Fennel

Quality fennel seed is plump, greenish to pale olive-brown, and intensely aromatic, releasing a sweet anise scent the moment you crush a few seeds; dull grey, dusty, or scentless seed is old and flat. Whole seeds keep their volatile oils far better than pre-ground fennel, so buy whole and crush just before brewing. Sweetness and aroma are the markers to chase, since the best fennel is noticeably sweeter and rounder than tired, woody-tasting seed. Fennel is often blended with other digestive herbs such as peppermint, anise, caraway, or chamomile, so check the label if you want it on its own. As a seed-based infusion it stores well when kept whole, sealed, and away from light.

Fennel is Foeniculum vulgare, a tall flowering plant in the carrot family, Apiaceae, native to the Mediterranean and now cultivated widely, including in Egypt, India, and across southern Europe. The part used for tea is the dried seed (botanically the fruit), sometimes lightly crushed. The sweet, anise-like character comes largely from anethole, the same aromatic compound found in anise and star anise. Fennel contains no caffeine.

Use about 1 teaspoon of seeds per cup, lightly crushed to open them up, water at 95 to 100°C, and steep 5 to 10 minutes, then strain. Crushing matters: whole intact seeds give a much weaker cup. It is very forgiving and will not turn bitter, so a longer steep simply makes a stronger, sweeter brew. The seeds can be gently simmered for a more concentrated infusion, and they will give a lighter second steep.

Cheap: roughly €3-9 (about $3-10) per 100 g for whole seed, with organic seed at the upper end.

Prices reviewed June 2026