Anise, also called aniseed or sweet cumin, is related to dill, fennel, caraway, and cumin and is thought to be one of the oldest spices around. It has a unique sweet flavor reminiscent of black licorice and should not be confused with star anise, which is a different plant altogether.

Originally native to Greece and Egypt, this small annual herb is often used in home cooking for flavoring foods and beverages. It lends its distinctive taste to alcoholic drinks such as ouzo, a Greek favorite, and anisette. Its essential oils can be extracted and used for medicinal purposes and as a fragrance and flavoring agent in many products, including toothpastes and breath fresheners.

Anise has a long history of use as a digestive aid to ease indigestion, bloating, and gas in people of all ages. Anise tea has been used as a tonic to calm colic and griping in infants. Anise is also used to soothe bronchial illnesses, such as bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), in which coughing is a problem; it acts as an expectorant to clear the lungs.

The herb’s licorice-like flavor is due mostly to the rich concentration of anethole, the primary compound found in the essential oil of the plant. Essential oils not only produce an aroma and flavor, but they can also have a physiological impact on a variety of bodily functions. The practice of aromatherapy studies these effects. Essential oils are extracted from a plant source through water or steam distillation; in the case of anise, the seeds are used for this purpose. After distillation, the highly concentrated essential oils that remain are full of physiologically active compounds.

Anethole has been shown to act like a mild estrogen in the body, which may be why it’s historically been used in inducing lactation, for menstrual problems, and in childbirth. Because of its mild estrogen-like properties, it could theoretically interfere with certain medications, such as birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, and tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer. Therefore, if you are on any of these medications, avoid using anise in large therapeutic amounts. Occasionally consuming it in foods and beverages should not cause a problem. Anethole can also be irritating to the skin and cause allergy in some. Pregnant women should avoid using essential oil of anise.

To add to the unusual mix of maladies that anise has been used for, there is some research suggesting that eugenol and estragole, additional compounds present in the essential oil of anise, can act as a muscle relaxant and an anticonvulsant. In large doses, it may even have a narcotic effect and slow circulation. Parents who have young children in school may find this tidbit of particular interest: A combination of anise oil, coconut oil, and ylang-ylang oil has been shown to be more than 90 percent effective in treating head lice. This mix was nearly as effective as the standard spray, which contains the pesticides malathion and permethrin.

As with any essential oil, take anise internally only under the guidance and advice of a trained aromatherapist. The essential oil can be added to a vaporizer or to a bowl of hot water and inhaled to help ease coughs. To aid digestive problems, try taking 1/2 teaspoon of the dried seeds three times a day.

—Megan Witt, RD, LD, CLT