Anise is one of those rare spices that go equally well with a wide variety of dishes and at the same time have excellent healing properties.
It can be added to pastries, desserts, meat and lenten menus, to alcoholic and non-alcoholic liqueurs and tinctures, salads, and can be used exclusively for the preparation of medicines that can heal various ailments.
Anise is widely distributed both in our country and in neighboring countries, it is also massively cultivated in Asia, Cyprus, Egypt, and Western Europe. The price of spice is more than affordable, there is no shortage either.
The most valuable part of the plant is the seeds - they have accumulated enormous energy and natural strength, so they are used for medicinal purposes.
To get maximum benefit
Despite the wide distribution of anise, it is not recommended to purchase it in packaged bags - you will not be able to check and evaluate the aroma and freshness of the product, and the anise seed activity period is up to three years.
Therefore, having bought such a spice stale, you may not get the expected therapeutic effect.
For all spices in principle, including anise, you should go to specialized shops, where sellers (and they are often shop owners) are well versed in the assortment and are always ready to help the client with a choice. 
Fresh anise has an incredibly appetizing aroma, it can not be confused with anything, no wonder anise is in the top ten plants used in aromatherapy.
Traditional medicine knows a lot of recipes for the use of anise for medicinal purposes, and both dry raw materials and essential oils from seeds are used.
Anise seed contains a large group of vitamins and minerals (B, C, sodium, copper, zinc, magnesium, calcium, etc.), which makes it suitable for use as a general tonic.
Also, the seeds contain a lot of fatty and essential oils containing a special anisic acid, aldehyde, ketol, sugars, anethole and other bioactive components.
As the main or auxiliary active ingredient, anise is part of popular pharmaceutical preparations - Dr. Theis capsules, Breast collection, Strepsils, ammonia-anise drops (which drip on a sugar cube), various cough mixtures, including children's.
Anise - useful properties
Thanks to its pleasant aroma and unobtrusive taste, anise treatment is a pleasure. It can simply be added to teapots for daily tea, from which the whole family will benefit, because anise is an excellent immunostimulant.
1. Anise tincture and tea strengthen the immune system, invigorate, help to overcome fatigue after a hard day at work or after a long stay in bad weather.
2. Anise improves appetite, increases the secretory functions of the stomach, promotes proper digestion.
3. Aroma oils and anise preparations have a beneficial effect on the nervous system. They relieve insomnia, disperse the blues, depression, apathy and other melancholic conditions.
4. Anise seeds and oil are recognized diuretics. They eliminate swelling, remove excess fluid from the tissues, heal the kidneys.
5. Anise has antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory properties. It is recommended to use for the treatment of any ENT diseases- pharyngitis, tonsillitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, etc.
6. In Asia and the East, anise is considered a powerful aphrodisiac. It increases libido, relieves frigidity and increases male power.
7. In gynecology, traditional medicine uses anise to normalize the menstrual cycle, relieve pain during critical days.
8. Anise seeds are one of the few that can normalize the work of such complex and important organs as pancreas and liver.
9. Anise-based products are widely used in dentistry. They treat inflammation of the gums, nasopharynx, neutralize bad breath.
10. Tea and anise infusion have a pronounced expectorant property, so anise is the No. 1 remedy for broncho-pulmonary diseases caused by colds or viruses.
11. Anise copes with dizziness, headaches, migraines.
12. Helps with bloating, diarrhea, constipation.
13. Calms the heart rate during attacks of tachycardia.
14.Treats cystitis, removes sand from the kidneys.
15. Used in asthma and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.
16. Relieves conditions with exacerbation of arthritis and rheumatism.
17. Since ancient times, it has been used as a means of increasing the production of breast milk in lactating women.
Anise - contraindications 
Anise is universal and accessible to everyone.
The list of its contraindications is small:
- peptic ulcer in the acute stage,
- pregnancy period,
- gastritis with high acidity,
- individual intolerance, which, however, is extremely rare.
