Coriander and Fennel in Hildegard Medicine: Spices for Gentle Digestion

Who doesn’t know the feeling: After a hearty meal, the stomach signals a slight discomfort, and you long for something soothing to restore inner balance. Long before modern remedies existed, people turned to what nature and monastery gardens provided – and two spices have topped the list for centuries: coriander and fennel. Hildegard of Bingen, the great universal scholar of the 12th century, devoted special attention to both plants in her herbal knowledge. Her recommendations remain alive in the world of natural medicine to this day – and for good reason. This article takes you on a journey into monastic medicine and shows why these two simple spices have such a remarkably long history as companions to daily well-being. Hildegard von Bingen products

Hildegard of Bingen and her understanding of digestion and warmth

Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) was a Benedictine abbess, mystic, composer, and one of the most influential healers of the Middle Ages. In her main work Physica – a comprehensive book on herbs and natural history – she described hundreds of plants, stones, and animals, assigning them specific qualities. Her thinking was shaped by ancient humoral pathology, the idea that health arises from the balance of the four bodily humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Spices played a central role in this system, as they were considered carriers of warmth and dryness – qualities that, according to Hildegard, invigorate the body and maintain its natural order.

What Hildegard understood by the term “warmth” is more than just temperature: it is a vitalizing, organizing force she called viriditas – the green life force. Foods and herbs that carry this warmth were especially valuable to humans, who could be thrown off balance by poor diet, cold, or stress. Spices like coriander and fennel symbolized this power: fragrant, aromatic, originating from the Mediterranean, and rich in essential oils. They were not just kitchen ingredients but were used in monasteries as part of a holistic lifestyle – alongside prayer, fasting, and moderation. Fasting products

Hildegard’s view of the stomach as the center of human well-being is particularly interesting. For her, the stomach was not just a digestive organ but the seat of life energy. Those who cared for this center – through moderate eating, warm foods, and the right choice of spices – laid the foundation for a long and vigorous life, according to Hildegard. This perspective seems surprisingly modern, considering how much today’s natural medicine and science recognize the gut as a second brain and key to overall health. Gut and digestion products

“Coriander is warm and dry and has a strong nature. Whoever uses it in food will benefit from it.” – Hildegard of Bingen, Physica, 12th century (paraphrased)

Coriander: The underestimated spice from Hildegard’s monastery garden

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) is one of humanity’s oldest cultivated plants. Archaeological finds prove its use in ancient Egypt, and in ancient Greece, it was known both as a culinary and medicinal herb. It entered Central European monastic medicine through the Benedictine rule, which explicitly recommended cultivating useful medicinal plants. Hildegard of Bingen knew the spice well and described it in Physica as a plant with a warm, strong nature that, when consumed in moderation, benefits well-being. Especially the seeds, which release a gently spicy aroma when dried and ground, were the focus of her recommendations.

What makes coriander seeds so special are their essential oils, primarily linalool, as well as various flavonoids and tannins. These natural compounds give the spice its distinctive, slightly sweet scent – very different from the fresh leaves, which some people find polarizing. In the traditional folk medicine of many cultures – from India through the Middle East to Europe – coriander has been used for centuries after large meals, often as tea or as part of spice blends. The idea was that aromatic spices could restore inner balance after eating and support general well-being.

In today’s natural medicine, coriander is often discussed in connection with the BitterKraft Original concept, as its ingredients have a complex, multifaceted effect on the senses. As part of herbal blends, bitters, or tea ingredients, it appears in numerous traditional recipes. Hildegard’s recommendation to regularly include coriander in the diet proves surprisingly contemporary: those looking for spices that easily fit into everyday life and have a long tradition as well-being companions will find a reliable ally in coriander.

Coriander has been cultivated as a crop for over 3,000 years and is one of the most widely used spices worldwide – an impressive testament to its cultural and historical significance.

What’s inside coriander seeds?

