Home Pantry Apothecary tip: Star Anise Seed

Star Anise Spice

Let's start with some basic tips on how to utilizing the medicinal herbs and spices that may already be in your household pantry, and what better way to start with Star Anise, Botanical name: Illicium Verum.

I was not familiar with Star Anise until recent years and I cannot recall that it was ever the star ingredient (no pun, hahaha) in any of our traditional cuisine while growing up, although, we used many pre-mixed spice and herb which we never bothered to read the ingredient list of (how embarrassing), so who knows if and when we may have encountered Star Anise...

Here are some fun facts about Anise seed:

Did you know that star anise was traditionally used to pay tithes and/or taxes in Biblical times, although, no one is sure whether the scripture (Matthew 23:23) was originally translated from 'Dill' to 'Anise', or whether it was originally 'Anise'. Either way, it makes for a fun fact investigation.

Star Anise was also traditionally used to prevent colds and flu, relieve pain, regulate blood sugar, hormone balancing, Heart health, constipation and digestive aid, mood enhancer (anti-depressant), insomnia, respiratory support and more modern studies even show Star Anise to be anti-cancerous.

So how we can use this medicinally valuable spice in our every day living:

1. Add a Star Anise seed to a cup of herbal tea.

   I love my rooibos tea, so a whole Anise seed is a welcome addition to my cup. I simply steep it for about 10 minutes and enjoy (add a drop of honey for those who dislike the taste... just push through and have it for a few nights, and you'll soon enjoy the taste). This is great before bed time and I believe it can support blood sugar regulation and have a calming effect before bedtime.

2. Add ground Star Anise seed to your breakfast muesli mix.

   I don't eat any grains, so my home made 'musli' consists of mainly seeds and nuts, and sometimes I add a few pieces of our home grown dried fruit, as there are no added sugars or preservatives.

3. Find ways to add it to already familiar dished like a kumera-bake or a beef stew. Try adding a sprinkle over your hot cacao or even over the mixed nuts as a snack.

Who knows, it may just become one of your favorite spices to use rather than hiding it away at the back of your pantry. You've got nothing to lose

, just try it!