[Sca-cooks] The benefits of Anise

[Dragon]

V A wrote:
>Hey, cool -- another folk remedy gets verified by modern science. ;-)  In
>Lebanon, anise "tea" (just whole aniseseeds steeped in hot water) is used as
>a panacea for headaches, stomachaches, cramps, and whatever else ails you.
>My mom used to make it for me as a kid whenever I had a cold.  When I got to
>college I discovered it worked on hangovers too. ;-)
>
>Now the question for us is, what did medieval people think about the
>curative properties of anise...?
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Anise has been used for a long time as a digestive aid. With 
Artemesia absinthum (Common Wormwood) it is one of the two primary 
flavoring ingredients in absinthe which was originally used as a 
digestive aid and anti-parasite tonic. It is used in a lot of other 
liqueurs that started out as tonics and curatives, including pastis, 
anisette, ouzo, and Chartreuse, all of which date from period. I know 
it is also used for soothing coughs.

I know that there are references to it in medical texts from 
classical times but I don't think Culpeper mentions it.



Dragon

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  Venimus, Saltavimus, Bibimus (et naribus canium capti sumus)
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