What are the differences between Anise & Star Anise and how to use them?

You surely know them both. 
They both have the same name, similar tastes, and qualities.

If you have ever suffered from a cold or a sore throat, you are familiar with the cough-aid syrups with aniseed flavor.
Nowadays, it’s common practice to add anis and other natural ingredients such as eucalyptus, thyme, and peppermint to cough syrups.
It’s more natural and way healthier.
Plus you can easily prepare them at home if you’d like to.

Similar yet so different

As you can see the shape of the anise is a small brown seed.
On the other hand, the star anise is an eight-pointed star.
Then there is origin; one is western and another one eastern.
There may be a couple of similarities in name, taste, and also other properties.
Anyway, each of these two spices comes from a different plant from a diverse plant family.

Where do they come from and how do they grow?

Anise (Aniseed)

Under the name of this spice, we can imagine the small seeds of relatively inconspicuous white flowers. They bloom from July to August.

This herbaceous plant related to parsley belongs botanical family Apiaceae. The stem is up to 24 inches (0.7 m) long. 

The only thing that stands out is the penetrating yet intoxicating scent of these magical seeds. 

Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is one of the oldest spices in the world. 

They used it in the Egyptian Empire and mention it in Ayurveda as well.
Its origin is probably in the area where Turkey, Syria, and the already mentioned Egypt are now located. 

The first mention comes from the medical texts of the pharaohs about 4000 years ago.
It was even praised by Hippocrates himself. 

Spanish colonizers imported anise first overseas around the 16th century.

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Star Anise

Star anise also known as badian (Illicium verum) on the other hand, comes from a botanical family, called Schisandraceae.
It is an evergreen tree with yellow-green flowers native to Southeast Asia.
Currently, cultivate it in Japan, Southeast China, India, Vietnam, and other countries.

Star-shaped fruits come from trees that can grow up to 65 feet (19 meters) before ripening.
Then they are let dry in the sun so that they can harden.
Eight-point star shape is their trademark, as well as red-orange color, and strong aroma.

Chinese medicine is using star anise for millennia.
But western medicine accepted it just recently.
English sailor Thomas Cavendish was the first who brought star anise to Europe in the 16th century. 

What can they do for you?

Both spices are commonly used for colds (bronchitis and pneumonia).
They also may help to normalize digestion, improve appetite, and relieve PMS symptoms.
They have a tonic, expectorant, and diuretic effect on the body as well.

Anise (Aniseed) benefits

• regulates digestion, not only in adults. The mothers of newborns and infants use it fondly for its effects on bloating,
• destroys bacteria and fungi in the body and acts as an effective means of combating lice,
• relieves pain, also acts against inflammation and cramps,
• people suffering from cataracts, thrombosis, and respiratory problems, including asthma will highly appreciate it,
• helps with hormonal imbalances. Both in the case of irregular menstruation and female and male menopause,
• increases milk production during breastfeeding,
• calms the irritated psyche and improves sleep,
• detoxifies the body and also contains a large number of antioxidants, 
• acts against bad breath and is very useful in oral hygiene,
• balances blood pressure and is helpful for proper heart and pancreas function.

You can use aniseed essential oil (5-6 drops per 10 ml of any carrier oil) to massage the skin or add it to your favorite cream, gel, or lotion.
When you add few drops (4-6) of anise essential oil to the bath, will help you to relax.
As a bonus your skin gets a healthy appearance.
This oil perfectly helps against irritation after shaving and insect bites.
Adding essential oils to hair care products will help to eliminate dandruff.
Drip it into a cream or gel for the face.
You instantly create an antifungal, rejuvenating, and tonic serum that also help to eliminate hyperpigmentation.

Star Anise benefits

• increases production of immune cells
• fight oxidation stress and protects cells against free radicals 
• Improves digestion and eases nausea
• treat gastrointestinal diseases such as bloating, flatulence, indigestion, and constipation.
• help to treat skin conditions like acne
• its anti-inflammatory properties may help prevent atherosclerosis
• promote good blood circulation and maintain healthy blood vessels
• could help skin texture and improve enlarged pores 

Star anise decoction is used for bathing.
It strengthens, tones the skin, and eliminates puffiness.
Rinsing the hair after washing restores the hair structure and prevents dandruff.

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In the kitchen

These spices in various cuisines aren’t often interchangeable.

Knowing the difference between aniseed and star anise, it isn’t always a good idea to replace one spice with another in recipes.
It may change the subtle aroma of dishes. But similar experiment can give an unpredictable result from a medical point of view.
The different chemical composition of the two spices causes their combination or incompatibility with other components.

Anise (Aniseed)

Anise has been used throughout the centuries and cultures.
Some use it for its unmistakable aroma and naturally sweet taste in the kitchen when baking. Or simply in the form of a decoction.
Others make alcoholic beverages from it, while the rest praises it as an essential oil.
There is something for everyone.

If you have ever tried Sambuca, Ouzo, Absinthe, or Pastis, you are familiar with an anise taste.
Except for these famous liquors, anise is often part of gingerbread, marmalade, jelly and compotes, cakes, various aromatic teas, and grog. 

Anise seeds are distinguished by a sharp spicy aroma that can “cover” any other smell.
Therefore, add it with caution, in strict accordance with the recipe.
When you add too much, you can get an excess bitterness in the final product.

The taste and aroma of aniseed is refreshing and very straightforward.
In contrast, star anise has a more piquant and delicate amber.

For any vegetable, star anise and anise are ones of the main ingredients in the marinade.
Aniseed perfectly copes also well with the smell of sea fish.
Place it in a pan with boiled fish to help removing the smell of iodine.
Once the cooking process is finished you can take the spice out.
Unlike star anise, aniseed is great for fish and seafood dishes.

Star Anise

Star anise is a part of traditional Chinese five spices seasoning (together with fennel, cloves, cinnamon, and Szechuan pepper) and Indian seasoning – Garam Masala.
It is also the main spice in Vietnamese noodle soup Pho.
But it also tastes fantastic in sweet desserts like pumpkin pie or baked apples.

In the East, the star anise is very popular as a component of marinades or topping for meat dishes.
It is added to roast lamb or pork but is not advised to be used with beef.

Star anise doesn’t tolerate long-term testing with high temperatures, therefore you should add star anise to dishes and pastries near the end of cooking.

In addition, it goes well with poultry dishes (chickens, pheasants, and others).
Star anise not only adds a spicy taste to the dish but also makes the meat softer and tender.
For such dishes you may use ground spice.
Also, try to mix ground star anise with vegetable oils or sugar.
Star anise usage is significantly higher in meat dishes than in confectionery.
In bouillons and soups, add star anise at the end of cooking.
It’s ideal for a vegetable marinade, but it doesn’t fit to fish dishes.

Among the spices, that you can replace with star anise, the first and second place is occupied by cumin and cinnamon.
Only the third place belongs to ordinary anise.
Anyway, you can combine star anise with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cumin, and garlic. 

At the same time, you can replace anise seeds with fennel, star anise, or cumin.
In addition, it is good in combination with coriander or bay leaf.

Beware of toxic varieties of Star Anise!

Japanese star anise is considered to be harmful and can threaten human health due to its content of neurotoxins.
Symptoms that Japanese star anise can cause include seizures, hallucinations, and nausea.
Be very careful, because it’s almost identical to Chinese star anise.
Therefore, it is necessary to carefully examine the country of origin of the raw material.

Caution: Always consult with your healthcare practitioner before using any supplements if you have any health conditions.

Note: This article is for educational and informational use only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always look for the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any question you may have regarding a medical condition.