Fennel, the Function Food Which Balances the Ratio of the Levels Free Radicals and Antioxidants in Our Body

By Kyle J. Norton

Imbalancing the ratio of the free radicals and antioxidants in the facilitation of oxidative stress was associated with the increased risk of the early onset of many chronic diseases, scientists found.

Fennel is a species of Foeniculum Vulgare, belonging to the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae), and native to the shores of the Mediterranean, may process a potential effect in improving the levels of antioxidant enzymes produced by the human body, therefore, adding a portion of fennel on your daily diet should be helpful in reducing the risk of diabetics, rheumatoid arthritis, post-ischemic perfusion injury, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular diseases, chronic inflammation, stroke …

Dr. Moylan JS, the lead author in the study “Oxidative stress, chronic disease, and muscle wasting”, wrote, “If an overproduction of oxidants overwhelms the antioxidant defenses, oxidative damage of cells, tissues, and organs ensue. In some cases, oxidative stress is assigned a causal role in disease pathogenesis, whereas in others the link is less certain”.

Free radicals are unstable molecules with unpaired electrons produced daily in our body, reactive oxygen species, and reactive nitrogen can induce a domino’s effect by stealing an electron from other molecules, leading to a continued function that cannot stop until they are paired or inhibited by the presence of antioxidant molecules.

If the generation of free radicals exceeds the protective effects of antioxidants and some co-factors, the process can cause oxidative damage accumulated during the life cycle, leading to the disruption in the function of the cells.

There are many risk factors which can increase the overexpression of free radicals, including fried foods, alcohol, tobacco smoke, pesticides, air pollutants.

Therefore by changing your diet pattern with more in fruits and vegetables, whole grains and less in red meat and processed foods and maintaining an active lifestyle, you can absolutely balance the ratio of free radicals and antioxidants in your body, thus decreasing the risk of many related chronic diseases.

In the review of traditional use of fennel essential oils (EO) possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammable oil and insect repellent, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties, researchers launched a comparison of essential oil and their main constituents in Citrus aurantium, C. limon, Cupressus sempervirens, Eucalyptus globulus, Foeniculum vulgare and Thymus vulgaris.

EO of fennel showed the best free radicals scavenging capacity compared to others.

Fennel EO also was most effective against lipid peroxidation along with EO of C. limon.

Interestingly, after in-depth analysis, researchers discovered the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the EOs were plant species dependent and not always attributable to the EOs main components.

Additionally, in the evaluation of chemical constituents from essential oil from (Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum, Foeniculum vulgare var. dulce and Foeniculum vulgare var. vulgare, researchers suggested
* trans-Anethole, estragole, fenchone and limonene found highly abundant in all of the examined oils demonstrated strong antioxidant activities in the DPPH radical scavenging, lipid peroxidation, and metal chelating assays

* All 3 tested essential display significant antimicrobial activities against two species of fungi, two species of Gram-negative and two species of Gram-positive bacteria.

Finally, in the study to assess the efficacy of medicinal plants used traditionally in folk medicine as natural healing remedies with therapeutic effects as prevention of cardiovascular diseases, inflammation disorders, or reducing the risk of cancer, researchers found that fennel in comparison to other medical exerts a strong antioxidant effect through many of its bioactive compound such as phenolic compounds.

However, Dr. Škrovánková S, the lead scientist in the concerns of some condition which may affect the herbal quality, said, “The antioxidant properties of medicinal plants depend on the plant, its variety, environmental conditions, climatic and seasonal variations, geographical regions of growth, degree of ripeness, growing practices, and many other factors such as postharvest treatment and processing.

Taken all together, adding a portion of fennel into your diet may have a potential effect in increasing the levels of antioxidants in your body and countering the risk of overexpression of free radicals.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, best before it’s news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada – Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.
References
(1) Anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activities of Moroccan commercial essential oils by Aazza S, Lyoussi B, Megías C, Cortés-Giraldo I, Vioque J, Figueiredo AC, Miguel MG. (PubMed)
(4) Distillation time modifies essential oil yield, composition, and antioxidant capacity of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) by Zheljazkov VD1, Horgan T, Astatkie T, Schlegel V.(PubMed)
(3) Antioxidant activity and protecting health effects of common medicinal plants.
(4) Oxidative stress, chronic disease, and muscle wasting by Moylan JS1, Reid M. (PubMed)