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Fennel Seed Essential Oil: Anticipating Spring

by Amy Galper

Spring is coming—I feel it. The urge to step out, let go and manifest the potential I’ve been nurturing and protecting all winter that’s been starting to peek through.

And Fennel Seed Essential Oil resonates with its anticipation. The many benefits of fennel and its essential oil are powerful and dynamic, and have been recorded and incorporated into cultures around the world.

Let’s take a closer look and this aromatic and flavorful little seed:

Fennel Seed Essential Oil is steam distilled from the fresh, slightly crushed seeds from the fennel plant Foeniculum vulgare. Originally from the shores of the Mediterranean, the fennel plant is a hardy perennial that can now be found all over the world, growing primarily on the sandy, dusty shores of riverbanks and coastlines. But in the U.S., it can also be found along roadsides and wide open areas, and since it is grows fast from seed, it is considered by some to be an invasive “weed.”

The white, bulbous stem and feathery light yellow flowers make it easily recognizable—its strong, sweetly herbaceous, licorice-like aroma is how we initially connect with it. Its bulb can be sliced and chopped into raw or cooked dishes, as it makes a great addition to salads, while its seeds have been used to flavor food and beverages across cultures.

But it is the essential oil from the fennel seed that can most powerfully support the first peeks of springtime transformations. For most of us, the spring inspires us to make a few changes; we clean out our closets, renew our exercise regime, cleanse, detox and disperse the stillness and stagnancy that shrouded us during the winter months.

Here are a few ways to incorporate Fennel Seed Essential Oil during these early, pre-spring days:

Detox the Digestive

Make a gel to massage on your lower belly: Add 3 drops of Fennel Essential Oil to 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera Gel, and rub in a circular motion around your belly button, starting at your right hip, moving above your belly button and then downward towards your left hip and around again. You can also blend in a few drops of Lavender or Chamomile Essential Oils to make it more soothing.

Why? Spring is all about cleansing, and Fennel Essential Oil is one of the most powerful essential oils to promote elimination and increase digestive circulation. Detoxing the liver, and the large intestine, is a good way to prepare for the new changes coming with the spring. Fennel Essential Oil is also known to aid in weight loss and excess water weight. It helps the body dispel gas and bloating, and release toxins buried deep in the colon.

Brighten Skin and Bring Back the Glow 

Make a sugar scrub for the body: Mix 2 tablespoons of organic sugar with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and add 8 drops of Fennel Seed Oil. Blend well until mixture is pasty. Dampen areas first, scrub and rinse.

Why? Like our digestive system, our skin needs help detoxing too. Bombarded by free radicals, airborne toxins and micro-particles all day and night, we need to slough off the dead skin cells, open the pores, and energize our cells to regenerate and breathe. Try adding a few drops of Peppermint or Ginger Essential Oils to the scrub to increase circulation and neutralize lingering toxins—both peppermint and ginger have strong antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

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