white flux in women. [John Gerard: The Herball, 1597, p. 880, side 903]

I think scientists may have some trouble organising a double blind trial for the bodily lust, but the 'abundance of milke' has received some study.

The most powerful flavor component of anise is anethole, found in both anise and the spice called star anise (Illicium verum). And anethole is a phytoestrogen [research suggests that the actual pharmacologically active agents are polymers of anethole, such as dianethole and photoanethole. PMID: 6999244]

Phytoestrogens are plant-derived xenoestrogens functioning as the primary female sex hormone estrogen. Also called "dietary estrogens", they are a diverse group of naturally occurring chemicals that, because of their structural similarity with estradiol (17-β-estradiol), have the ability to cause estrogenic or/and antiestrogenic effects. Their name comes from the Greek phyto = plant and estrogen, the hormone which gives fertility to the female mammals. The word "estrus" -Greek οίστρος- means sexual desire and "gene" -Greek γόνο- is "to generate" – so maybe Gerard knew what he was talking about although the lust part would refer to women, in men it might have some unfortunate side effects of a very obvious nature.

Nutrients

The table below shows some of the basic vitamins and minerals found in anise, note the relatively high levels of potassium.

Source: US National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Release 26   Software v.1.3.1 Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion

Method

Anise is not often used in cooking, as in general, fennel seeds tend to be preferred for their flavour, however, they make quite an interesting alternative to fennel seeds and go well with fish, cabbage and beetroot in particular.

The seeds, whole or powdered, are used in a whole range of sweets ['candies'] including aniseed balls, humbugs, aniseed wheels, pizzelles, Pfeffernüsse, Anisbögen, muisjes, knotts, New Mexican Bizcochitos, and Peruvian picarones.

It is a key ingredient in Mexican atole de anís or champurrado.

In India the seeds are covered in various coloured sugars and served in bowls often with tea after a meal as a digestive.

My aunty used to make 'seedy buns' with anise or 'seedy cake' [also with caraway seeds] served with afternoon tea.

Anise is used to flavor Middle Eastern arak, Colombian aguardiente, the French spirits absinthe, anisette and pastis, Greek ouzo, Bulgarian mastika, Macedonian Мастика, German Jägermeister, Italian sambuca, Dutch Brokmöpke, Portuguese, Peruvian and Spanish anís, Mexican Xtabentún and Turkish rakı. In these liquors, it is clear, but on addition of water becomes cloudy.

How it works

see the observations - all of them describe its healing potential.

Related observations

Healing observations

• Anise and menstrual pain 006255
• Anise tea - The Healing power of herbs – Ceres Esplan 019733
• Anise, hot flushes and the menopause 006254
• Bioactivity of Dianthus caryophyllus, Lepidium sativum, Pimpinella anisum, and Illicium verum essential oils and their major components against the West Nile vector Culex pipiens 021102
• Cancer and various foods 006256
• Constipation anise and other plants 006260
• Dr Duke's list of Chemicals and their Biological Activities in: Pimpinella anisum L. (Apiaceae) -- Anise, Sweet Cumin 019727
• Dr Duke's list of plants containing acetylcholine 013007
• Dr Duke's list of plants having chemicals with vasodilatory activity 017836
• Dr Duke's list of Plants with Anti-aggregate activity 017520
• Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antiglaucomic activity 019952
• Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antipertussive activity 018415
• Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antirhinoviral activity 018438
• Dr Duke's Plants with Antiplatelet activity 017519
• Efficacy of anise oil, dwarf-pine oil and chamomile oil against thymidine-kinase-positive and thymidine-kinase-negative herpesviruses. 016953
• Epilepsy and plants 006257
• Heartburn, ulcers and plants 006253
• Herbal teas and asthma 007249
• Mrs Grieve on Anise 016641
• Osteoporosis and anise 006261
• Phytochemical Profile and Evaluation of the Biological Activities of Essential Oils Derived from the Greek Aromatic Plant Species Ocimum basilicum, Mentha spicata, Pimpinella anisum and Fortunella margarita 023029
• Pregnancy, foods and herbs 006258
• Reasoning for seasoning 005551
• Thrush and anise 006259