Menu & categories

Browse all our categories:

More from us:

Sprache

Login

Fennel

Aromatic bulb vegetable with anise note

Wiki about fennel Nutri-Score A Vegan Yes Gluten-free Yes Lactose-free Yes Nut-free Yes
NUTRITION / 100 g
31 kcal 1.2 g Protein 7.3 g Kohlenhydrate 0.2 g Fett

Introduction

Fresh fennel bulb with green stalks
Fennel for me is far more than just a Mediterranean vegetable plant: it is a scent of childhood, a hint of the sea and a reliable partner in everyday cooking. As a 35-year-old editor from Europe I have experienced fennel over the years in many kitchens – from the market stall in Italy to the modern bistro menu in Copenhagen. The lovely anise-like aroma, the crunchy bulb, the delicate fronds and the tender seeds make fennel a versatile ingredient that is at once fresh, spicy and comforting. Once you understand how adaptable fennel is, you keep rediscovering it – raw, roasted, braised, grilled or as a tea.

The plant itself is beautiful: pale green, layered bulbs that resemble celery, delicate stalks and filigree foliage that looks like dill and works wonderfully as a garnish. The taste is clear but multi-layered – a mix of sweetness, freshness and a light licorice note. A colleague of mine, who is not really an anise fan, was suddenly converted after a fennel‑orange salad. He said the combination of citrus freshness and fennel sweetness was like a little holiday in the south, just without sand in the shoes.

Fennel has a long tradition in Europe. In Italian cuisine it belongs in everyday cooking as much as in festive menus. In France it is found in refined fish dishes, while in Spain and Portugal the seeds are often used for sausages and baked goods. My grandmother in southern Germany swore by fennel tea for stomach ache. The first time I brought a tray of oven‑caramelised fennel bulbs from Italy, she only asked: “Can vegetables be this sweet?” – and immediately went back for seconds.

When buying fennel, look for plump, firm bulbs with brightly green stalks. The fronds should smell fresh and not be wilted. In my editorial office our food stylist regularly brings bunches of fennel from the weekly market, because they not only taste good but their feathery greenery always looks great in photos. At home I store fennel in the vegetable drawer, wrapped in a slightly damp cloth. This keeps it juicy and aromatic for several days.

Benefits and uses of fen

Availability & types

Availability and types of fennel

Fennel is an amazingly versatile plant, appreciated in many cuisines and also in herbal medicine. When we talk about availability and types, we mean when and where you can get fennel and which varieties exist. It's similar to apples: there are different cultivars that are best at different times, and each variety has its own properties. Fennel grows in many regions of the world, prefers mild to warm temperatures and is especially popular in countries around the Mediterranean. Today fennel is also grown in Central Europe, North America and parts of Asia because it is relatively robust and thrives with enough sun and water.

Origin and history
The original home of fennel is probably the Mediterranean region. The ancient Greeks and Romans already knew it, used it as a spice and medicine and believed it gave strength. From there fennel spread with traders and travellers. Today you find it in markets and supermarkets worldwide. Modern agriculture makes fennel available fresh for many months of the year, and some components such as the seeds are practically available year‑round because they are dried.

Seasonal availability
To know when fennel is particularly fresh, here is a look at the seasons:

  • Fresh bulb fennel: In many countries the main season runs from late spring into autumn. In temperate regions you can get it roughly from May/June to October/November. Thanks to greenhouses and imports it is often available in winter too, but it can be more expensive.
  • Fennel fronds (leaves/“dill tips”): These fine green leaves grow throughout the growing season, from early summer into autumn. They are very delicate and should be used fresh.
  • Fennel seeds: The seeds ripen in late summer and autumn. Once dried they are storable year‑round and available in spice racks at any time.
  • Fennel tea and extracts: In tea bags, as loose herb or as oil, fennel products are available round

Details & nutrition

Property Value
Unit g
Average weight per piece 230
Calories per 100 31
Protein per 100 1.2
Carbohydrates per 100 7.3
Sugar per 100 3.9
Fat per 100 0.2
Saturated fat per 100 0.05
Monounsaturated fat 0.06
Polyunsaturated fat 0.11
Fiber per 100 3.1
Vitamin C (mg) per 100 12
Vitamin D (IU) per 100 0
Calcium (mg) per 100 49
Iron (mg) per 100 0.7
Nutri-Score A
CO₂ footprint 0.25 kg CO2e/kg
Origin Mediterranean region, EU cultivation
Gluten-free Yes
Lactose-free Yes
Nut-free Yes
Vegan Yes
Note Mild anise aroma; usable raw, steamed or sautéed

Technical & scientific information

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is an aromatic species of the Apiaceae family, used widely in cooking, pharmacy and food technology. The plant originates from the Mediterranean region and is now cultivated worldwide in temperate zones. Botanically a distinction is made between vegetable fennel (var. azoricum) with an enlarged bulb, sweet fennel (var. dulce) and bitter fennel (var. vulgare), whose seeds serve as spice and remedy. Characteristic are the anise‑like aroma, the high content of essential oils and the finely divided, dill‑like leaves. In food science fennel is regarded as a functional ingredient with sensory‑defining, technologically usable and nutritionally valuable components.

Botany and morphology
Fennel is a biennial to perennial herbaceous plant with an erect stem reaching up to 2 m height. The blue‑green hollow stems bear repeatedly pinnate leaves with narrow leaflets. The inflorescences are compound umbels with numerous yellow individual flowers. The fruits are elongated schizocarps, marketed as “fennel seeds”. In vegetable fennel a bulb‑like false stem forms from overlapping leaf bases; it is crunchy, juicy and white to pale green.

Constituents and chemical composition
Fennel contains complex secondary metabolites and nutrients with technological and health relevance:

  • Essential oils: Main components are trans‑anethole, fenchone and estragole; in sweet fennel anethole predominates (typically 50–80 %), in bitter fennel the fenchone fraction is higher. Minor components include limonene, ?‑pinene and myrcene.
  • Phenolic compounds: Flavonoids (e.g. rutin, quercetin derivatives), phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid) with antioxidant properties.
  • Dietary fibre: Pectins, cellulose and hemicelluloses; technologically relevant for texture, water binding and satiety
Wiki entry for: fennel
Back to top
Active now: 6 visitors of which 2 logged-in members in the last 5 minutes