Welcome back to 13 Days of Spices. A series where we cover 13 different spices over 13 days from December 8 – 20. For Day 6, we are learning about Star Anise.

Star Anise (Illicium verum) is a star shaped spice that have 8 points on average. You may find star anise with less points. Each point contains a shiny light brown seed. Star Anise is often confused with Anise which is small seed that is unrelated to Star Anise and related to the same family as parsley and carrots.

Star Anise has a sweet flavor that is delicious in baked goodies. I personally put one star anise in my pot of cocoa tea. You will find Star Anise in Asian cooking – it is one of the main ingredients in the popular Chinese five-spice mix. What you use Star Anise in your cooking or lifestyle? Let me know in the comments.

Health Benefits of Star Anise

I am not a doctor. This information is not meant to replace or act in place of medical advice. Consult your doctor before making any changes.

Antifungal, Antiviral, and Antibacterial properties.

Calming and mildly sleep-inducing

Guess what spice we are learning about tomorrow. Let me know your guess in the comments.