Effect of fennel seeds fortified crackers on various obesity biomarkers

Obesity is linked to a range of major medical consequences, collectively known as “insulin resistance syndrome”. About 40 % of the world's adult population is overweight, with obesity affecting over 14 % of adults, while obesity rates exceed 50 % in some countries. Obesity disrupts the metabolic balance and harms many body organs. Fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare) is a spice used all over the world. It is a rich source of dietary fiber and different phytochemicals. Fennel is a well-known therapeutic plant used to control obesity in traditional medicine and has a sweet flavor that can be integrated into a new recipe. In this study, fennel seeds were incorporated in different percentages to develop crackers, and their bioefficacy was evaluated against traditional cholesterol-lowering medicine and traditional herbal therapies for obesity. Three treatments (T0, T1, and T2) were evaluated on humans, where T1 showed the best results in all parameters and was hence considered to be the best treatment. Participants in T0 showed only a slight change in their body mass index (BMI) values in 45 days, whereas T1 participants saw a decrease in BMI from 38.48 to 36.95 kg/m2 in 45 days. Conclusively, fennel seed-fortified crackers can dramatically lower BMI while also enhancing lipid profiles.