Fruit of anise: description, properties and application

How much all tasty and incredibly useful we are given by Mother Nature! In this article, we suggest you immerse yourself in the world of spices and talk about what an anise is, what beneficial properties its fruits have and where they are applied. We will talk about the independent cultivation of this plant at home and the rules of harvesting anise seeds for future use.

What is an anise?

Anise ordinary is an ancient medicinal plant that belongs to the umbrella family. Seeds of anise were found more than once in buildings dating back to the Stone Age. Anise ordinary has such names as sweet cumin, anise vegetable and anise thigh-bag.

Description of anise

This plant is annual, thin-pubescent. Its smooth rounded dense stems reach a height of 30 to 70 cm and branch out at the top. A thin, spindle-like root sprouts into the earth to a depth of 30 cm.

Leaves that are closer to the roots, rounded, with large teeth, grow on long petioles. The middle leaves, located on the stem, are rounded and have palicate incisions. The upper leaves are three-or five-pinnate and have a wedge shape. The flowers are very small, usually white, but sometimes with a slightly pinkish tinge. Fruits of anise - this is nothing like an ovoid or pear-shaped hairs with a weak ribbing. The simple language is the seeds of anise. Their color is gray-green or gray-brown. The fruits of anise are characterized by strong spicy aroma and sweet taste. Anise is also a honey plant. The rich flowering of umbrellas is a favorable environment for bees, which produce an incredibly fragrant anise honey.

Homeland and the spread of anise

To date, it has not been possible to find reliable information about where the anise was first discovered and cultivated. According to some sources - his homeland is Asia Minor, other sources say that the anis came to us from Egypt. Currently, anis can be found on almost any continent, in any country, whether it be Russia, Spain, France, Japan, America, India, the Netherlands, Mexico, Afghanistan or Turkey. In our country the anise is actively and successfully cultivated in the Voronezh and Kursk regions, in the Krasnodar Territory.

Therapeutic properties of anise

The main purpose of anise seeds is medicinal. Useful properties of anise seeds were already known to Pythagoras and Hippocrates, who actively used them as a medicinal product. Due to the high content of essential oils in fruits, the main use of anise is the treatment of cough and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

Anise as an antispasmodic is very often a part of gastric and laxative dues. It has soothing and analgesic effects, so it is often prescribed for intestinal colic and bloating. Due to the carminative property it quickly removes the spasm in the intestines and improves the secretory function of the digestive tract.

Decoction of anise fruit is often prescribed to nursing mothers, as it stimulates the production of milk and improves uterine contraction, which is very important after delivery.

The smell of essential oil of anise is not tolerated by many insects: lice, cockroaches and mites. Below we will share with you the most popular and effective recipes of folk medicine.

• To increase the amount of milk produced during lactation, you need to eat 2 tablespoons of anise seeds 3-4 times a day. You can combine them with honey and wash down with warm tea.
• With constant bloating and intestinal colic, anis is used in conjunction with other herbs. Prepare a decoction of equal parts of anise seeds, chamomile flowers, mint leaves and cumin. In a day you need to drink at least a glass of this decoction.
• If you do not have other herbs at hand, you can prepare aniseed tea from intestinal colic. To do this, a teaspoon of well-seeded anise seeds is poured into a glass of boiling water and allowed to stand for an hour. You need to use this tea 3 times a day for 1 tablespoon. With a higher dosage, tea can significantly increase appetite.
• With gastritis and severe pain in the stomach, stronger and infrequent anise tea is drunk on a quarter cup, at least 4 times a day.
• With amenorrhea or, on the contrary, too much menses, a piece of sugar moistened with 3-4 drops of anise oil, used 3 times a day, helps. Anise oil helps normalize the menstrual cycle.
• From insomnia, the infusion of anise seeds on milk with honey helps. Enough of a teaspoon of anise fruit, a glass of milk and a spoonful of honey - and after 15 minutes you will sleep a baby's sleep.
• Anise infusion can help in skin rejuvenation. For this you need not only to take it inside, but also to wipe their face daily.
• Anise oil in combination with sunflower will help get rid of lice. Just properly rub the oil in the head, wrap it in a bag and a towel and after a few hours begin combing. Repeat the procedure every three days until the lice completely disappear.
• In case of pneumonia it is necessary to use an infusion of anise and lime. For this, the seed and leaves are mixed in equal proportions and poured with boiling water. After a half-hour infusion, the broth can be drunk.
• Prolonged bronchitis can be cured with this mixture: 100 g of flaxseed, 20 g of anise fruit, 30 g of ginger and 0.5 kg of garlic honey mass with lemon must be mixed thoroughly and consumed a teaspoon several times a day.

If you do not have time to prepare infusions and decoctions, then you can buy ready-made anise drops in the pharmacy. It is about them that will be discussed in the next section.

Anise Drops

Anise oil dilutes and removes phlegm from the bronchi, relieves inflammation and reduces pain in the throat. In pharmacy chains you can find a combination drug - anise drops with ammonia. Ammonia in combination with anise oil disinfects, promotes rapid regeneration of mucous membranes and rapidly dilutes sputum, which speeds up the cough treatment process. A special advantage of these drops is the use of them at any age. Due to their completely natural composition they can cough cough even in young children. Quite a low cost (about 70 rubles) makes them affordable for any strata of the population.

Application of anise in cooking

Not only the seeds of anise, but also anise oil are widely used in bakery and confectionery production, in the preparation of meat, fish dishes and even beverages. The fruits of anise have a refreshing aroma, which, as an exquisite spice, will perfectly decorate almost any dish, be it soup or dessert.

Anise growing on site

Grow anise on your site - the occupation is not easy and pretty pleasant. Anis, oddly enough, loves both cold and warmth. Land for its planting will suit almost any, except clay. It will grow particularly well in the land after potatoes and legumes. A month before the freezing, properly dig up the area under the anise planting to a depth of at least 30 cm. As soon as all the snow comes down and the soil dries dry, it must be digged again, but not so deep - by 5-6 cm. For sowing, fruits are not used Over two years of age, since older seeds may simply not ascend. Before planting it is necessary to give them a little germination. To do this, just hold the seeds in a wet cloth for about a week. Do not forget to moisten the drying rag. As soon as you notice that small shoots have appeared, remove excess moisture, slightly drying them.

Planting germinated seeds is carried out to a depth of 4 cm and with a distance between rows of 30 to 50 cm. To make the anise grow powerful and bring a good harvest, be sure to loosen the soil, destroy the weeds and fertilize the soil.

Anise preparation for the winter

Collect anise only after its full maturation - in August or September. Ripe anise fruits fall easily, so the process of collecting seeds will not cause unnecessary difficulties. Collected seeds should be dried in a dry and dark place for at least five days or in the oven at a low temperature. Whether the seeds are dry enough to determine very simply - they will decrease in volume in half. Then they must be carefully threshed, remove impurities and all the husk. The dried seeds are stored in a tin can in a dry, dark place.

Contraindications to the use of anise fruit

The main contraindication to use is the presence of an allergic reaction to the fruits and essential oils contained in them. Another disease that does not tolerate essential oils is an ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. Caution is to use anise to women during pregnancy. Do not abuse anise if you have high blood coagulability.