Fennel, also known as Xiaohuaixiang, also known as coriander, fennel, fennel seed, millet (Sichuan, Guizhou), and pistachio. The stem and tender leaves of fennel can be used as vegetables, and the seasoning is fennel, which is the dry and mature fruit of the plant fennel.
Fennel was first found in Tang Bencao. Su Song said that the northerners call it fennel, and the sound is similar to Huaixiang. Tao Hongjing said: Cook smelly meat and put a little, without odor, and the smelly sauce is also fragrant in the end, so it is called fennel. Li Shizhen said that most slang people chew with Jin's clothes, fearing the name of fragrance, or so. Fruits (fennel) are used as spices and also for medicinal purposes. Roots, leaves, and whole plants can also be used as medicine. 
Fennel is a treasure throughout the body. It is not only widely used as a food seasoning spice, but also a valuable and excellent spice with pharmacological effects and high medicinal value. It can also be used as a feed additive.
In terms of food application, cumin is the main component of artificially prepared Five-spice powder, which is widely used for food flavoring. Fennel oil is also commonly used in the preparation of candies and alcoholic beverages. Fennel is a major variety of edible spice plants. In the world trade volume, it is second only to pepper, chili, mustard seeds, sesame, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, meatballs, coriander seeds, turmeric, etc., and far higher than China's abundant star anise. The total global production of fennel is over 30000 tons per year, ranking 7th among the main edible spice plants, with an annual world trade volume of around 6000 tons. In addition, Li Tianyin believes that fennel nectar is abundant and an important source of honey plant.
In terms of medicinal value, fennel fruit seeds have the effects of expelling wind, dispelling cold and warmth, relieving pain, and strengthening the spleen. They can be used to treat diseases such as weak stomach qi, bloating pain, indigestion, low back pain, and vomiting. In addition, herbal tea made from fennel has the effects of warming the kidneys, dispersing cold, and regulating stomach qi. It also has a certain effect on abdominal distension caused by excessive diet and female dysmenorrhea.In terms of feed additives, fennel as a feed additive can increase appetite, promote digestion and growth. According to the principle of regulating qi, digestion and helping the spleen and appetizer in Chinese Veterinary medicine medicine, the use of aromatic Chinese medicine can improve the palatability of livestock and poultry to feed, increase the secretion of animal saliva, gastric juice, intestinal juice and other digestive juices, promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, and achieve the purpose of promoting digestion, absorption, metabolism, growth and development of animals. Buyin et al. studied the effect of high-quality fennel as a feed seasoning agent on the egg production performance of laying hens in Tuoxian County, Inner Mongolia, and found that it improved the yolk coloring performance and chicken flavor to a certain extent. The meat flavor of laying hens becomes strong and delicious, which not only has great practical significance for laying hens production, but also provides ideas for laying hens to provide flavored chicken to the market and barbecue more delicious dishes. However, as the reason for the improvement of chicken flavor caused by the addition of fennel powder has not been found, further research is needed.
In other aspects, cumin mainly contains volatile oil and other components, including anisole, anisone, limonene 4-Anisaldehyde, etc. The essential oil extracted from the fruit, stem and leaf of cumin has a wide range of uses, and can be used in toothpaste, tooth powder, soap, perfume, cosmetics and other essence. Fennel essential oil has a good antiseptic effect and can also be used for pickled food. A kind of Anisette is popular in bars in countries such as North Africa and Greece along the Mediterranean coast. It contains fennel essential oil and has a rich and unique flavor. When drinking it, add water or ice cubes, and the transparent liquor will become turbid and become milky white suspended liquor within one second. In addition, using fennel stems and leaves to make cut tobacco, due to its lack of nicotine and low tar content, poses little harm to the human body, and has a similar combustibility to tobacco leaves. With a strong aroma, it is expected to become a new substitute for cigarettes.