Fennel

Source=Leaves and stems of the fennel plant Foeniculum vulgare var.
Flavor=Like anise, but sweeter and lighter
Best Use=Raw or cooked
Cooking Use=In salads (raw), in soups or stews (cooked

The next time a dietary indulgence comes back to haunt you, try a cup of fennel tea, suggests Mary Bove, ND, director of the Brattleboro Naturopathic Clinic in Vermont. And the next time you decide to take your chances at the Squat 'n' Gobble, top off your meal by chewing a handful of fennel seeds as a digestive aid.
On account of its aromatic and carminative properties, Fennel fruit is chiefly used medicinally with purgatives to allay their tendency to griping and for this purpose forms one of the ingredients of the well-known compound Liquorice Powder. Fennel water has properties similar to those of anise and dill water: mixed with sodium bicarbonate and syrup, these waters constitute the domestic 'Gripe Water,' used to correct the flatulence of infants. Volatile oil of Fennel has these properties in concentration