Tag: Anise safety

Despite its widespread culinary use for thousands of years, consuming too much anise or its more potent forms, like anise oil, can have serious consequences. It's crucial to understand how much anise is too much to avoid adverse health effects, particularly concentrating on the form of anise being consumed and being aware of poisonous lookalikes.

The US FDA issued a warning in 2003 cautioning consumers against drinking star anise tea due to contamination risks with a toxic lookalike. For most people, true anise (Pimpinella anisum) is safe in culinary amounts, but separating fact from risk is crucial when considering if it is safe to eat anise.