The seeds of this plant should always be in the first-aid kit and on the shelf with spices, because anise is an excellent healer and can enrich the taste of any dish.
Many spices used in cooking are also known for their medicinal properties.
One of them is anise, the useful features of which allow it to be widely used in folk medicine.
Main useful properties
A lot of useful properties of anise can be explained by the rich composition of seeds.
They are rich in vitamins and minerals, fiber, proteins and healthy fats.
Anise relieves pain, inflammation and fever, has a diaphoretic and antiseptic effect.
Other properties include laxatives, diuretics, and sedatives.
Anise-based preparations are used in the treatment of diseases of the liver, digestive organs, kidneys, and urinary system.
They have effects to eliminate headaches, sexual, nervous disorders.
For women, anise is useful in that it normalizes the menstrual cycle, relieves pain and helps fight frigidity.
Improves potency in men. It has a good effect on the nervous system, fighting insomnia, sleep disturbances, and constant awakenings.
The spice enhances the effect of the antibacterial agents used. The combination of egg protein and anise oil effectively treats burns.
Traditional medicine recipes
To restore appetite
Take a teaspoon of crushed anise, pour a glass of boiling water, let cool and infuse.
Drink half a glass half an hour before meals.
From a cold
Take 100 g of anise seeds, pour half a liter of 90% alcohol. Use the tincture three times a day for 5-10 drops.
There is another recipe:
- pour a glass of cool water into a small container,
- add half a glass of anise seeds,
- let it boil and boil for 15 minutes over low heat.
Strain, add a quarter cup of honey (useful properties of sweet clover are described), a large spoonful of cognac, let it boil, brew and cool.
Take a tablespoon every half an hour.
To combat impotence and its prevention
Eat 3 g of anise seeds every day or consume 3-5 drops of anise ester.
Against edema
Take four teaspoons of anise seed, pour a glass of boiling water over it. Boil for 7 minutes, strain.
Drink three times a day before meals in the amount of two tablespoons. The decoction helps no worse than those taken during pregnancy.
From insomnia
Add a teaspoon of crushed anise seeds to a glass of warm milk, let it steep.
Strain and add a teaspoon of honey. Consume warm. Children need to halve the dose.
Against cough
Pour a teaspoon of dry seeds with a glass of hot boiling water.
Then insist 30 minutes.
Strain and consume three times a day before meals, a quarter cup.
The infusion will help to quickly get rid of bouts of dry cough.
From dizziness
Put a couple of drops of anise essential oil on a piece of sugar.
Eat it if you feel dizzy.
Stones in the kidneys
Pour two teaspoons of seeds with boiling water in the amount of one glass, let it brew for 15 minutes, then strain.
Consume three times a day, similar to the herb bear ears (written in the article) in the amount of two tablespoons half an hour before meals.
Application in cosmetology and cooking
Relatively recently, anise began to be used in cosmetology.
Experts were interested in the plant's ability to relax muscles.
Modern manufacturers produce anti-wrinkle creams (read about the effectiveness of apricot oil), based on anise extract.
Their efficiency is high.
In home skin and hair care, anise essential oil can be used, which is added to creams, lotions, masks in the amount of a few drops.
In cooking, both the fruits and the greens of the plant are used.
It is added to vegetable salads and dried kelp (read how to cook), meat dishes, side dishes.
In Mediterranean cuisine, you can find fish dishes seasoned with anise. Dry umbrellas are used for conservation.
Ground anise fruits are used as a spicy seasoning. Anise is added to pastries (it is written about healthy baking from amaranth flour) and confectionery.
It gives piquancy to sweet dishes: soups with milk and dried fruits (), puddings.
Seasoning improves taste characteristics and vegetable dishes. It is combined with all types of cabbage, including sea (), carrots, zucchini, beets.
It is added to soaked fruits, sweet compotes. Sometimes with the help of anise, a unique taste is given to alcoholic beverages (): vodka, liqueurs, live beer.
