Ingredient profile
Saunf
Foeniculum vulgare
Fennel seed, a sweet aromatic spice traditionally taken after meals to support comfortable digestion.
- Hindi
- सौंफ
- Sanskrit
- Mishreya
- Family
- Apiaceae
- Part used
- seed
Traditional use
Saunf, or fennel, is a tall, feathery herb of the carrot family. Its small, ridged, sweet-smelling seeds are one of the most familiar kitchen spices.
In Ayurvedic tradition
In Ayurveda fennel is a gentle, cooling digestive. Chewing a pinch of seeds after meals is a centuries-old habit, and fennel is a staple of digestive formulations.
Ayurvedic properties
- Rasa (taste): Sweet, pungent, bitter
- Guna (qualities): Light, unctuous
- Virya (potency): Cooling
- Vipaka (post-digestive effect): Sweet
- Effect on the doshas: Balances vata and pitta
How it is traditionally taken
Chewed after meals, brewed as tea, or included in digestive blends.
Safety notes
Commonly used as a food spice. Seek advice before giving concentrated preparations to infants. Use as directed on the product label. This profile is for general education and is not medical advice.
References
- Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (monograph: Mishreya) pharmacopoeia