Coriander seeds contain up to 1% essential oils, especially linalool (60–80%), which gives the spice its characteristic floral-spicy aroma. They also contain fatty oils, flavonoids, coumarins, and tannins. This natural combination makes coriander seeds one of the most versatile spices used in traditional natural medicine worldwide.

Fennel: Hildegard’s “warming plant” for daily use

If Hildegard of Bingen had a favorite spice, it was probably fennel. In Physica, she devotes several passages to it and praises its warming, invigorating quality. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) was, according to Hildegard’s meaning, versatile: as a spice in food, as tea, and as part of monastic recipes. She especially highlighted its suitability as a daily companion – not as an extraordinary measure but as part of a conscious, moderate lifestyle. This view makes fennel a prime example of Hildegard’s principle: health arises not from one-time interventions but from daily small decisions.

Fennel seeds have a distinctive, slightly sweet scent, mainly due to the essential oil trans-anethole. This molecule is also found in anise and star anise and is responsible for the characteristic “licorice” aroma. In traditional medicine throughout Europe since the Middle Ages, fennel has been valued both as a culinary herb that flavors dishes and as part of monastic recipes. Hildegard recommended it in various preparations: as tea from crushed seeds, as a spice in bread dough (the famous Hildegard fennel bread), and as part of spice blends meant to accompany daily well-being. Hildegard von Bingen products

Interestingly, fennel appears in nearly all traditional healing systems that shared a philosophy similar to Hildegard’s: in Ayurvedic India as “Shatapushpa,” in medieval Arabic medicine with Avicenna, and in Chinese herbal medicine. This cross-cultural, centuries-long use suggests that people of different origins independently had similar experiences with this plant. For those interested in natural medicine, this is a strong signal: tradition here is not blind but the distillation of observations and experience passed down through generations.

Hildegard of Bingen explicitly recommended fennel for daily use – not only as a remedy but as a consciously used food within a healthy lifestyle.

What’s inside fennel seeds?

Fennel seeds contain 2–6% essential oils, of which trans-anethole makes up the main portion (60–75%). Other important ingredients include fenchone (which gives the seed a slightly bitter undertone), estragole, flavonoids like quercetin and kaempferol, and coumarins. Fennel seeds are standard drugs in the European Pharmacopoeia and have been used in traditional phytotherapy for centuries.

These traditional spices from monastic medicine are especially well known:

• Coriander (Coriandrum sativum): Cultivated for over 3,000 years and described by Hildegard of Bingen as a warming spice that can be used daily in moderation.
• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare): Hildegard’s “favorite plant,” recommended for daily nutrition as tea, spice, and bread ingredient.
• Anise (Pimpinella anisum): Closely related to fennel, traditionally valued in monastic medicine as an aromatic spice, often used in combination with other seeds.
• Caraway (Carum carvi): One of Europe’s oldest spices, used in Hildegard’s medicine as a warming kitchen herb and still present in traditional herbal blends today.
• Galangal (Alpinia officinarum): Hildegard’s personal “miracle root,” which she especially valued and recommended for its warming properties in daily nutrition.

Using coriander and fennel together: traditional recipes and modern daily rituals

The beauty of Hildegard’s approach is its deeply practical character: she did not describe exotic preparations that could only be replicated in monasteries but everyday recipes anyone could make in their kitchen. Coriander and fennel combine wonderfully – as a spice blend for savory dishes, as part of homemade herbal teas, or as flavorings in bread recipes. The Hildegard tradition, for example, knows the so-called Nervenkeks or Freudenkeks, in which fennel, cloves, and other aromatic substances come together. According to tradition, these small biscuits were to be eaten daily – as a conscious ritual of self-care.

A classic Hildegard tea from coriander and fennel is easy to prepare yourself: Pour one teaspoon each of lightly crushed coriander and fennel seeds over 250 ml of hot water, let steep for five to eight minutes, then strain. The tea smells pleasantly spicy-sweet and can be drunk after a meal – a practice rich in tradition in many cultures. In India, fennel seeds are served with sugar after meals; in the Middle East, coriander tea is a common home remedy. Hildegard would likely have recognized familiar friends in all these traditions.