Contraindications and possible harm
Anise and preparations based on it are contraindicated in allergic reactions to plants from the umbrella family, stomach and duodenal ulcers (read about the therapeutic diet with recipes), atony of the large intestine.
They are forbidden to pregnant women and those who suffer from chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract such as hernia (treatment with folk remedies is described in the article).
In some cases, anise can cause allergies. The potential danger is present for children under two years of age.
Anise oil should not be indicated for internal use for more than seven days.
You need to start using anise with small doses..
If dizziness, nausea and other unpleasant symptoms are absent, then on another day you can increase the dose.
Caution is needed with decoctions. Consume up to 100 grams per day. Overdose can cause allergies.
How to choose
When choosing fruits, pay attention to the smell and color. The fresh product is bright and fragrant. If the seeds have a faint aroma and a dark brown color, they are either old or stored in improper conditions.
Anise effectively treats intestinal cramps, insomnia, coughs, bronchitis and colds, see the treatment methods in the video.
Anise tea is an effective and harmless way to increase the amount of milk in a nursing mother in the stressful conditions of modern life. Anise also has other wonderful qualities. In the proposed article, the reader will find information about the appearance of the plant, its beneficial properties and contraindications, the differences between anise and star anise, as well as ways to prepare drops that heal from a debilitating cough.
Anise ordinary, he is aniseed thigh, - a typical representative of the Celery family (Umbrella). This is an annual grass up to 60 cm high, with graceful pubescence. The stems of the plant are dotted with grooves, in the upper third they do not branch much. The leaves have a different shape depending on the tier: the lower ones are like parsley, the upper ones are like dill.
Common anise blooms inconspicuously: its white petals barely reach 1.5 mm in length. To attract pollinators, the flowers are collected in complex umbrellas up to 6 cm in diameter.
The fruits of this plant are a vine with two seeds up to 5 mm long. For their peculiar smell and taste, the plant is called sweet cumin.
What is the difference between anise and star anise
The fruits of another plant, star anise, have a similar spicy taste, which is explained by the peculiarities of the chemical composition of both species. Novice cooks confuse them, believing that this is the same spice. However, there are differences between anise and star anise as they belong to unrelated families. Badian is characterized by:
- East Asia as a region of growth, for which he received the name Siberian anise;
- a fruit in the form of an "asterisk", for which the plant is called star anise;
- woody or shrubby form of development.
Star anise has a more subtle flavor, it goes well with meat and vegetable broths. For fish and pastries, it is better to replace star anise with anise.
The chemical composition of the plant
The main aromatic substance of anise and star anise is anethole essential oil. This is a very fragrant compound widely used in cooking and cosmetology. Anethole makes up to 90% of all essential oils of the plant, the remaining 10% are methyl chavicol, anise ketone and other complex organic substances. The total concentration of essential oils in anise fruits reaches 4%, in the best varieties (Alekseevsky-38) - 6%. Also, the fruits of star anise and anise are rich in:
- fatty oils (up to 28%);
- proteins (up to 19%);
- organic acids;
- sugars.
The safrole present in the fruit softens the pungent smell of anethole. The dense fraction of the essential oil is used in industrial cooking as a substitute for cocoa butter.
Where does anise grow?
In the wild form, common anise is not found in Russia. Egypt and Ethiopia are considered the birthplace of culture, from where the fragrant grass as spices spread widely, first in the Mediterranean, and later throughout the world. The plant is cultivated in farms specializing in essential oil crops.
Anise ordinary is thermophilic, prefers well-fertilized and drained soils of the southern and western slopes. The optimal conditions for plant growth have developed in the Voronezh and Belgorod regions, where anise is grown for spices and medicines.
Application of anise
As a medicine, anise is used primarily for the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract, prolonged cough, whooping cough, inflammation of the tonsils, larynx, and vocal cords.
Common anise fruits are included in the following fees:
- diaphoretics;
- laxatives;
- sedatives;
- stimulating lactation;
- stimulating digestion;
- eliminating excess gas and flatulence.
