Question about making fennel tea....
#179542 - 05/17/05 07:52 AM
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Shelli73
Reged: 05/11/05
Posts: 99
Loc: Georgia, USA
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I found some McCormick organic fennel seeds in the grocery store. Can I make the tea with those? If so, how much of the seeds would you use for one cup of tea, and how long should it brew? Fennel is best for bloating & cramps, correct? I'm trying to keep all my herbs straight!! 
Thanks!!
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Shelli - Wife & stay at home mom to 1 son, 1 dog & 2 parrots! IBS-A, usually C.
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1 tablespoon of fennel seeds per cup of tea?? It sounds like what I bought will work fine.
I promise I looked before I posted, couldn't find the answer....then right after posting, I stumbled across it!! LOL
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Shelli - Wife & stay at home mom to 1 son, 1 dog & 2 parrots! IBS-A, usually C.
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I use about a teaspoon of seeds per mug of boiling water. You can cut them up on a cutting board with a knife a bit to make them more potent. Just put them in a tea strainer and steep for as long as you want. The longer, the stronger, obviously.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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They seemed to 'jump' all over the place while I was trying to cut them. I finally gave up...I think I only cut about 1/4 of the seeds. I wish I had a mortar & pestle!! It still came out okay, I think I needed to use a little more of the seeds, since I didn't get them cut up. I wasn't crazy about the flavor, but it was better than the ginger tea I brewed the other night...I found out I really don't care for ginger!!
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Shelli - Wife & stay at home mom to 1 son, 1 dog & 2 parrots! IBS-A, usually C.
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I just bought my first bag of Heather's seeds and have made two cups so far. I think I will like it better when I strain them more efficiently. I do like the smell and would like to use the seeds after they've been brewed. Any suggestions? They smell so good still: I hate to throw them out. Right now they are in a bowl making the kitchen smell nice. For the tea, I rolled them with a roling pin in some foil. I would like to get a pestle and mortar and also a tea ball.
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They are super hard to grind in the mortar too as they jump out a lot. I never used to grind them at all so it does work that way too. I love gingerroot tea! with honey and a little lemon, but to each his own. The fennel tea is not so good by itself- I mix 1 part peppermint to 2 or 3 parts fennel and I put in sugar.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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I'm cheap and sometimes use the seeds for several cups of tea- I just add a little more when it gets weak.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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How much do you start with?
Do you just add more boiled water?
Do you ever reheat it - but not to boiling point?
I also put the mug on my tummy. I have a rice sock - a sports sock filled with dried rice grains - which I heat for two mins in the microwave. Its very flexible - and soothing. I actually thought about adding my used fennel seeds to that as the Jasmine rice smells like food.
About your ginger tea - I just bought some fresh ginger for the first time and am wondering how I can use it.
How much ginger and do you chop it up finely. How ling do you steep it before drinking.
I have some peppermin tbags which I've been cautious about. Maybe I could open them and add some fennel seeds. I just don't know if I would like the two together.
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Quote:
How much do you start with? It depends how I am making the tea. If I use a tea ball I fill it half way and will get 2 cups out of it. If I steep the tea in a pot I guess I use 1T per cup maybe. I am not sure since I just eyeball it and don't have a formula.
Do you just add more boiled water? yep or if it is in the pot I just heat it up again.
Do you ever reheat it - but not to boiling point?
I also put the mug on my tummy. I have a rice sock - a sports sock filled with dried rice grains - which I heat for two mins in the microwave. Its very flexible - and soothing. I actually thought about adding my used fennel seeds to that as the Jasmine rice smells like food.
About your ginger tea - I just bought some fresh ginger for the first time and am wondering how I can use it.
How much ginger and do you chop it up finely. How ling do you steep it before drinking. Do you mean use it for tea or in cooking too? For tea I cut a "knob" or a couple inches long piece and put it in a small saucepan and fill with water. I am not sure how much those small saucepans hold but probably a couple cups. I bring it to a boil and then leave it covered and steep until it is cool enough to drink. I pour out the water in my mug and add honey and 1t lemon juice. Then I add more water to the pan and let it sit there. It can sit for a day or 2. I heat up that when I want more tea. The ginger is so powerful that you can keep adding water to it for a couple days and several cups! When it isn't smelling like ginger anymore it is time to get a new chunk.
