Herbs that are used for both food and medicinal purposes are amongst my favorites - and Fennel is one such. Contemporary herbalists still recommend fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) for digestive health, including relieving gas and bloating, calming an upset stomach, or to dispel intestinal cramping. It's also used with infants to relieve colic, and with nursing moms to improve the flow of breast milk. Fennel has enjoyed a long history of use: as early as 50 AD, the renowned Greek physician Dioscorides mentioned fennel in his famous De Materia Medica; in 1145 AD, Hildegard of Bingen recommended fennel for flu and digestion; and the first distillery to make absinthe, using wormwood and fennel, opened in France in 1797.

Enjoying a cup of fennel tea or chewing on a few fennel seeds after eating are two ways you can easily enjoy the digestive benefits of fennel.