Infusion of fruits rinse the mouth with stomatitis and periodontal disease. Fatty oil from fruits is a natural basis for suppositories.
As a spicy spice, common anise is used for cooking meat and fish dishes, pastries, mulled wines, and homemade canned vegetables for the winter. Bunches of dry anise hung in inconspicuous places will not allow mosquitoes, flies, bedbugs to start in the room.
Anise ordinary - medicinal plant
Medicinal properties, collection, preparation and storage of anise
The medicinal properties and contraindications of anise are based on the high content of anethole in the plant, which has an expectorant effect on the body, and also exhibits the following properties:
- bactericidal;
- antispasmodic;
- mild diuretic;
- anti-inflammatory.
Anethol stimulates the liquefaction and discharge of sputum, drainage of the bronchi, relieves pain in the intestines, improves its secretory and motor functions. In gynecology, it is used to normalize uterine contractions, as well as for painful periods. The antiseptic effect of the substance is appropriate in the treatment of cystitis and similar problems of the urinary system.
However, anise can bring not only benefits, but also harm. It can not be used for individual intolerance and during pregnancy - it can provoke a miscarriage. Plant-based preparations should be abandoned in the presence of a stomach ulcer, since it increases the acidity of the digestive juice.
Anise fruits are harvested when more than half of its inflorescences change color from green to brown. On small plantations, umbrellas are mowed with a sickle or scythe; in essential oil farms, special harvesting machines are used.
Cut plants are tied into bundles and air-dried under a canopy, under which a tarpaulin is spread. Then, on the same tarpaulin, they thresh and separate the fruits from the remnants of the stems. Store no more than 3 years in cloth bags.
Healing recipes with anise
If a person does not have an individual intolerance to anise preparations, the recipes and rules for use are extremely simple: they can be given even to children under one year old. To prepare the infusion, a teaspoon of dried fruits is poured into a glass of boiling water and left for 20 minutes. After cooling, filter and take a quarter cup every two hours. This infusion is good for colds with dry cough and heavy sputum discharge. Nursing mothers are advised to drink it half an hour before feeding.
For self-cooking ammonia-anise drops necessary:
- Purchase commercially manufactured anise essential oil from a pharmacy.
- It is taken in an amount of 3.5 g, mixed with 17 ml of ammonia and 80 ml of medical alcohol.
- To soften the sharp taste of the drug, it is dripped onto a piece of refined sugar.
- Taken three times a day: children are prescribed the number of drops by the number of years, adults - 20-25 drops each.
If you mix 1 part of the resulting drops with 1 part of licorice root infusion and 3 parts of dill water, you will get sung by Bulat Okudzhava "drops of the Danish king" . They were popular in the recent past, as they helped with prolonged childhood bronchitis and intestinal colic.
For adults, for the mild normalization of all processes in the body, tea with anise .
- A teaspoon of crushed fruits is poured with boiling water, insisted for a quarter of an hour, filtered and combined with ordinary tea.
- Adding cinnamon, walnuts, ginger, lemon or lime allows you to diversify an anise tea drinking.
- Sweeten the drink with honey. But milk should not be added to it - such a combination can provoke bloating.
We answer questions
Looking at different spices on the counter in the store, customers are wondering: are fennel and anise the same thing or not? A similar question applies to cumin. Indeed, the spicy fruits of these plants are similar to each other, and this is explained by close family ties: all three crops belong to the Celery family. Their fruits are distinguished by external signs:
- anise - greenish-gray, 3-5 mm long, pear-shaped, covered with short hairs;
- fennel - brown, 5-8 mm long, broadly oblong, glabrous;
- cumin - brown, about 3 mm long, sickle-curved.
Keeping in mind the upcoming cold weather, purchase anise fruits or its essential oil at the pharmacy. This nondescript plant with powerful medicinal power will calm coughs, cure bronchitis, calm the nervous system and irritated intestines. A cup of anise tea with cinnamon is an inexpressible pleasure after a hard day at work, an occasion to communicate with the family and a guarantee of a peaceful sleep.
