Star Anise

This star-shaped herbal spice is an underrated ingredient that can add amazing sweet liquorice flavour and aromatic fragrance to your meat stews, broths and braises cooking recipes. Star anise contains shikimic acid, which is the starting material used to synthesize anti-viral drug to treat influenza. It is also packed with phytonutrients such as linalool, quercetin, anethole, limonene, alpha- and beta-pipene, and neurolidol which have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-microbial properties. Star anise is commonly known to help alleviate digestive ailments, reduce respiratory congestion, normalise blood sugar levels, improve blood circulation, detoxify the liver and promote healthy bones development.