Etymology
Fennel is a flowering perennial plant that is from the carrot family. It has yellow flowers along with feather-like leaves. Originating in the Mediterranean, fennel has now become a widely used plant all over the world. It has a high flavor profile and the entire plant is used in various ways.
The leaves of the fennel plant are used in a variety of food dishes, it has a strong, refreshing taste and is usually added as a garnish as well. The bulb of the fennel plant is used as a basic ingredient in many broths and soups.
The flowers of fennels are infused with oils to make fragrant herbal oils. The seeds of the fennel plant have a mild licorice-like flavor and a subtle sweetness to it, making it a great blend for tea.
What Is Fennel Tea?
Fennel tea is an organic pregnancy tea that is naturally caffeine-free and a great source of nutrients for your body. Fennel tea is widely consumed all over the world, especially in South Asian countries, by women who have recently given birth and are lactating.
Fennel tea is made using the seeds of the fennel plant. These seeds are full of antioxidants and jam-packed with flavor. They are readily available in supermarkets, and if you happen to be near an Indian store, just ask for ‘saunf’ pronounced like ‘sauna’ but with an ‘f’ at the end.
Significance of Fennel Tea in Pregnancy
Fennel tea is a good alternative for women who want to skip their caffeinated tea or coffee during pregnancy. It is considered relatively safe, if consumed in moderation and provides many benefits to women. You can have 1-2 cups of fennel tea a day in pregnancy but make sure you don’t overdose on it.
Even though there are many benefits of fennel tea during pregnancy, however, it is claimed by many women that fennel tea is great for your postpartum phase. It is beneficial to consume warm fennel tea after you give birth as it has many benefits.
Benefits
Some of the benefits of consuming fennel tea are:
- It helps relieve flatulence (wind) and gas
- It is great for breast milk production and used by women for lactation
- It is antispasmodic and helps with constipation and makes it great for women with vaginal stitches after delivery or C-section moms.
- It has anti-inflammatory properties so it helps relieve body swelling.
- Detoxifies the body and helps with digestion
- Keeps you hydrated and that also stimulates breast milk production
The numerous benefits make it a great drink to have after you have given birth.
Is It Safe to Drink Fennel Tea During Pregnancy?
Yes, it is safe to have fennel tea during pregnancy, if you are having it in moderation as it is claimed by women throughout the world that they do consume it. However, there are a few risks attached to having fennel tea during pregnancy.
Risks
Some of the risks of having fennel tea are:
- Fennel is known to be estrogenic which means it works like estrogen in the human body. Many people are of the idea that this may be harmful for you during pregnancy and if you are a nursing mom so you should avoid fennel tea altogether.
- There is not enough scientific evidence to back the claims of benefits that people do. Not like there is no research at all, there is, but it is not enough and it is better to be safe during pregnancy and not have anything which is not highly researched.
When to Drink Fennel Tea in Pregnancy?
Although fennel tea is safe to consume in moderation throughout your pregnancy and you can have one or two cups a day from the start till the end of your pregnancy but it is not advisable to do so.
The basic reason for this is that fennel tea does not do much for you during pregnancy. Yes, it is a beverage and it is caffeine-free, and also helps with digestion and relieves gas, but there are many other and better alternatives present that do this and much more as well.
For example, it will be wiser to have ginger tea in your first trimester as it helps with morning sickness and gas as well.
In the second trimester, you can have peppermint tea which works wonders for heartburn and indigestion.
For the third trimester, if you are facing sleep deprivation, you can have chamomile tea and when you reach the ninth month, it is best to have raspberry leaf tea for labor stimulation.
If you don’t want to keep on switching your tea and want to stick with one tea throughout your entire pregnancy, then you can have rooibos tea or honeybush tea which are packed full of antioxidants and nutrients.
Now, if you are wondering when to have fennel tea, the answer is, after you give birth. Fennel tea is the perfect postpartum drink for you. It will help you with lactation if you are nursing, it will help relieve constipation and also reduce swelling. It is the perfect lactation partner for you.
How to Make Fennel Tea
Fennel tea requires almost no hassle and is a really easy recipe to make. There are two ways to make fennel tea.
Fennel Seed Tea
You can make fennel tea using fennel seeds which are easily available in supermarkets. All you have to do is:
- Boil a cup of water
- Once boiled, add a teaspoon of fennel seeds and simmer on low heat for 30 seconds.
- Then, turn off the heat and let the fennel flavor steep into the water.
- The water will change color and become yellowy, it will take around 7-8 minutes.
- Once you reach your desired strength of tea, strain the fennel seeds out using a tea strainer.
- Enjoy a warm cup of freshly brewed fennel tea.
- Additionally, you can add a small stick of cinnamon, a piece of ginger, or/and a few mint leaves to your fennel tea while brewing for added flavor.
Fennel Tea Bags
Another quick and hassle-free way to make a cup of fennel tea is to buy ready-made blends of fennel tea which are readily available. Most of these come with a combination of flavors such as fennel & cinnamon, fennel & lavender, and the like so that you get added benefits of both.
To make a cup of fennel tea using tea bags or tea blends:
- Boil a cup of water
- Once boiled, turn off the heat and add one to two teabags, depending on how strong you like your tea.
- Let them steep for a few minutes.
- Then, take the tea bag out and enjoy a nice cup of fennel tea.
Conclusion
Fennel tea is a great drink for you if you are a nursing mom or have recently given birth. It has a mild taste and strong benefits. You can buy fennel seeds to make tea or you could buy ready-made blends of fennel tea which are a hassle-free and quick option for making tea.
Some of the commercially available fennel tea options are Traditional Medicinals Organic Fennel Tea, Hipp Herbal Nursing Tea, Palm Beach Herbals Fennel Tea, and Earth Mama Milkmaid Tea.
