FOOD NEWS
The Best Time To Eat The Candy-Coated Fennel Seeds At An Indian Restaurant
BY TOM MAXWELL
If you've been to an Indian restaurant, you've likely seen a bowl of brightly-colored, sugar-coated fennel seeds, usually displayed at the host station at the front.
You might think of sampling the seeds while you wait for a table, but they're actually powerful breath fresheners and digestive aids meant to be enjoyed post-meal.
Called "funfetti fennel" (or “saunf mithai” in Hindi), they’re a form of mukhwas (post-meal breath fresheners), which are made from seeds and nuts like anise, sesame, or coconut.
Per the ancient medicinal practice of Ayurveda, fennel is cooling and sweet, which makes it ideal for supporting the digestion of spicy and "fiery" foods after dinner.
Ayurvedic expert Dr. Dixa Bhavsar Savaliya states that this all-star digestive can also help with heart health, menstrual pain, breast milk production, and lung congestion.
Fennel fights gas, constipation, and is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Its fresh scent, promotion of saliva production, and antimicrobial effects can freshen your breath.