If you have ever seen a counter with natural spices and spices, your attention would surely have been attracted by small brown stars - this is anise, one of the oldest known spices. Since ancient times, this spice has been highly valued, used not only for food, but also for medicinal purposes. Anise has a special aroma, in addition to cooking it is also used in aromatherapy, it helps to get rid of many ailments and health problems.
What is useful anise
Anise seeds contain various fatty and essential oils, which include anise aldehyde, methyl chavicol, anethole, anise ketol, sugars, anisic acid, proteins. Anise also contains vitamins of group B,. As well as minerals: calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, iron, zinc, copper and sodium.
Nutritional value of anise: water - 9.5 g, fats - 16 g, carbohydrates - 35.4 g. The calorie content of the product is 337 kcal per 100 g.
Even in ancient Greece, anise was used to treat abdominal pain and as a diuretic. Modern medicine uses anise seeds and oil to make various medicines. Anise has an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and antiseptic effect. It is also used as an antispasmodic, diuretic, laxative and sedative. Anise-based preparations are prescribed to normalize the functioning of the liver, pancreas, cough, colic, flatulence, gastritis and some other digestive disorders.
Anise normalizes the digestive tract, increases appetite, eliminates headaches and depression, improves kidney function, and stimulates genitourinary functions. It is believed that anise relieves frigidity, normalizes the menstrual cycle, relieves menstrual pain, and in men increases potency.
Anise infusion or tea with anise has an excellent expectorant property and is used to treat coughs. Many include anise and anise oil in their recipes. With bad breath, gum disease and nasopharynx, anise is also used, which successfully solves these problems and improves the general condition of the body.
Common anise is an annual plant that came to us from the East, where it has been widely used in folk medicine for thousands of years. In our country, this useful culture began to spread as a decoration for summer cottages and over time gained considerable popularity.
What does anise look like?
Anise is a low, up to 50 cm long plant. Its most characteristic feature is white flowers, collected in small umbrella-shaped bunches.
Anise stem straight, branching only to the very top, leaves with veins dividing them into lobes. In our area, common anise can most often be found on plantations or in summer cottages. After the flowering period, fruits begin to appear on the tops of the plant. They are usually brown in color and have an oblong cup shape. It is the fruits that are of the greatest value.
Collection and preparation
All parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. Flowers must be collected in the first half of summer, while the fruits ripen only at the end of August and must be collected in autumn. It is necessary to collect only fully ripened fruits. To harvest the fruit, you need to cut the plants and tie them into small bunches. In this form, the anise will need no more than a month to dry completely.
After the raw materials are completely dry, you can easily separate the fruits from the stems and foliage. Leaves and stems should be crushed and set aside for later use. Most often, fruits are used for medicinal purposes, but anise seeds can also be useful. They are often used in the food industry and even in perfumery, anise essential oil has become an integral part of many household products. It also proved to be an excellent tool in the fight against ticks, fleas and other harmful insects.
Medicinal properties of anise
Anise has a rich arsenal of beneficial properties that have made it a popular favorite wherever it grows in the wild. For example, the fruits of this wonderful plant can provide invaluable assistance in bronchitis or other diseases of the respiratory system. After all, anise fruits are a natural expectorant. Also, this natural medicine can help with stomach problems, increase its secretion and relieve cramps.
Anise ordinary can be used to relieve inflammation of the urinary tract and as a diuretic. In some cases, anise-based preparations are used by breastfeeding mothers to increase their milk supply. In general, this plant has a beneficial effect on the human body, which makes it one of the most popular folk remedies in the world. And pharmacology has not left anise unnoticed - on its basis, a lot of different drugs are produced for every taste.
Contraindications
Despite the mass of useful properties, anise has a number of contraindications. It should not be used by pregnant women or those who suffer from chronic diseases of the digestive system. It is also not recommended to use anise for those who have a stomach ulcer. Do not treat small children with this plant, as it can pose a danger to their health.
