Forgotten in favor of cucumber or zucchini, this crunchy vegetable is nevertheless the ideal anti-bloating weapon after 50 to find a flat stomach all summer long.
We always think of zucchini or cucumber to compose our summer salads. However, there is a much more interesting, often shunned ally that ticks all the boxes when the heat sets in: fennel. Crunchy, refreshing and extremely effective against the inconveniences of summer, it fully deserves its place on our plates, especially after 50 years.
In July and August, fennel is best eaten raw. Sliced very thinly with a mandolin, drizzled with a drizzle of olive oil and a few drops of lemon, it offers an ultra-fresh crunch that is an ideal substitute for cucumber or zucchini. Its light aniseed flavor awakens salads and pleasantly surprises the taste buds. But it doesn’t stop there: grilled on the barbecue, it goes divinely with summer fish and transforms into a melting and fragrant garnish. Raw or cooked, it is a welcome addition to all summer meals.
After the age of 50, the heat sometimes complicates the body’s daily life, and in this area, fennel proves to be particularly precious. With high temperatures, the legs and hands tend to swell. A powerful natural diuretic, fennel helps the body eliminate excess water and fight against retention. It also acts as the savior of summer evenings. Barbecues, long aperitifs, sometimes acidic tomato salads… Summer meals promote bloating. Thanks to the anethole it contains, fennel blocks intestinal fermentation and guarantees an immediate flat stomach effect. A major asset in the height of the season for swimsuits and light clothing.
The ideal is to eat it raw, in thin strips, to preserve all its digestive properties and its refreshing crunch. You can also infuse the seeds for a digestive herbal tea after a meal, or combine it with other seasonal vegetables in colorful salads. The surprise guest of summer salads therefore has everything to please: low in calories, full of water and fiber, it refreshes, deflates and facilitates digestion. Enough to get through the light summer, without giving up the pleasure of the table.