For those who want to explore Hildegard medicine more deeply, coriander and fennel also offer an entry point into a broader concept of conscious living. Hildegard von Bingen products The principle “adding instead of omitting” – daily enriching the diet with traditional spices and herbs – is central to this philosophy. No prohibitions, no strict diets, but mindful supplementation of the menu with ingredients that have been considered beneficial for general well-being for centuries. This allows Hildegard’s spice knowledge to be seamlessly integrated into a modern, active everyday life – whether as morning tea, cooking spice, or part of a conscious evening ritual after a long day.

The combination of coriander and fennel seeds as tea after meals is a time-honored practice maintained in cultures from Europe to Asia for centuries – a small ritual with a great history.

In the tradition of Hildegard medicine, it is said that fennel “restores cheerfulness to the person who eats it daily in good health” – a hint at how closely Hildegard linked physical and mental well-being. (From: Hildegard von Bingen, Physica, Book I, paraphrased after Strehlow/Hertzka)

Everyday integration: how to live Hildegard’s spice knowledge today

Hildegard of Bingen’s knowledge is more accessible today than ever: books, seminars, monastery kitchens, and specialized online shops make it possible to follow the abbess’s recipes. Coriander and fennel are especially beginner-friendly because they are affordable, easy to find, and versatile. Those who start kneading fennel seeds into homemade bread or generously sprinkle coriander over steamed vegetables are already taking first steps toward a Hildegard-inspired diet. Small rituals have great importance in Hildegard’s worldview: it is the sum of daily habits that supports well-being in the long term.

For those who want to go deeper, it’s worth looking at the connection between Hildegard medicine and the BitterKraft Original flavor concept. Bitter and aromatic spices were often used together in monastic medicine – as a complement covering the full spectrum of natural taste diversity. Hildegard was convinced that a meal combining all taste directions – sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, salty – supports the body’s natural order. Coriander and fennel mainly bring the warming-aromatic note, while bitter herbs complete the palette. Bitterkraft liver products

A particularly lovely everyday ritual from the Hildegard tradition is the conscious pause after lunch. Instead of immediately continuing work, one would take a short rest in monastic tradition – accompanied by a small sip of warm herbal tea or a spice biscuit. This moment of silence, combined with the scent of fennel and coriander, is more than just a culinary habit: it is a form of mindful self-care that is gaining importance again in our fast-paced times. Those who begin to weave such small rituals into their daily lives will quickly notice how much more consciously the day feels – and how deeply the knowledge of old monastic medicine is still rooted in all of us.

Simple Hildegard-inspired home applications:

🌿 Coriander-fennel tea: Pour 1 tsp each of coarsely crushed seeds with 250 ml hot water, steep for 7 minutes, strain. Traditionally drunk after meals.

🌿 Hildegard spice bread: Knead fennel seeds, coriander, and caraway into bread dough – a baking tradition passed down in monasteries since the Middle Ages.

🌿 Aroma blend for dishes: Coriander, fennel, caraway, and a pinch of ginger as a universal spice mix for vegetables, soups, and stews.

🌿 Monastery herb salt: Mix ground coriander seeds and fennel with sea salt, thyme, and savory – an aromatic seasoning salt based on historical models.

Ultimately, coriander and fennel are more than kitchen ingredients: they are living bridges to knowledge that has endured for centuries. Hildegard of Bingen recorded this knowledge at a time when the relationship between humans and nature was still much more intimate. Today, when you take fennel seeds into a cup of hot water and inhale the aromatic steam as the tea steeps, you are essentially doing the same as the monks and nuns did in the 12th century: taking a moment, connecting with nature, and nurturing your own well-being in the simplest and oldest way in the world. That is the true message of Hildegard medicine – and it is more relevant than ever. Hildegard von Bingen products