Know what’s on your plate
Fennel seeds
Calories & nutrition facts
Nutrition facts
Per 100 g% DV- Calories 327 kcal —
- Protein 16 g 32%
- Carbohydrate 13 g 5%
- Fat 15 g 19%
- Saturated fat 0.5 g 3%
- Fibre 40 g 143%
- Sugars 13 g —
- Sodium 88 mg 4%
Vitamins & minerals
Per 100 g% DVVitamins
- Vitamin A 13 µg 1%
- Vitamin C 0 mg 0%
- Vitamin D 0 µg 0%
- Thiamin (B1) 0.41 mg 34%
- Riboflavin (B2) 0.35 mg 27%
- Niacin (B3) 10.3 mg 64%
- Folate (B9) 0 µg 0%
- Vitamin B12 0 µg 0%
Minerals
- Calcium 1200 mg 92%
- Iron 12.3 mg 68%
- Magnesium 390 mg 93%
- Phosphorus 510 mg 41%
- Potassium 1660 mg 35%
- Zinc 3.7 mg 34%
- Copper 1.1 mg 119%
- Manganese 6.5 mg 283%
Similar foods
Questions about Fennel seeds
How do you use fennel seeds in cooking?
Crush them lightly with a pestle or the flat of a knife to release their sweet, anise-like aroma. Toast them in a dry pan for about a minute, then add to curries, lentil dishes, sausages or bread.
Can you eat fennel seeds whole, or should you grind them?
You can eat them whole, but lightly crushing or grinding them helps their flavour spread through a dish. Use them whole for a gentle flavour in pickles and slow-cooked dishes; add ground seeds to spice rubs and baking.
What dishes go well with fennel seeds?
They pair well with pork, fish, beans and lentils, and are a familiar flavour in Italian sausage and Indian spice blends such as panch phoron. Add a pinch to tomato sauces, bread dough or roasted vegetables.
How should you store fennel seeds?
Keep them in an airtight jar in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the cooker and sunlight. Whole seeds keep their aroma longer than ground ones; crush or grind them just before using.
Can you use fennel seeds instead of anise seeds?
Yes: both have a sweet, liquorice-like flavour, and fennel seeds make a good substitute in baking, savoury dishes and spice mixes. Use roughly the same amount, but expect fennel to taste a little less sweet.
What is the difference between fennel seeds and cumin seeds?
Fennel seeds taste sweet and mildly liquorice-like, while cumin seeds are earthy, savoury and more pungent. They are not interchangeable in equal amounts if you want to keep a dish’s usual flavour.
How much fennel seed should you use in a cup of tea?
Crush about a teaspoon of seeds, pour over a mug of freshly boiled water and steep for 5–10 minutes. Strain before drinking; the longer it steeps, the stronger the anise-like flavour.
Are fennel seeds a source of fibre and minerals?
Yes. Fennel seeds are high in fibre and are a source of iron, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, manganese and potassium; a teaspoon is a small portion, so it contributes much less than 40 g of seeds.
Source: CoFID (UK) 13-827 · per 100 g · carbohydrate per EU label, fibre excluded
