The star of the show!

Peace and happy Monday!! I pray your weekend was great! My weekend was amazing!!! Take me back to the lake! Any way It's back to business! I know my readers like Khadijah who is the star of the show?? Well i'm going to get to it! First did you check out our blog about self care and creating a self care routine! If you didn't then go check it out and add a few of the tips to your self care self love routine! Now that we have all been waiting for the star of the show! The star of the show is Star Anise, some of you may know what Star Anise is or some may not well guess what that's what dijah house of tea blogs are for to educate you! In this blog we will talk about the origin, benefits, how to use star anise and history of Star anise! Now let's steep into it!

What is Star Anise?

Star anise is the seed pod from the fruit of the Illicium verum plant, an evergreen shrub native to Southwest China. The star anise pod, which is shaped like a star has an average of eight points, each containing a single pea-sized seed.

What is the History of Star Anise?

Star Anise is grown in China, Indo China, and Japan and sometimes referred to as Chinese star anise. Star anise is a pillar ingredient in Chinese cooking; it is one of the main flavors in Chinese five-spice powder and is also used to make tea and season roast duck and other meats. In Vietnamese cuisine, star anise is part of the well-known soup, pho. In Western cultures, it is more often used to flavor liqueurs, such as absinthe, sambuca, and pastis, as well as baked goods like cookies and cakes.

Star anise originated in southern China and has been used as a medicine and spice for more than 3,000 years. During the late 1500s, star anise came to Europe via an English sailor and soon after was traded along the tea route from China through Russia. Because of its sweet flavor, star anise was mainly used in jams, syrups, and puddings.

Tea Note: Star Anise and Anise seed aren't the same. Star anise is from the magnolia whereas aniseed is from the parsley family. *** Cool to know right!!***

What is the benefit of star anise?

One of the most popular pharmacologically relevant attributes of star anise is its shikimic acid content.

Shikimic acid is a compound with strong antiviral capabilities. In fact, it is one of the main active ingredients in Tamiflu, a popular medication for the treatment of influenza.

Currently, star anise is the primary source of shikimic acid used for pharmaceutical product development. As the influenza pandemic continues to mount as a threat to global health, the demand for star anise is on the rise.

Tea Note: Some research has also shown that the essential oil of star anise may treat other types of viral infections, including herpes simplex type 1. Star anise is frequently used for treating influenza,

Antifungal Properties

Star anise is a rich source of the flavonoid anethole. This compound is responsible for the spice’s distinct flavor and offers potent antifungal benefits.

Some agricultural research has found that trans anethole derived from star anise may inhibit the growth of pathogenic fungi in certain edible crops

research indicates that other bioactive compounds found in star anise essential oil, like terpene linalool, may suppress biofilm and cell wall formation of infectious fungi in humans.

Antibacterial Benefits.

Tea Note: Medicinal benefit of star anise is its ability to inhibit bacterial growth implicated in a variety of common illnesses.

Research has revealed that star anise extract is as effective as antibiotics against multiple drug resistant pathogenic bacteria. This may be particularly useful for future development of new antibiotic medications.

studies have also shown that bioactive compounds in star anise may be effective in treating urinary tract infections caused by different bacteria.

How to use Star anise?

You can use Star Anise as tea used to treat respiratory infections, nausea, constipation and other digestive issues. You can add Star anise powder form to your favorite dessert or add a whole star anise pod to your favorite soup dish to take it up a notch!.

Tea Note: Star anise has a distinct licorice flavor similar to that of anise or fennel, though it is not related to either of these spices. It pairs well with coriander, cinnamon, cardamom and clove.

Now that you know a little more about Star Anise I hope you add it to your favorite dish or make a cup of tea out of it! Anise has some amazing benefits! Dijah house of tea always aims to educate our readers on the benefit of tea so that you can make a better tea decision. This blog is for educational purposes only! you should always consult with a healthcare professional.