I have some peppermin tbags which I've been cautious about. Maybe I could open them and add some fennel seeds. I just don't know if I would like the two together. I think fennel alone isn't so good but with peppermint is tastes nice. They do not clash. I think they clash with ginger though! Fennel and ginger together is icky.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Thanx for answering all my questions - most helpful.
I'm just having my first ever cup of peppermint herb tea - Bigelow tbag. Its quite good straight - the first few sips anyway.
I'll be trying the ginger tea soon. I found lots of posts on using fresh ginger that have been very helpful.
In fact I just love this sight. There's sooo much valuable info to choose from - its hard to remember it all. I use the searches often, then get distracted!!!
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Hmmm, I love the peppermint tea. I may have to try adding some of the fennel seed to it tomorrow, and see how I like the combination.
As far as the ginger tea, I haven't tried it fresh. I bought a box called "Ginger Aid" I believe. It was in the organic health food section. Maybe fresh ginger would make better tasting tea. It just seemed a little 'spicy' to me. I don't know how else to describe it.
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Shelli - Wife & stay at home mom to 1 son, 1 dog & 2 parrots! IBS-A, usually C.
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I don't know if you live by a Walmart or not, but that's where I found my tea ball! I had to look hard....those things are hard to find nowadays! But I found one in with all the little kitchen gadgets! 
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Shelli - Wife & stay at home mom to 1 son, 1 dog & 2 parrots! IBS-A, usually C.
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Thanx.
I'll try there. It was good to see a picture on that website. Now I know what to look for. do you ever heat the cup in the microwave after you've added the tball to the water and let it steep for a while?
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No, the tea ball I have is made of metal, so I'd be afraid to put it in the microwave. I just boil the water first, then pour it into my mug over the teaball & let it steep in the mug. Or you could put the tea ball in a tea pot & let it steep there.
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Shelli - Wife & stay at home mom to 1 son, 1 dog & 2 parrots! IBS-A, usually C.
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That works just fine for me, so long as the tea properly boiled once, reheating it seems to be fine. I often leave it to steep and then forget about, so I just reheat it once I return.
Just a warning....definitely stating the obvious here, but I'm all up on microwave safety lately (heh!)...but....take the metal tea ball OUT of the cup, before you microwave it.
Enjoy!
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~~~Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.~~~
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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i found mine at the dollar store!!
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Microscopic Colitis, IBS-A, GERD, Hiatal Hernia
Bethany, Ontario, Canada
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Just to put in my two cents, I just throw the whole seeds into the bottom of the cup (1-2 tsp probably, never measure it), then after it's steeped (I let it go for a LONG time, up to 10 mins sometimes, afterwhich I usually have to reheat the tea but I like it strong!  ) I strain out the seeds with a little strainer.
Lately I've also been breaking up CINNAMON STICKS and putting them into the cup with the fennel. It's SOOOOO good! So sweet and yummy, especially good if you don't like the taste of fennel.
And yes, guilty - I reuse the seeds all the time!  (for tea). You can also cook with them though, yum. You'd have ot let the seeds dry out first though I'd think...
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Do you just add the entire seed to the food and eat it whole? Aren't seeds bad to eat whole? 
Also, food is good to add fennel too? I have some fennel powder and don't know what food it would taste good on/in!
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Oh fennel powder you can do anything with. It's yummy. Use it where you'd use cumin or dill or anything like that.
For fennel seeds, you can eat those too in most any food. It's really good with fish, cooked veggies and in Italian-like sauces, mustards, and other dishes. You can grind it yourself as some people have mentioned in a mortar and pestle. Or you can blend them in the blender or food processor (with a bit of water, you can also add nuts and that makes a yummy paste).
To be honest I've never cooked with the seeds whole but I do know that many Italian sausage recipes call for them whole (if you've ever had Italian sausage, back in the pre-IBS days maybe, fennel is what gives most Italian sausage its distinctive taste). I'm not sure how else you would use them - in turkey meatloaf or meatballs maybe? Maybe in casseroles and such as well.
I *think* you can chew on the seeds too though, so there ya go  If you're using it whole just add it to the food while it's cooking so that the flavour will get cooked in. You can eat them whole though - I bought my first fennel in the spice aisle!
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glad to have found this.  One question though, does it hurt to swallow the hulls? I would assume no...but... Never hurts to ask.
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yep, it's me,
Rebecca
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I mash my fennel seeds in a garlic press(not one I use for garlic) and it works great. I found Heather's fennel was much cheaper than the store spice bottle size.
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Franny
IBS/D
Celiac
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