If you are taking anise essential oil orally, then remember that it should not be consumed in this way for more than a week. Otherwise, you risk causing significant harm to your own health. With all the usefulness of anise, you should not take contraindications lightly, as your well-being may depend on this. Also try not to abuse decoctions or tinctures from this plant, this can also cause serious harm.
Recipes
Anise is a plant with a wide range of medicinal properties. There are a huge number of folk recipes for both the gastrointestinal tract and the bronchi and respiratory tract. Anise fruit infusion can be an excellent expectorant. To prepare it, you need to pour half a liter of hot water on one tablespoon of fruit and leave for about an hour. Then the liquid should be filtered and consumed three times a day half an hour before meals as an expectorant. For similar purposes, you can apply anise oil in an amount of up to 5 drops, also three times a day.
With intestinal colic or flatulence, anise seeds help well. In order to prepare a decoction, pour one teaspoon of anise seeds with a glass of boiling water and let the resulting mixture brew for half an hour, after which you need to strain the liquid. The resulting decoction should be taken three times a day, one cup.
If you are tortured by stones in the kidneys or bladder, then this recipe will help: pour 2 teaspoons of anise seeds with a glass of boiling water, let it brew for about 20 minutes, filter, and you're done! You need to take the resulting liquid, 2 tablespoons about 3 times a day, 20 minutes before meals.
Other useful properties
In addition to getting rid of diseases of the stomach or lungs, anise can help men regain lost potency or restore normal sexual activity if there are problems with it. For this, various decoctions and tinctures from anise seeds are used. Another beneficial property of seeds is increased lactation in women who are breastfeeding.
This decoction can help: for 2 teaspoons of seeds you will need a glass of water. All this must be slowly warmed up in a water bath for 30 minutes, then strain, add sugar to taste. The resulting substance should be taken three times a day, two tablespoons.
Anise decoctions can be used as a gargle for sore throats or just for bad breath. This plant can also help in the fight against insomnia. To do this, pour a teaspoon of anise seeds with one glass of hot milk and leave for half an hour, then add a little honey to the liquid. It is best to drink the resulting drink two hours before bedtime.
Composition of anise
What makes anise ordinary so useful? What substances should be thanked for their miraculous properties? Anise fruits contain approximately 3% of essential oils, as well as a quarter of fatty oil and about 20% of proteins. Also, this useful culture contains various minerals, sugar and mucus. Such a rich and varied composition provides this medicinal plant with such a wide range of healing properties.
The use of anise in everyday life
Naturally, the main thing that anise is famous for is its medicinal properties. However, it can be useful not only for the treatment of ailments, but also in everyday life. For example, anise stalks can be great food for pets in the summer. The range of applications of plant seeds is especially wide - they are used in the manufacture of bread or in order to create pleasant aromas. The ground seeds can be seasoned with some dishes, and anise essential oils are great at repelling flies, mites, and other annoying insects.
Anise is widely used in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. It can be found in popular liquids such as absinthe or sambuca. In Greece, aniseed alcoholic beverages are ubiquitous. No major holiday is complete without anise moonshine. Thus, we can note a deep relationship between the anise and the culture of the peoples living side by side with it.
Anis at his own dacha
Anise has truly magical properties. The use of this plant brings such beneficial results that many summer residents would not mind having this culture on their site. In our area, anise gets along well, but requires care and competent care. It is also important to plant the plant correctly in order to get the long-awaited harvest.
First you need to germinate the seeds by moistening them with water and wrapping them in a cloth or gauze. After about a week, sprouts will begin to break through from the seeds - this is a sure sign that it's time to start planting. It is necessary to bury the seeds in the ground by 3-4 centimeters, with a large or small row spacing, depending on personal preferences. The soil must be dug up beforehand. It should not be heavy, clayey or alkaline - these types of soil are not suitable for anise.
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